The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1909-07-08
"SEAR-DEMOCRATS."

"Near-Democrats."
This raises two questions; first,
who and what are "Near-Demo-
Gratis; second, what is the purpose
and hurting it at the heads OF GER
tain men who have recently joined |
the party?
A substantial citizen. who was
born and raised a Democrat but who |
publican ticket at the last election.
recently ran into a bunch of poll
tickers" at a street corner and heard
them speaking sneeringly about
Near-Democrats At first, he
thought they were bunch of Dem
ocratic politicians who were venting
their spleen at the thousands OF for
mer Democrats who at the last cleo
ton felt it their duty to follow their
convictions and vote in the interest
Of progress and prosperity; but he
soon learned that these "politickers"
were nothing more nor less than
bunch of Internal Revenue officers
and hopeful followers of the patron
age machine. He naturally inferred
that these fellows were disturbed for
fear that some of these new recruit
Republicans or "Near-Democrats
might get their jobs or the jobs they
hoped for, but to his surprise he soon
heard the term 'Near-Democrat" de-
risively applied to Congressman
Morehead. This caused him to infer
that their grievance against More
head was that he was too fresh a re-
cruit to aspire to any kind of party
leadership. This inference, however,
was no quicker formed than dispell-
cd, for he learned that the bunch of
revenue "politickers'' were CRITICS
ing Congressman Grant also.
This greatly puzzled our new re-
cruit friend and has caused him to
put up to The Caucasian the ques-
ton, What does it all mean?" The
answer is very simple. The old pie
counter Republican machine is near
ly frightened out of it's wits for fear
that enough recruits will come to the
party to elect more Congressman and
to make North Carolina a Republi-
can State. They want the party to
stay small so that they can boss
the job and so that there will be
short division in the distribution OF
the coming of every recruit, and the
more respectable and influential that
ed This is why they fear Morehead
and refer to him as a "Near-Demo.
crat." If they can discredit and beat
him they know that it will discourage
other men of like character and
standing from coming into the party
At the same time, If they can beat
and discredit an old line Republican
like Grant, who has dared to carry
the banner of the party to victory
they hope to brighten any other Re
publican from daring to do the same
thing. In short, they propose to dis
cipline every Republican who dares
tC take an independent stand OIL
work for party success unless he frs
gets the permission of the machine
and wears the brand and collar Of
the machine on all occasions In
other words, the future of the Re
publican party in this State is now
hanging in the balance. The issue
is squarely drawn. Shall Morehead
and Grant be defeated and the ole
machine restored to all its former
power and accursed domination, OF
shall more Republican Congressmen
be elected next year, and some strone
man with brains and character, like
Morehead, be nominated and elected
Governor in 1912, and at the same
time the electoral vote of the State
be given to Taft for President?
1t is such prospect of Republican
victory that frightens the machine
F.. With a Republican Governor an(
with eight or nine Republican Con.
gressmen the pie counter leader.
would be without job. There i:
the trouble.
The great pregnant question tina
to-day confronts every true Repub
lican in the State is this: Shall tn,
party live and grow and march t,
victory. or shall the patronage ma
chine live and grow fat at the ex
pense of the party?
Let every one who wants to Sc,
North Carolina safely landed in tn,
Republican columns hold out a wei
coming hand to such recruits a
Morehead and to the thousands O
such Naar-Dnmoorats ubo went =