Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-23
GOOD FIELD FOR WORK
Republicans in North Carolina
to Try to Win State.
THE TAR HEEL CLUB
VICE PRESIDENT FAIRBANKS
VISIT TO AROUSE INTEREST.
Party Growth Under Baneful Influence
of "Nigger" Cry-Business Inter
ests Disregarded-Future Plans.
Special From STAFF Correspondent.

| Special From a Staff Correspondent.
GREENSBORO. N. c., March %, 1905.
| Making bricks without straw is a process
which has been commented upon before.
| think the term should be aptly applied to
| the experiment of republicanizing North
| Carolina. yet, although there is nothing in
sight at this time to warrant the expecta-
| ton Of swinging the old north state perm
anently into the republican column. il the
effort ever is to be made. it must have a
| beginning. and there is a devoted little
| band that is now making the beginning.
| 1t requires a tremendous amount of op-
| timism effort and political faith for these
workers in the vineyard to carry on their
campaign, but they are doing it bravely
and willingly. Only the Lord knows what
| the outcome will be and when it will be
reached.
Fairbanks Visit.
Vice President Fairbanks visit to North
Carolina and his entertainment by the
Har Heel Club is the latest effort to arouse
the interest of the people of this state in
the policies of the republican party. There
is no state in the Union with a future still
| before 1t which has SO much at stake in
l. common with the republican, party as
North Carolina.
I The are some far-seeing men within her
borders who realize this fact, and are en-
deavoring to bring it home to the mass of
the people, but it is a thankless task at
present. 1t is very much like making
bricks Without straw.
At the Fairbanks banquet last night /
talked with one of the men who is engaged
! upon this task. He is deeply interested In
the welfare of the state, SO far as its ma
teral interests are concerned. He Is one
of those progressive southerners who draws
his 40 per cent dividends from North Caro-
lin
Europe and is as well known in New York,
Newport and Palm Beach as in his own
state. This is what he said:
''Nigger" Cry Stampedes State.
I'VE can't do very much toward building
up the state in politics. The business men
know that their welfare lies with the re-
publican party, but in any campaign some
body can get up and cry niger, and the
state will stampede like a crowd in an opera
house, when one yells, fire"
Col. John w. Yerkes, commissioner of in
ternal revenue, echoed this sentiment last
night in his speech at the Fairbanks BAN
quet He said: 1.-The democratic party in
the south opposes all that the republican
proposes and then when it loses divides the
profits with the winner.
Col. Yerkes drove some other caustic
truths home to the listening Tar Heelers,
! but he did 1t in a manner which indicated
that he did not have any real faith in his
remarks, sticking.
Prosperous Republican Politics.
This is one of the busiest and most pros
porous towns in the south. 1t is prospering
! under republican fiscal policies, and while it
| grows fat murmurs. The people fain would
be democrats, although they can not deny
that their prosperity is derived from the
republican party's policies. This is a fat
town.
There are cotton mills here operating
under the protective tariff which pay as
much as 40 per cent per year on the invest
ment. l have in mind one institution that
started with a capital of s15OOOO and now
has invested property interests of 81 ,OO0 600.
1t is lively town. with good hotels, cleo
trio lights substantial banks and all of
the material prosperity of an active New
England manufacturing community This
has grown up on the red gullies and sedge-
fields of the old north state practically
within the time that republican tariff legis-
lation has been in effect.
In the Hands of Bourbons.
The community is still in the hands of
the bourbons, however, when it comes to
politics. The people are still willing to
d-n the republicans at election time and
for the remainder of the year to divide
the profits resulting from the republican
policies
This Tar Heel Club which entertained Vice
President Fairbanks last night has started a
movement which, while at present is en-
gagged In the making of bricks without
straw, may ultimately grow into something
formidable. The club is not local insti-
tuition, but covers the entire state.
1t is designed to draw together thinking
men who are engaged in business through
out this commonwealth, which is to be Yam
keeized, if possible. 1t is a significant fact
that the most of the men who comprise the
club are not Yankees, but are North Caro-
linians, born and bred.
In Touch With the North.
They are men who Have come into touch
with the north, however, and are deter
mined that they will not be humbugged any
longer by the old bugaboos and party
fetiches that are still used so effectively
by the Bourbons. Thoughtful men among
them do not see much prospect for the i'm
mediate future. They know 1t is a long
uphill road, but they are willing to do the
best they can to start the journey.
Representative-elect Spencer Blackburn
deserves lot of credit for the work he
has DONE He has been in congress once,
suffered defeat at the hands of the bour-
bons with the aid of some skilful knife
play In his own party, but came back again
in the last campaign to meet with success
He and the men who are working with
him see no reason why North Carolina,
with it's wonderful natural resources, should
not break away from the old bourbon ties.
Hard Work Ahead Of Them.
These young virile, ambitious and coura-
geous North Carolinians. who insist that a
man can be republican in the south and
yet be respectable, have their work cut
out for them, but they are willing to un-
dertake 1t. They will probably ride to
many a fall before the end, but they don't
intend to give up.
Vice President Fairbanks little trip to
the south probably did not pan out to their
expectations. The Vice President carefully
avoided all partisan discussion. Those who
expected him to make vigorous protective
/ tariff talk were grievously disappoin ed.
Tie was as mild and. innocuous In his re-
marks as could be. Colonel Yerkes and
: scmc of the speakers who followed were
not hampered. however. by the considera-