The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1910-11-03
snuEoNs' : SPEECH.
Senior Senator Drives Gospel of
Democracy Home to Voters Of
Asheville Wednesday Night.

Asheville Wednesday Night.
And last night did United
States Senator Furnifold N. Sim
mons answer the statement of the
present head of the republican
party that he is and has not been
connected with any of the dishon-
est bonds issued by the State of
North Carolina when it's people
were defenseless. The court house
was packed to hear the senior
senator of the state deliver his adj
dress to the people of the city and
for two hours the big audience
hung on his words as he painted
the evils of the republican rule In
state and nation. The meeting
last night was the largest attended
of any so far held in Asheville,
and was more enthusiastic, the
speaker being repeatedly inter
rupted as he drove points of his
argument home with splendid ora
tory.
Senator Simmons was intro
duced by Mr.. l.. M. Bourne, and
with a few prefacing remarks he
went directly into the main part
of his speech. He asserted that
the ascension of the republican
party in North Carolina will
bring with it three particular dan
gers. The first and chief of
which is the matter of the pay
ment of the repudiated special
tax bonds passed In 1869. Of
these three are now outstanding,
including principal and interest,
about $50, 100000 for which the
holders are demanding payment.
The speaker declared that he did
mot believe that these bonds should
be paid and that they would not
have to be paid if the state is pro-
perly represented in the litigation
which is likely to ensue.
"The issue is simply" said Mr..
Simmons, edo the people want to
be represented at this critical
time by the republicans who issu-
led these bonds and who have never
questioned their validity, or by
the democrats who have always
| denounced them as fraudulent,
and refused payment"
Would Endanger Franchise Law.
The success of the republican
party in the state would endanger
the constitutional amendment TAX
ing the vote away from the ne
groes, was the second danger
pointed out. This amendment, it
was stated, the republican party
fought with all its might, and
every leader of the party was
AGAINST it.
"They are not saying anything
much about the amendment now
for they are trying to get white
recruits to take the place of the
$4,000 DISTINGUISHED negroes, but
it has never been accepted by the
republican party in good faith. Ii
it has, why are they now circulat-
ing a handbook denouncing the
amendment in all the Southern
States, and boasting of the fact
that the republican party has
placed $4,000 negroes on the fed
eral payroll? And why are they
so strenuously anxious to return
to congress, a man who tried to
get passed a force bill putting the
elections in charge of federal sol
diers? What others would a force
bill benefit except the negroes
The United States Supreme court
has not been able to declare these
amendments unconstitutional
The congress Of the nation has
not been able to nulify them. But
what the Supreme court would
do, and what the congress could
not do, three men in North Caro-
line could accomplish.
! Might Control Court.
"There are this year three va
cancies upon the state Supreme
court bench. The three candi--
Edates upon the republican ticket
for these vacancies are men who
expressed themselves against the
amendment, and if elected they
could effectively destroy that a.
mendment. And there would be