The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-08-12
NORTH CAROLINA TO JOIN
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
For some months two classes OF
writers in North Carolina have been
bemoaning the fact that there is not
a strong Republican party in North
Carolina and almost shedding tears
because the Democratic party's ma
iority is so large that no opposition
can make Roadway against it.
/. One class of the advocates of
big Republican party is composed OF
men who have been doing all in their
power for ten years to help build UP
strong Republican party in the State.
At first they abused the Democrats
for continuing to hold the outrages or
1869 as a reason for keeping the
Republicans out of power. They said
that was ancient history, that the Re-
publican party had changed in It's
membership and in it's spirit, ana
should not be held responsible for the
government inflicted upon the State
by scalawags, carpet-baggers and ne
groes in the days of Reconstruction
Well in an evil day, by the help OF
men blinded to their duty by the
poverty inflicted by five cent cotton
the Republicans were given power in
1S94-1S9S. There was no difference IN
the spirit of that party then and IN
1868. The only reason they did not
steal so much then as in 1863 was
due 1. To the fact that conditions had
changed and 2. To the fact that.
among the Populists, there were some
honest men who, while politically vici-
Gus and unsafe, would not stand for
wholesale pillage or corruption But,
after infiictin~ the Safe with debauch-
cry and rottenness and corruption,
that party left legacy of 1859
ond-stealing rascality, as seen in the
effort of Russell and Butler to force
the payment of 100000 of bonds that
had been settled or arranged for by
the adjustment of the State debt in
1869. Later, the class of Repub-
licans, posing as Democrats, advocated
in whole or in part, the Republican
national platform, supported Repub-
lican candidates, and sought in every
way to give responsibility to Repub-
licanism in North Carolina. Later still
and in the present year-that class
has traduced the Democratic admins
tration and lent itself knowingly or
unknowingly) to a scheme of grafters
to enforce the payment of 100000 A.
& n. c. r. r. bonds of the State that
stand in almost the same relationship
as those sued ON by South Dakota.
2. The second class that earnestly
desires a strong Republican party is
composed of men who, believing that
two strong parties are better for the
country at large, have jumped to the
conclusion that such condition is
desirable in North Carolina. When
they have studied the situation more
thoroughly. they will see their error
and admit it, for they are not Repub-
licans at heart, and really wish the
welfare of the State.
In order to show this class of men
their error, we print the following
sensible editorial from the Whining
ton Star:
I'VE would like to see the Demo-
cratic majority in North Carolina
100000 We would like to see every
white man in the State within the
ranks of Democracy. The better able
we would be to go into primaries and
fight it out to the satisfaction of the
majority Instead of a big majority S
being q detriment to a party it is a
palpable advantage. With a big ma
jority there will be strength within
the party to reform itself, but with a
small majority we would be afraid
of our own shadow and would have to
swallow everything Objectionable and
support every jack-o'-napes the party
would put up. With a small majority
we would have to twist around and
wire in and wire out to hold them to-
gether. We would be too afraid, to
step on the toes of some of the fell
lows who are not wanted, and princi-
pie would have to be sacrificed in or
der to placate some element that was
not agreeable to some other With a
big majority the chances would be
that the best element would get in
control of the party and certainly
there would be less chance of ring
rule, ''recklessnesS, extravaganza or
arrogance A big party can afford
to be independent within itself, but a
measly little party would be afraid to
divide and consequently would have
to bend the knee to every little boss
that would bob up with a warning
that we can't do this and can't do that
for fear we may get licked.
with small majority in the
Democratic party in North Carolina,
the Greensboro convention would