The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1905-04-13
RALEIGH LETTER.
GORMAH News BUREAU, /
R.1E1cu Y e Anril 10Th [


| Goth inst try for the first time the Aus
tralian secret ballot, in holding the bien-
NAL Democratic municipal primary for
nominating candidates for the various
| elective city offices to be voted for the
| first Monday in May including the mayor
and aldermen. This will be the first
| election under the new charter, as well
| as the first secret ballot primary, and
| the result is awaited with unusual inter
est
Heretofore. for several years. the pri-
| mary plan Of nominating candidates in
| this city has been debauched openly by
| the purchase Of votes by ward heelers'
in the employ Of aspirants for office and
| even by the candidates themselves direct
ly, on occasions. As the primaries then
| were not ''legalized" the vote buyers
went unwhipt OF punishment. Under the
new city charter the primary is now Il
legalized one and violation of the law
covering such matters will be punishable
the same as at a regular election
Consequently there is not so much do
ing in the sale and purchase of votes
But it must be admitted that fear of the
law is not so much the cause of the
changed situation as is the fact that the
candidates or their purchasing agents
will this time be unable to see whether
the goods are delivered into the ballot
box after being paid for the voter word
being the only guarantee. OF course a
man who will sell his vote cannot be and
is not trusted by anyone. SO it is not
improbable that some OF the office hold
ers and seekers who have hitherto been
very strong at the polls Through the
liberal use OF campaign money! may not
show up in such great shape next week.
And they are at this writing very much
worried about it.
The Overwhelming defeat of the propo-
sition to establish liquor dispensary at
Asheville in lieu of the open saloon
surprised the Anti-SalOOn League officials
here and has correspondence encouraged
the anti-dispensary people Of Raleigh, in
Guiding the prOhibitiOnists. In Asheville
last Friday tie prohibtionists refused to
vote being opposed to both the saloon
and the dispensary, and now the dispen-
saryites are claiming that their defeat
was caused by that fact But that is not
true, as is shown by the statement that
the total registered vote was ,699 and
that 1897 votes Were polled Therefore
only 362 voters of all classes failed to
vote while the majority against the dis
pensary was J3O
Another election will undoubtedly be
held in Raleigh next fall on the dispensary
question. and the vote then will probably
be three-handed contest the prohibi-
ton proposition being included. \ num-
Der OF prominent men who supported the
dIspensary at the election in 1903. in
Guiding pastors and leading churchmen,
are now openly against that money
making institution
As municipal and county revenue
raiser the Raleigh dispensary has unques-
tonably proved great success, and the
receipts are increasing every month But
whether it has decreased liquor drinking
to any appreciable extent is very doubt
full. That is why the prohibitionists NAV
not vote for it again and if they fail to
do SO the dispensary may be defeated at
the election this year, and either absolute
prohibition or high-license may be adopt
ed in its stead. Under the new charter
Raleigh can exact as much as 81 200 for
saloon license if the open saloon system
is re-adopted at anytime in the future.
Before the advent OF the dispensary a
bar-roOm license cost only $500 here
Getty tax SO. in any event. it is not
likely the low divers will ever again
get a foothod in Raleigh.
The campaign committee for the pro-
motion of public education in North Car
DINA, OF which State Superintendent
Joyner and Ex-tiov. AycOck and DR.. Nc.
liver are members, is now maturing
plans for another active spring and sum
mer campaign.
One OF the most interesting public de-
bates between college representatives
will take place in Craven Memorial Hall
at Trinity College, Durham, April p, be-
tween Trinity and Emory colleges. Sub
iect: Resolved, that it should be the
policy OF the United States to confine it.
self to the government and ownership of
territory included in North America and
adjacent islands, Trinity students. f.
F. Lee and f. 0. Cole will represent that
institution.
DR. kilgO, the president of Trinity. de-
livered magnificent address in Raleigh
last Thursday night before the State in
ter-denOminatiOnal Sunday-schOol Con
vention which met here 1t was one of
ablest and most eloquent addresses ever
delivered In this State. He is this week
conducting great religious revival meet
ing at the Main Street Methodist church
Durham Sunday night he delivered a
powerful sermon to the business men.
The report comes to this city from
Washington that there will be an effort
made to induce President Roosevelt to
appoint several distinguished Confederate
soldiers to important Offices in North |
Carolina, following the plan adopted in |
Virginia (where Gen. Rosser and "Jeb." |
Stewart have been appointedD and two
names mentioned so far are Hon Cyrus |
u. Watson for United States District At
torney in the West and Gen. ". z. Rob
erts Tor nlted States Marshal in the |
East. The reorganization Republicans