The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1906-11-22
THE HENDERSON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER % 1906
MIR. Hicks Writes.
Expresses Himself on Matters Polit'
ical-A Couple Of Innocent Par.
agraphs in Last Weeks Paper
the Unsuspecting Cause.

| INC OuSuSPCSIn6 NouSSs s
| Mr. Hicks did the best he could, bat the
| fact il he does not know anything a bout rul.-
ming political campaign. Politics is not his
forte and he should hereafter confine himself
| to the practice of the law.
The ionahs OF the Republican party were
Marion Butler and T. T. Hicks-Butler in the
| State and Hicks in the county. They could
| have rendered more effective service by Gay
in low an sayia' nothin'."
TO THE EDrTOR:-The GOLD LEAF In its
| editorial columns has expressed many
| different views and opinions OF IRE in the
% years that have resided in Hender-
son. | could reproduce them here but
you wouldn't like to print them all in
one issue. Yet "a steady purpose has
run through ''all my actions, and it will
continue to run. Your remarks quoted
above from this week GOLD LEAF, to me
justify the following observations.
The Republican vote in 1906 was nine
larger in each OF Henderson and Kittrell
townships than in 1904. Our vote fell
off about II each in Dabney, Williams
boro and Sandy Creek and in Townes-
vile, a loss of about 81 from Roosevelt's
OF 1904 but they did not vote the Demo-
at Henderson and | spoke briefly at
kittrell and once at each of the cotton
mills. This is the extent of our cam
paigning, while the Democrats had three
barbecues, Congressman Pou, nine law
yers, j. K. Young, Locke Craig, DR.. Dixon
and G. G. Daniels and not less than twelve
speaking appointments to help their
county candidates, but they increased
their vote only 8 over 1904. | did not
appeal to any mans passions or preju-
dices or hatred in what | said or wrote
No man was worse man for any utter
ance OF mine. tried to make them bet
ter. l beg your and other Democrats
pardon for doing what | thought / had
the right to do. didn't really neglect
my law business. In fact my earnings
were as large III October us in any month
this year, and I'm hoping that | may
not become charge upon the county.
Really the fire OF the Democratic orators
would not have been drawn but for their
denunciatiOn OF me as "the boss" While
their ticket received no more votes than
two years ago ours received about 20
less, but showed gain in the precincts
where we made an effort In view Of the
fact that the people were told that Re
publicans would put the negroes TO vot-
ing and holding Office again ii they car
ried the county or State and that was
responsible for two negro post masters
in the county, one OF whom has held his
office for years and the other through
all administrations for more than Is
years, and nobody else wanting their
places, it is remarkable that the Republ-
cans obtained any votes.
The Democratic party in this State in
the Convention of 1875 in which robe
son" was advised to be held to save
the state amended the Free School Clause
OF the 1868 Constitution by providing
that there shall not be in the conduct of
the public schools any discrimination
in favor of or to the prejudice of either
race. Twice since then Democratic
Supreme Court has thwarted and defeat
ed the attempt to apply the tax money
paid by white people to schools for their
children and Judge COnnor in 1891 de-
clared a similar act OF the Legislature
enacted for Henderson to be unconstitu-
tional and void. The passions engender-
ed by the campaign of 1900 demanded
that negroes should have only such
schools as their tax money paid for, but
Governor Aycock told the Legislature
that it could not be done and the at
tempt would result in QUALIFYING THE
SUFFRAGE AMENDMENT" In the campaign
Just closed, MIR. Manning. the people were
told as reason why they should vote
the Democratic ticket, that the Republi-
cans in 1897 gave the negroes more of
the school fund than they did the whites
(th"re were negroes to 3 white children
IN the county then and yeti whereas in
% the white children received more than
seven-nlnths OF the school fund. How
could white man hesitate to vote the
Democratic ticket with those facts and
| figures before him? Yet when | was
pleasantly teasing an OLD friend about
voting against Josh Barnes, his next
| door neighbor and a dear friend of his.
for county treasurer, he said: :Thurston,
il I'd voted for Josh my conscience
would dashed me the balance of nv
days. The calm and quiet conscience
sald the poet, is "a peace above all earthly
| dignities." | am glad my friend has it.
often when alone with God | search
mine; but | have never found any peace
F., or pride or feelings to boast of or ask
votes on in violating the Constitution OF
my State and | hope the day will never
come when | will. The Democratic party
can always count on a majority by APP
peailng for votes on the ground OF oppo-
sitlon to negro voting and negro eduea-
ton. The TACT that twelve hundred
thousand dollars OF our taxes maintain
ed the State in 1898, whereas it took
twenty-five hundred thousand dollars to
maintain it in 1905, nor any other fact
or falsehood will ever offset that argu-
ment as long as negroes are here. The
whole South is solid on that, and Mr..
! Pence tells us through the News and
Observer that after March 4th, 1907.
every Senatorfrom north of Mason's and
Dlxon's line will be Republican. The
| negroes can't be cotton out of this coun.
try. Their untutOred minds and bodies
VIII have ruinOus influence upon the
minds and bodies of white people. If in
government weapply to negroes differ
ent rule than that applied to white peo-
pie, no earthly power can prevent our
applying different rules as between ovr-
selves. Then indeed will 1.-The devil take
the hlndmost. Is that what the Dem
ocratic party is striving for? If oppos-
ing it makes me a jonah and a failure, a
Jonah and failure | will be. | consider
1t most remarkable fact, in view of the
appeals to race prejudice that constitute
practically every Democratic speech that
IN so small county as Vance 4O6 can be
found to vote the State Republican ticket
and not outstanding such filings and
reflections as you see fit to make. I shall
take courage therefrom and continue to
advise people to act in politics as in bus
iless, on their judgments and not on
their prejudices. Respectfully,
Nov. 16, '06. TIT. Hicks
Cee--Iudd