The news & observer., 1896-12-24
JUDGE RUSSELL HERE
To Prepare His Messa ge TO
the Legislature.
HIS PRIVATE SECRETARY
SAID to be Mr.. Alexander, CT
Tvrrell County.
EARLY AND QUIET INAUGURAL
or Not He Will Give the People
of the State a Good
Administration.

OF the State a Good
Administration.
Judge Russell is here. He came yester-
day afternoon, and Tom Bailey and the
"savages' are happy.
They were both down to the train to
meet the next Governor Of North Caro-
lima. The negroes stood outside and
peeped through the iron bars as the Fat
Man from New Hanover climbed off the
cars and with waddling step walked down
the platform with Tom Bailey.
1t was great occasion--for Bailey and
the ''savages." But there was no de-
monstration, except that made by Toms
loud suit of clothes and pompous swag-
ger. The negroes contented themselves
with looking on and following the process
sion part of the way to the hotel. They
were lost in love and admiration, but ii
was hard to tell which they admired
most-Tom's new suit of clothes and fine
walk or the handsome face and comely
form of the man who had called them saw
ages.
Anyway they are happy and Christ
mas will be Christmas to- them this year,
for one old man told me that Judge Rus
sell was his Santa Claus" "better'n candy
or reasons or niger toes"
Though Bailey was master of cere-
monies and took upon himself the special
prerogatiye of meeting Judge Russell
and escorting him 10 his room at the
hotel he was not the only white man
at the depot to meet the next Governor
of North Carolina. There were other
distinguished citizens pfesent-Otho Viii
son for instance. OthQ was the second
man TO meet and shake: hands with Rus
sell,if you don't count sheriff j Smith,
who constituted himselg his special body
guard from Goldsborc to Raleigh. but
who found his occupation gone when
Bailey appeared on the scene. Then
there was Chairman Holton, who came
all the way down from Winston for this
special occasion. He too wore new suit
of clothes. W. X. White, of Mebane,
whoSwants to be Railroad Commissioner,
was there too. standing by post, as was
also r. S, Walton, ref Burke, and Mai.
Grant who came, a, day before the feast
TO see Hallelujah Air in regard to
Pi4tchard's election. Then Robert Han
cock, OF Newrbern, who has been fighting
the A. and H. G. railroad lease, also got
off the train. This was all, with the pos
sible exception OF one or two heelers
who don't count.
At the hotel there was stream of
callers all the evening and till late at
night. The otfice-seeker was much in evi-
dence and the sef-eonstituted confiden-
tial adviser. But throughout it oil Tom
Bailey stuck to his post as master of
ceremonies, only absenting himself from
the Judges side long enough 10 get sup
per.
When | called on Judge Russell at his
room last night he was closeted with
Jim Young, Tom Bailey, Loge Harris
and Tom Purnell. The topic of dis
cussion had been his inauguration and
forthcoming message.
i suggested to him that, as the admin
istration Of a.quarter of a century was
now abolitssta be changed, he give me a
message to otReApeosle aef the State assur-
ing them that he would do his best to
give them good administration.
II haven't decided yet whether | will
give them a good administration or moi"
he said, looking as solemn as a meat axe.
Later he said it would be good ad-
ministration for the people that elected
him, but he didn't know about the other
fellow.
As 20 his general policy or the recon-
mendations to be made in his message he
said he had nothing to say. Regarding
the date of Inauguration he thought it
would be decided as soon rs the Iegisla
ture meets. Until then Judge Russell
says he cannot tell what date it will be.
He thinks, however, Mr. Purnell's bill,
providing for the opening of the returns
by the Speaker of the House at once,
will pass and that the new officers will
be sworn in the first week the Legisla-
ture is In session.
Judge Russell will leave here Friday
morning on the vest9buled train. To-day
he and Mr.. J. c. l., Harris will go to
the Supreme court, library to investigate
the railroad lease and some other mat
ters he proposes to touch upon in his
message to the Legislature.
Judge Russell has given expression to
his views upon party policy and the in
auguration in a letter to Col. N. b. Year
ger, a Republican Senator who COM
manded negro regiment during the
war. He writes:
II think 1t will be best for the Legisla- |
ture to fix time for counting the votes |
and swearing in the Governor and for |
you to do this jnst as soon as the two |
houses meet, or within very few days |
thereafter. | do not see any good reason |
for having any display or inaugural cere |
monies outside the legislative halls. The |
Democrats have been in the habit of |
away between $500 and 81 900 |
for an inaugural frolic without doing any |
genuine good to anybody. Let us show
the people that we are going there for
real work and not for a frolic. Five |
hundred or one thousand dollars is not as
important as an expense necessary to Sc
cure good government and enforce the |
law, but for the mere matter of enjoy
ment to a few individuals, it is just that
much more than: the people ought to be
made to pay for. | hope our friends will
bear it constantly in mind that we must
save expenses at every point"
! hear from Tyrrell county that Judge
Russelfs private. secretary will be young
Mr.. Alexander, Of that county, who was
here during the campaign as q clerk at
headquarters of: the Republican State