. . . As the last ringing notse of “Old North State” died away, the audience remained standing to cheer the man on the stage who had arisen from his chair. It was Locke Craig. He essayed to speak but thunderous applause drowned his voice. Chairman Murphy ran forward, using his handkerchief as a flag of truce and shouted: “Three cheers for Locke Craig.” 

A candidate never got three heartier cheers. The big, intelligent audience was an inspiration and Craig made a splendid speech. 

“I have been observing the audience here tonight and am more than pleased with the number of ladies present. In the time of our forefathers the German women followed the men into battle. This was to prevent any cowardice or desertion. The women were also there to help and care for the wounded. It was an old saying, in the Tutonic race, that when a man was in desperate straits is was a woman who came to his rescue. In honor of those brave women, the statue of an armed woman has been erected on the Rhine and it is the most cherished and reverenced possession of the German empire. So, too, when we win this great battle in North Carolina, when the flag of white supremacy shall wave from mountain to sea, we should perpetuate the memory of these loyal women who have followed us into battle, with the statue of a woman. And under her feet I would carve the image of a black serpent, which will no longer enthrall her.” 

Mr. Craig then began his politiacl argument. He said: 

“We have tried the republicans before. We have weighed them and found them wanting. We have tried them and found them untrue.” (Applause.) 

Mr. Craig painted a word picture of the reconstruction period and denounced the republicans for frauds practiced during their administration. 

Then he spoke eloquently of the beneficence of democratic rule from Vance’s time. The democrats he said, had also always looked after the black man. Every time a school had been built for the whites, a school had been built for the blacks. 

“The grandest monuments to democratic rule are the asylums of the state. At Morganton there are little children who never saw the morning sun or the sun setting in splendor, who never saw a rainbow spanning the heavens, who never looked up into a mother’s face to behold the ineffable smile of love. These democracy has nurtured, teaching them to read with their fingers on raised letters, alleviating their affliction the insane are cared for, placed where they may live out their poor lives quietly until their souls depart to the great beyond; the deaf and dumb are tenderly taught to read from the lips’ movements. The democrats built these institutions. When I saw from the tower at Morganton the old flag of the North State floating I was reminded of His words: ‘For as much as ye have done it to one of the least of these you have done it unto Me.’ (Applause.) The democrats built you schoolhouses and opened the doors of your universities. Yet there were people who said they could not stand such government. So we turned them into power. It was the same old story of ’68. Corruption began again, scandals in high places. We gave them the power they asked for and what did they bring us? Russell for one (laughter); Bob McCall, Ellis, robbing the school fund of the little children; they brought school houses in flames in Madison County, fired by outraged citizens; they brought Cousin Caney Brown! (Laughter and applause.) One scandal followed another, peculation after peculation; they swarmed the east with nigger officeholders. They have laid their hands heavily on the east. The republican party consists of 120,000 black men and 30,000 white men who are renegades to their color, aliens to their race. (Applause.) 

“The democratic party constitutes the bulk of the intelligence and moral manhood. It belongs to the world conquering, world ruling Anglo-Saxon race * * * You can’t stem the tidal wave. It is coming because it is right. God forbid that there should be a battle of race against race. But the matter must be settled. We will meet this race question with the courage and conscience of Anglo-Saxon men. ‘Justice and Truth’ will be our motto. We’ll disfranchise no man that doesn’t deserve it. 

“But the sons of Dixie will see no black crowd swarm in from South Carolina to rob them of an honest vote. No! Pritchard! No! Federal bayonets will not intimidate one of us!” (Cries of “Let ‘em come.) 

Craig said the withdrawal of the republican ticket in New Hanover county was an example of the cowardice of wrong. He denounced furiously the law providing for the distribution of dead bodies from public institutions to medical schools. 

Victory was certainly coming, he said. “All who mean to work with might and main for the cause please stand up!” cried the speaker. Everybody sprung to his feet and cheered Craig. 

“North Carolina is the state of Halifax court house, of Mecklenburg, of Guilfird court house, of Zebulon Vance, of 125,000 soldiers sleeping in the battle-scarred bosom of old Virginia. I declare in the shadow of Vance’s monument, inspired by the voices of 160,000 Anglo-Saxon men, backed by the prayers of 160,000 Anglo-Saxon women, I say it in memory of the cause of Dixie, before the Omnipotent One who rules behind the stars, I say that North Carolina shall be ruled by white men!” (Applause continuing many minutes.) 

In like vein Locke Craig continued to sway the crowd until at the conclusion, as the band played “Dixie,” the enthusiasm was intense. The meeting broke up with cheers for Craig resounding through the theatre. It was a great democratic rally and it was a magnificent platform triumph for Locke Craig.