The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-11-27
Democratic Enthusiasm
Won a Hard Fight.
SPENCER HELPED OUT
Many Republicans knIlcd INN OH
the Issue of Ills Personaiity-Ihc
IuGicrousncSs of Contest
TaIk-Splcndid Organza-
ton in AShc.

( DIl2I tE-lIla II-'4'1A IVA IN '-2 $500
district. who spent two days in RAJ
eigh. left yesterday afternoon TO re-
turn to his home at Wilkesboro. -
,yidcsrread was the interest aroused
by his campaign against Blackburn
that Mr.. Hackctt IS now Il maFk1d
man wherever he goes. lie IS sought
out and congratulated by people
whom he has never met. II who
cvince in him a personal interest that
must be peculiarly pleasing to a man
who has borne the brunt Of the fight
which he has Waged in 1t mountain
district from the day Of his nomina-
ton until the polls closed on TUESDAY
of election.
Democratic Dash Responsible.
"The Democratic victory in the
Eighth said MIR. Hackett, twas the
result of a concentration Of Demo-
cratic energy and a determined en-
thusiaem among the Democratic Vot-
ers.' He was helped alsO by many Of
the better people throughout the Dis
trict who are normally Republicans,
but who voted against Blackburn upon
his moral record. When Blackburn,
in the last stages of the campaign,
resOrted to Islander. the only result
was to arouse new Democratic resent
ment in the districts in which he made
the remarks. HackcttS sCathing de-
nunciation Of the Blackburn charges,
which was published in the News and
Observer, and which appeared to those
not acquainted With the situation 10
be extreme, was no more severe than
the state of feeling in the Eighth
district called for. Even Blackburn
saw the tactical mistake after he had
made it and desisted from making the
charges, either from political OF per-
sOnal fears.
AS al afterclap of the campaigns,
Mr.. Racket has in this weeks Wilkes
bOrO Chronicle q singing attack Il
Charley CoWles, manager for Black
burn and editor of the 'PatriOt."
who in attempting to explain away
Blackburn's downfall, made ridicG-
lous charges of great Democratic ex-
pe~nditures and specifically stated that
Mr.. Hacket had boosted of account
ing for four votes with twenty dollars
This specific charge Mr.. Hackett stig-
harsh than those which he applied y
Blackburn during the campaign.
Was a Hard Fight.
Although Blackburn was badly
beaten, Mr.. Eackett says It was a fight
from start to finish, since the Black
burn gang stood fast by him and
fought to the end They resOrted to
every conceivable trick of politics and
every ridiculous charge, threat ana
prediction Imaginable, but they could
not overcome the a of voters who
We're Disguised with Blackburn per
sonally. How strong this feeling
among the more Respectable Repub-
licans was is shown by the fact that In
the county Of Wilkes. where Black
burn received 1872 majority, he a
behind the State ticket of his party
by three to four hundred votes. Min
listers n church people particularly
Jrn;fnI Ito ~, 400. pnx - I~sr- -
fenced thereto not only by his past
record, but by the conduct of his per-
SOnal campaign.
Blackburn'S Contest.
Mr.. Hackett. if such a thing were
possible, takes the contest of Black
burn less seriously than the general
run of people. The defeated can
didate, when he went to Washington
stated that the grounds of his contest
would be h a the Democrats had Vot-
ed numbers of men who had not paid
their poll tax. The Childishness OF
this charge is apparent through the
fact that in seven counties of the dis
trict the Republicans were in con
troll and had possession of the taX
books and, 50 far as poll tax manip-
ulation is concerned, were in much
better position to abuse and evade the
provisions of the law than the Demo
Gratis. If an investigation along this
line should be entered into the result
would in all probability indicate that
the "bOot was on the other foot
Although the Republicans have been
talking of a great corruption fun
which was used to elect Hackett. even
Blackburn has not the nerve to MAX
that charge one of the supports of his
proposed contest. 1t is generally known
that the Congressional fight in the
Eighth was badly hampered, 50 ral
as the Democrats were concerned. BY
lack of funds; and it was signifcan,
that Mr.. Blackburn dallied for Quitc
awhile in Washington before he ever
entered upon his campaign. 1t is cer-
tain that considerable money was usec
in his behalf in several counties imme.
dIately preceding election. there De-
ing a story eXtant that this fund die
not find equitable distribution over
the district, since Blackburn. being il
IMAM another, put a serious crimp il
his roll to the Disadvantage OF Other
mountaineering territory. This wa
said to have been acutely shown a
LenOlr, where rumOr has it that {
. proportion of the Blackburn fund gu
Of all proportion to the conditions cx
sting in the county, found permanen
Judgement and q joyous reception.
Team Work In Ashc.
MI. IIdckeII was D|dEllculdttN eilIIG
SIastic over the result in Ashe county
where the Democratic victory indi
Gated that the leaders there had start
ed out with a courage that was alnlOe
lmpertinent in the face of the uSud
heavy Republican majorities. In til
beginning Of the campaign two o
three of the leading Democrats &c
together and organized into a hShtin
force every man in the county VIII
had ever voted the Democratic tickle
AS Mr.. Hackett said, they 'played til
game like they were playing 1907
ball" each man having his duties. h
position, and his we'll defined fespoF
sibility of action. As q result, prat
ticaIly every Democrat was gotten
the polls. luke-Warm Republican
stayed at home and the entire Den
ocratic ticket received majorities
about fifty votes. Work of that 50
couldn't be beat and, though more Il
tense in tina instance. 1T was typic
of the Democratic spirit
the district.
MI. Hackett laughs good humored