The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1906-08-23

RALEIGH LETTER.
GoRMAN NEWS BUREAU,
RALEIGH, n. e.. Aug. 20. !

RALEIGH, N C.. Aug. 20.
At the hands OF the newspapers OF the
North which essay to represent the "su-
perior civilization claimed BY an element
OF that section of country, North Caro-
lima is getting an overdose OF praise Tor
the alleged revolution" which is alleged
by them to have recently taken place III
this State on the subject OF lynching.
The New York Sun, the New York Ev-
ening Post and other leading papers OF
the North and West, profess to have wit
messed the breaking of a great light OF
reformation in North Carolina through
the conviction OF one lyncher who had
occupied himself in the favorite ''pastime
of niger killing" the sentencing to the
penitentiary actually OF W bite man Tor
Iynching ''Digger."
- The sun thinks North Carolina will not
long have to wait to secure great influx
OF immigrants, that the State will soon
be sought out and overrun with imml-
grants, if the policy" enunciated by the
conviction of George Hall at Salisbury is
pursued and the world at large made to
understand that the crime OF lynchlng
has been stamped out, etc.
Gov. Glenn, Judge Long, Solicitor Ham
mer and the State press are given de
and activity against lynching and the ef-
forts made and yet to be made to punish
members of the mobs Many of these
same newspapers have for a long period
of years been only too ready and willing
to criticise and condemn the people OF
North Carolina and the South on various
pretexts in the past, and truly it is en-
couragiug to witness their willingness to
do justice in the matter now under dis
cussion, and to G i've us even more credit
than we yet really deserve.
For, as some of our own papers have
declared, the conviction of one lone mem
Der of the Salisbury mob out of a hun
dred or more equally guilty and deserv-
ing OF punishment-and that one man
OF such bad reputation record as to have
undoubtedly aided in securing his convic-
tion-is a mighty poor showing for the
State to make, and is hardly a justifica-
ton for the assertion that great ''revO-
luton in public sentiment has taken
place that will insure the conviction and
punishment OF all lynchers in the future.
The man Hall. now in the penitentiary in
Raleigh, already had criminal record,
and his reputation, made more Odious by
| the so-called speech" which he made to
| the mob, in which he applied vile epithet
| to number OF the leading officials and
| citizens of Salisbury, was SO bad that al
| most any jury would have convicted him
on general principles.
When public sentiment" against lynch
| ing becomes 50 strong in North Carolina
| that it can and will vindicate the law
| through the conviction OF some OF the al
| legged "prOminent men" who participate
| in these lynching bees, like some of those
| who took the demented white man, John
son, from Arson Jail and hung him, and
like some OF those who are alleged to
| have taken Il part in the more recent
Salisbury lynching, then indeed can it be
justly claimed that the revolution has
actually taken place; then indeed can it
be truthfully claimed that it will be dan
| gerous for any one to participate in the
crime of lynching in North Carolina
again.
| For that reason and others it is hoped
that the efforts of the courts to convict
| and punish other members of the mobs
that disgraced the State in Rowan and
| Arson counties will succeed. The orders
| issued to the sheriffs and commanding
| officers of military companies last week
by Gov. Glenn ought to have q healthy
effect in compelling respect for the law
and the courts on the part OF wOuld-be
| lynchers in the future. No 1nan can just
| ly claim that our present Governor has
been remiss in any way in the discharge
OF his duties in the premises or that he
has been inactive at any timein the effort
to impress both his official and personal
disapproval and condemnation Of so,
called lynch law"
On the thirtieth of this month a mum
Der OF the leading citizens of our State
will be in New York to join in the demo on.
straticn that will welcome Mr.. Bryan
back home. Among the number will be
several prominent men connected with
the State Fair management, including
Pres. Daughtridge, Secretary Pogue, Gen
| W. r. Cox and other former presidents Of
the Fair, and they will press upon Mr.
Bryan an acceptance of the formal invi
tation extended some time ago to be
present in Raleigh and address the people
| OF the State on the occasion Of the next
State Fair in Raleigh two months hence
1t is generally believed that he will &C
cept and his coming will mean probably
the largest crowd that has ever attended
the fair, not even excepting the great in
flux OF people here one year ago on the
occasion of the visit of President Roose
welt at the last State Fair The fair it
| sell InlS year VIII also SuFpaSS all OUners
and Secretary Pogue has been to Allan
tic City, Coney Island and other places to
arrange for the appearance here OF some
OF the leading high-class attractions.
The nomination for the State Senate Of
such men as Hon. j. G.. Buxton of For
syth and Hon. John W. Graham O
Orange, both former congressional nom
inees, during the last week or so, indi
Gates that there will be some particular
ly strong men in the upper branch of the
next Legislature, for which we should al
be grateful for of late years there have
been entirely too few of this calibre o.
representatives sent to the General AS
sembly, and Legislature that as sadly
lacks brains and patriotism as some thai
have assembled in Raleigh is a positive
menace to the best interests of the State
and the future welfare of our people
There will be number of particularly
able men in the House also, experienced
in public affairs and devoted to the we'll
being of North Carolina and we hav,
Il L