The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-10-21
COV,AYCOCK TALKS
Of The WEST
Fight in Both Eighth and
Tenth is Warm.
DEMOCRACY AWAKE.
The Mountaineer, at Heart Democrat,
is Coming to Realize that the Partys
Principles Accord With His indie.
pendent SeIf-Rule. Governor
interviewed.

has only just returned from an eX-
tended campaign tour of Western
counties in the Eighth and Tenth Con
gressional Districts, gets back in good
health, invigorated rathG4 than
Wearied by the hard work attendant
on his canvass, and last night ex-
pressed himself enthusiastically. both
as to his personal pleasure in the trip,
the condition of the party i'm the ter
asm of the crowds he addressed and
the inducement which is setting more
strongly than ever in the West to-
wards the principles of Democracy.
The Governor reasons that the
mountaineer is at heart and in the
habit of his daily life the best eXpon-
ent of Democratic theory reduced 10
practice II els instensely in love
with the idea of personal freedom
IF action and thought and is deeply
antagoniStic at bottom to the idea OF
centralized power. the magnetic pole
towards which Republican Legislation
is SO syorngly setting. Confused pS
legislation passed through the dire
necessity of preserving the East to
White Supremacy. the West has lean
ed towards the Republican party IN
the past but, under the effect of the
Amendment rendering such laws no
longer compulsory. he finds that the
revival of Democratic sentiment,
coupled with an earnest and intelligent
campaign of education, will in d few
years make of the West an enthusi-
astic Democratic stronghold.
Comparing his recent trip with the
campaigns which he made in 1902,
the Governor says that he everywhere
inds conditions more favorable to
party success, the interest in matters
political keener and the people takinS
hold of the questions at issue with a
clearer and stronger insight and an
1erstanding.
Beginning at Columbus. in Polk
county, the Governor toured the
mountains of the Southwestern por-
don of the State, continued still
through mountainous country through
he Northwest almost to the Virginia
inc and made his last speech at
Mooresvile, in Iredell county. Every
where he was greeted by fatterlnS
crowds of people. sometimes speaking
to almost the entire population OF
county The hard work attendant
n the progress of the trip is we'll IL
tustrated by the fact that, from first
10 last, the Governor travelled over
$50 miles, over mountain roads, by
means of private conveyance.
He considers that both the Eighth
and the Tenth Congressional Districts
are safely Democratic by large MAORI
ties, and that the attempt OF the he
publicans to make capital by an alt
tack on the Watts law has been dis
NAL failure.
Yes" said the Governor, Il had
| most delightful trip through the
mountains and was particularly pleas
I'd and impressed with the grOWln2
cordially of the people towards the
Democratic party and their universal
kindness to me as representing the
party. In the main. | found the
crowds larger than they were when /
,anVassed the section as a candidate
for Governor ana the election returns
will show that this fact is the resN
If growing faith in the principles or
the party, rather than of personal
kindness to me.
MY canvass found conditions III
the Tenth District in fine shape. Gud-
gers majority will not be less than
1000 votes Every county in the Dis
trict is in far better trim than years
ago, and, in some, the Improvement
is notable.
THE mountaineer is by nature ana
instinct a Democrat He is distinctly
opposed to any form of centraliZa-
ton. He does not like being gov
arned but he is ever of the view that
he is himself capable of governing
himself-that he owes obedience to nc
one save God Thi sfeeling makes
him at heart a Democrat, but for IL
quarter of century, until 1900, con-
ditions in North Carolina had been
such as to necessitate a withdrawal
to some extent of local Seif-goVern-
ment and placing it in control of the
State in order to safeguard the couu-
ties of the East against negro domin-
alton. AS there was small negro
population in the West, the necessity
Of this course was not apparent to Z
great number of the mountain people
md resented the interference with
local Self-government as an unWar-
ranted encroachment upon their poll
ticaly liberty To some eXter,S, there
fore, they have gone to n considerable
exten to the Republican party, which
made violent claims of having upheld
and been the champion of local self
government.
with the adoption of the amend
ment and the elimination of the ne
gro as a factor and the consequent
restoration of the right of the people
to select their loca! officers. the
grounds for this sentiment have been
removed and the people are coming
to understand the reasons underlying
the Objectionable laws. The tendency
in the mountains towards Democracy
is now manifest: in less than ten years
that section will be q stronghold of
the party
Speaking Of the contest between
Newland and Blackburn in the Eighth
District, Governor said:
I'm the Eighth District the Dem
ocrats are justified in reaching the
conclusion that there is not the
slightest doubt of the election of Mr..
NeWland. Blackburn has lost his
prestige with the Republican party
The debates between him and New
land are distinctly in Newland's favor
The Democrats are elate. active and
certain of victory. The Republicans
are fighting uphill and Blackburn
to use a modern but effective word
is hacked"
THE Republicans made a false
| move when they attacked the Watts
Bill. 1t will do no harm in more
than two counties in the district and
| will be positive aid in others. The