The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-03-09
CAPT DAVIS WANTS 1T BAD
BUT THE REPUBLICANS DON'T
WANT HIM.
THOUGH Or. KIRBY WILL NAME HIM
The indications Last Night Were thai the
Present Steward, Mr.. Will Crawford,
Will be Allowed to Retain
tha Position

insane asylum this AFTERNOON PROMISES
to be a very interesting one.
Nominations to three positions are TO
lse made bv the superintendent, DIR.
Kirby. and confirmed or rejected by the
board.
DIR. Keonce, of OnslOw, and DIR. Davis.
of Carteret, will be elected assistant
physicians. They have been serving
most acceptably i'll this capacity foi
sometime, having been appointed by DE-
Kirby, and there viii be no trouble about
their being confirmed. DR.. KOonce has
n cousin, DIR. +. II. Koonce, who is
here trying to get the place, but he will
not succeed.
When it comes TO steward, however,
the sailing will not be so easy. Over this
niece of Die there is swapping and snarl-
ing in the fusion camp.
Lit will be remembered that twice DIR.
Kirby, the superintendent, has nomina-
ted Mr.. Will Crawford who has held the
position for many years, and each
time the board his refused to confirm
him. Now Dr. Kirby consents, as a COM
promise. to nominate Capt. II. b. Davis,
of Wilmington, il the board will agree
to confirm him. But they haven't yet
agreed to do that. The Republican MEM
bers met in caucus yesterday afternoon
at the court house, but adjourned with
out coming to a decision of the question.
They will hold another caucus this morn
ing to determine what action they will
take when the matter comes up before
the full board this afternoon.
The best opinion last night was that
rhe Republicans on the board will re-
fuse to vote for Davis if he is nomi-
mated, and there being no election, allow
Crawford to hold over. This, however,
may be all broken up by some combina-
ton to-day.
Capt. Davis was Bryan elector dur
ing the last campaign and made n most
admirable canvass. Perhaps 1t IS for
This reason that the Republican members
of the board are not fond of him; per-
haps it is because they think the Popu-
lists already have enough of the spOils;
or maybe it is, as they allege, because
Davis is not a resident of Raleigh.
But whatever the cause may he. they
don't like him and in spite of the eff
forts yesterday of Russell and his
friends to make them agree TO vote for
him they refused TO do so, and threat
ened to let the place go to Crawford by
default unless a Raleigh Republican We're
nominated.
They argued that a resident of this
county ought to be chosen for the place
and since they couldn't get one of their
own PARTY they preferred Crawford TO
one from another county. In saying
this they seem to forget that at two
previous meetings they have been anx-
i0us to vote for Bob Lewis, Halifax
county Republican.
Now Lewis has Deen completely lost
in the shuttle and the only candidates
in the field, besides Davis, is Messrs.
Kemp =. Merritt and Lon. III. Green,
both of this county. But these seem to
be leading q foriorn hope, Gov. Russell
and the influence of his whole admins.
tration being hack of Davis.
And why, it is asked, has the Governor
switched over from "a Republican candi-
date for the place TO a Populist? What
does it all mean? Only a few days ago
did he not replace Republican private
secretary with a Populist one? Within
rhe next few days is he not going 10
swap off his lady executive clerk for
Populist executive clerk? And now he
dras dropped his Republican, candidate
for steward and taken up a Populist
of the most dangerous type. What are
we to expect next? Is this some game OF
politics that is being played on us?
These are the questions Republicans
were asking themselves and one another
Yesterday. None could explain it OH any
theory other than that the Gov
ernor has crossed the party line and
gone bag and baggage into the Populist
camp.
The Populists openly claim him as one
of their number and declare that he
stands for every political issue that they
do. Only O few days ago one of the
most influential Populists in North
Carolina, an office-holder and the man
who will probably succeed Butler in the
leadership of his party in North Caro-
lima, said:
Governor Russell Us not ~ ReDubll-
can; he is a Populist. There is not de-
mand of our party, or plank In ouI
platform that he does not advocate
and work for. He is with us heart and
soul oh the money question and ON the
railroad question and the election law
and indeed everything else"
Since this conversation other popuhtsts
have said the same thing. and Repubh-
cans too; only the Republicans are
charging it with very i'll grace, while the
P0pulists rub Their hands and smile
with great satisfaction.
Then there is plenty of evidence to
bear out the current belief that the Cap
oeiro from New Hanover has said TO
the Endless Chain from Honeycutts. ike
Ruth to Naomi: ''Whither thou goast
! VIII go; and wherei thou lodgest, will
lodge; thy people shall be my people,
Does not the Senator call on thc
Governor and spend hours in conference
with him every time nc comes to RAJ
eigh? Does Russell not lay before But.
Ter all his plans and purposes and ash
his advice on the same? Often times doe,
the Endless Chain not take his baggage
10 the Mansion and become a guest there
as long as he is in the city? Then is il
not we'll known that the Governor
writes editorials for Buffers paper. AND
these always smelling strong OF brim
stone and sulphur, especially the part