The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-10-30

confidence all except Chairman Aver.
He and his gang are like the niue
fellow the calf ran over. They have
not yet recovered from the bursting OF
Guthrie's bomb, and they have no
condolences in anything, except the
ability of the Republicans to place
Mr.. Aver in the Auditors office as
well earned reward for the service he
has been rendering them in this cam
paign.
Both Democrats and Republicans are
claiming the State. Every day brings
more cheering news from all over uhe
State for the Democrats, and the deeper
the Populist traders, get into the mlre
and the louder the rank and lille OF
their party "cuss" them, the more en-
couraged grow the "unterrihed. AND
the Republicans, like he little boy
whistling through the grave yard, are
screaming all the louder that their
prospects are growing brighter and
their majority for Russell is increas-
ing.
what are your figures now?" was
asked Chairman Aver yesterday.
II am not making any figures to-
day." he replied. II have sent out the
last of my tickets and my work as
chairman is about finished"
1t MAY he added just here that it
is reported on good authority THAT the
last tickets sent out from the Populist
headquarters were those which go to
the most remote points in the West.
4 wayfaring man, though fool, can
easily see that these were never in
tended to reach their destination in
time to be voted. Last night there
were tickets in Raleigh for Western
counties that have not yet gone out.
''Coon-skin" Henderson they call
him, but that is not his name. James
Ruffin Henderson was the title fasten-
ed upon him by his fond parents soon
after his advent into this sinful world.
Some years ago, he made use of this
expression: 'FNow we've got the coon
and we are going TO skin him" The
phrase was a good one and it stuck,
so expressive is it of the policy of Mr..
Henderson's party, and the coiner of it
has been rewarded by being dubbed
1.-THE coon-skinner." But after all what
difference does it make? One name is
as good as another so long as a man is
Republican,
Mary's little lamb that insisted on
following THAT pleasing little maiden
wherever she might go was not more
faithful than-is ''Coon-skin" to the for
tunes of Judge RusselIand Major Nc
kimley In all this exciting political
campaign there is nothing 50 trans
cendantIy beautiful as the confidence
and cihild-like faith that this ex-Repub-
Iican candidate for Auditor has in Hop
Toad Russell and Hanna's man Me-
Kinley Mr.. Henderson was in Raj
efgh Wednesday. He came, ne said,
to tell tine boys how his section was
going, and he took every person he
met into his confidence.
Now ''Coon-slxin'' talks great deal.
Indeed he is better tall1er than he
is a politician, for he has never learned
the art of talking and saying moth
ing. When he talks he tries to tell you
something and after he has told you
everything else he knows he pitches in
and tells you all the party secrets he
has been able to lay hands on. He
does this with the same bland smile
or eonfiding nudge that he used when
retailing the latest bit of scandal in
his neighborhood or talking about the
weather.
'.oh, / was little ticklish about
being elected Auditor when / was first
nominated. /" he explained, "but I soon
seen that / had a sure job"
Then why did you come down?" /
asked him.
= did it simply to help Mckinley"
he answered.
Il don't understand how putting
Aver on your ticket helps Mckinley"
There are several things that you
don't understand and this is one I
can't explain. But I was not forced
to come down. / just got down free
gratis to help Mckinley. Let me tell
you, young man." and he stopped and
faced me with braye-sad look on
his face that I had not seen before,
81 enlisted in the army for patriotism
and ann now a cripple for life. I
would do it again I got off the Re
publican ticket for the same reason
| patriotism. They neyeg took me
! down."
"Did they promise you Federal of
! flee. in. case Mckinley was elected2"
s'No, they didn't exactly promise it
4
/ one or know the reason why
But suppose he happens not to be
elected?" / asked.
'Well- them" he said slowly ard
thoughtfully, "I'll be in hell of a
fix"
And then he limped away telling
me not to say anything bad about him
in the paper, but not TO say blankety
blank thing good about his successor
on the ticket, Hal w. Aver. He added
that when the proper time came he
| proposed to pay his his respects to
that gentleman himself and that his
| sentiments would not be the most
| complimentary in the world.
| This statesman from the State of
Wilkes is a most unique character. In
| personal appearance he is anything
but prepossesing. He talks in a high
pitched, strident voice and yet he al
ways speaks kindly, Notwithstanding
1 br. ,soJ, IL