The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1888-01-26
NORTH CAROLINA POLITICS.
THEOLD ADAGEssGO FROM HOME
TO HEAR THE NEWS.''
What ssThey Say, bout the Politics of
North Carolina in the Capital OF the
Nation.

What .'They Say' A bout the Politics of
| North Carolina ia the Capital of the
Nation.
Editorial Correspondence
WASHINGTON, D. G., Jan. 20, 1885,
'They say that if you want to learn any
thing about North Carolina politics you
can learn it better in Washington than in
the State / do not believe this; but do
know that you can find out the current
political gossip of Tar Heeldom in this
| city. The North Carolina settlement here
-(and since Cleveland has been at the
head Of affairs it has Increased in num-
bers and respectability) do little else in
conversation than discuss politics in North
Carolina. 1t is true they may know very
little or nothing about the real situation,
but they think they know it all. AS the
Athenians did nothing but hear and tell
some new thing, SO North Caroiinians in
Washington devote a large part of their
time to hearing and retailing political
| news.
And what is more ingenious, if they
can't hear anything to tell or write about,
some Of them invent or imagine something
and send it off to the papers with as much
assurance as if they were publishing the
truths of holy writ. l have often envied
the average Washington newspaper cor
respondent his imagination and inventive
genius. In poor old North Carolina, we
country editors either have to hear or
know something before we can make
newsy paper. Here no such pent-up Utica
contracts the powers of the newspaper
man. Most fertile in originating schemes
and plans, they are equally as voluminous
in publishing them. This is true of some
North Carolnians in Washington, as it is
also true OF people from other States of
the Union.
! have head more'about North Carroll
IA politics here in two days than | had
heard in North Carolina in a whole month.
| have been ''interviewed," and had my
'opinon' asked until am in danger of
forgetting ''the pit from whence | was
digged, and imagining myself to be some
thing great. wv no will be the Democratic
candidate for hoveInors' is the leading
question. | don't know and am frank
enough to show my ignorance by telling
the truth. know that the customary way
for a North Carolinian to act, when such
question is asked, by Washington ccr
respondent, is to look wise, draw up his
tiny form to huge proportions, and deliver
an opinion that reads like decision OF the
highest court OF appeals. Looking wise,
and Saying nothing In such solemn
way" has made many small man great,
and is popular habit with some small
fry politicians. l wot of, and | fear, for
the dignity of the CHRONICLE and my po-
litical aspirations, that have made a mis-
take in averring my inability to see through
a stone wall or name the next candidate
for Governor. But-''let that pass"
The next question asked-and with ''our
folks here it is THE question-is How
about the Senatorial contestl' Again l
am compelled either to do one OF three
things: /. Lie; 2 Look wise aud say
, nothing in an awe-like way; or 3. Confess
that l know very little or nothing about it,
The last is the course taken. Whether
, Mr.. Ransom has the 'call'' on all his COM
petitors, or whether Mr.. Jarvis has the in
side track and will succeed us Senior Cen
ator, l express no opinion, and the inter
, viewer looks at me in pretty much the
, same way that imagine the man did the
little boy in the old story, who carried ap-
pies to the market. His father told him
not to say anything, for if he did people
, would find out that he was fool He
. took his fathers advice and opened not
his mouth when he was asked the price OF
the apples, and his interlocutor said, 81
r think you are fool" The boys remark
Y to his father, 'If l talk, they say l am a
e fool; and if don't talk they say so," de
scribes the estimate the correspondent has
, of man who doesn't profess to know il
/ all.
g To be sure have an opinion on these
questions, but do not value it sufficiently
: to see it in print; and then my opinion
b may be wrong, and if printed, l would
k stand in error, self confessed. THAT dc
not care to do. If man makes no pre-
" dictions he MAY be regarded as SAT,
q prophet, if he makes predictions that dc
a not come true, he is a false prophet, or t.
speak in modern parlance, he is a liar
\ The safest rule is to let other folks Civ,
q their opinions. That was Tilden's grca
e forte He never told what he knew O.
IS thought about politics, but he found ou
the opinions of all with whom he con
, versed
The political slate makers here are busy
4 and | have heard of two or three Stat
. tickets that could sweep the State. On
- gentleman here thinks that this is tn
r ticket with which We can win: Steadma
1t for Governor, Alexander for Lieutenan
= Governor, Broughton for Auditor, an
y, the denomination of Saunders, Finger
e Balm and Davidson.
t. Another named this as the stronges
% team Walter Clark for Governor, J.
~ Buxton for Lieut.. Governor, Senator Dur
j: can McIver for Auditor, and the renom
Is nation of the balance Of the State ticket
heard no expression of opinion abou
n the alleged move to nominate Jarvis fc
er Governor and Holt for Lieut.. Governor
with view to Jarvis coming to the Se1
H-1% DIT