The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1908-07-09
MR.. KITCHENS SPEECH.

In introducing Mr.. ktchln, Chair
man Parsons said: Gentlemen OF
this, the greatest Democratic conven-
ton ever held in North Carolina,
esteem it IL great honor to present
to YOU your hero, the NOM
inee OF this convention for Governor,
William ". kitchin.'
"Mr. President, Ladies and Gentle
men, To say that | feel happy at this
time very feebly expresses my feelings
on this occasion. | am proud to re-
ceive the nomination of the Democ-
racy of North Carolina for it's highest
office in this magnificent City of
Charlotte. | am proud to have the
endorsement of the greatest conven-
ton that ever assembled within the
borders of this State. While l am
proud, my countrymen, | realize the
great responsibility that this honor
carries with it, | wish to say that
there is no bitterness in my heart. |
regard this asnot an honor conferred
upon an individual merely; | rather
regard it as an expression OF the
choice of the people of North Caro-
lima Cheers. And as such Iesteem
it highly. When | reflect that my
competitors were, one Of them a dis
tinguished, a successful, a splendid
and high type of North Carolina cit
izenship, the Hon. Ashley Horne, and
the other, an able, distinguished,
eloquent and great Democrat of the
west, the Hon. Locke Craig, | cannot
think that this honor was given me
as a mere personal compliment. We
have had our fights within the party
with a feeling not of enmity and hos
tility, but with the spirit of generous
rivalry with each other for this
great honor that you had in your
power to bestow
ALL RIVALRIES SETTLED.
eve are told, ladies and gentlemen,
that between Athens and Sparta
there existed a serious and some
times hostile rivalry, but that when
a common enemy pointed the prows
of its slips towards Greece all inter-
nal differences and rivalries were for
gotten and a United Greek army
always faced the enemy. ZAP
plauSe). And SO this convention
has settled the rivalries between the
| candidates, and | believe that each
candidate has as high a regard for
his competitor as he had twelve or
eighteen months ago, and the sup
pOrters of each candidate have the
same spirit of generosity now, that
they had prior to this campaign
| And in the great fight that we are to
make against the common enemy in
the fall, l do not expect any more
hearty and loyal support from the
friends Of kitchin of yesterday than
[ do from the friends of Ashley
Horne and the friends Of Locke Craig
of yesterday.
TRIBUTE TO HIS SUPPORTERS.
II merely intend to thank you for
this great compliment and honor
| feel that | would hardly be treating
| my manager and his lieutenants with
Justice if omitted to express my
profound appreciation of their loyal
ty and devotion from the beginning
of this contest until now. No man
ever had truer or more faithful sup
porters in any contest on this earth.
And to the supporters Of Hon. Ashley
| Horne and of Hon. Locke Craig, let
me say that cannot but admire the
courage, the determination and the
spirit rs we'll as the loyalty and fidel-
ity with which you stood by the
trust confided to you by the people
who sent you here to uphold their
cause. So, my fellow-citizens, with a
heart overlooking, if | had an enemy
in North Carolina, | can now say in
the language OF the Bible that Il now
love my enemies but / know that
when this last vote was taken Kitch-
in had not an enemy within the Demo
cratic party in North Carolina.
THE DEMOCRACY OF THE PEG
'And my fellow-countrymen, the
Democracy that | represent is the
Democracy of the people OF this State
represented by you all. 1t is Dem
ocracy that believes in a spirit OF
aggressive life, that fears not the
truth, that would repress all wrong
and promote all Righteousness in our
State, a Democracy that is not dan
gerous but courageous to a principle
and to the people. And you who
have not known me as we'll as the
great people | represented for 10
years in Congress will learn that l
do not carry dynamite in my pocket,
and do not intend to dynamite the
railroads and factories Of this State.
Great cheering) l see before me
from that District men who have
known me almost from birth and
men who stand high among the
bankers Of this State, among the
manufacturers, among the lawyers,
and the farmers, and the doctors and
the preachers of this State. And
those men will give me, O mountain
Democrats, a good character for
safeness and saneness.
A FRIEND OF ALL HONEST EN-
| TERPRISE.
"And, my countrymen, no man
may fear the administration which |
hope, with the aid of the Democracy
OF this State, to give to the people
unless that man is violating the
principles of the Democratic party
| No honest and legitimate interest is
afraid OF me or Of the Democracy I
represent. | am friend of all hon.
est enterprise. No man can raise an
issue among Democrats on prosperity
or on enterprise because all Demo.
Gratis are united on those great prin-
ciples. But | will not, for need not
discuss Democratic principles in this
Democratic convention. In the DAYS
to come you will hear me discuss
these principles throughout the State
BRYAN-"THAT GREAT DEMO
GRAFT"
Fellow Democrats, carry no bit.
terness from this convention, carry
no feelings of revenge. | want that
to apply to my original friends as
we'll as to those who were not origi
1