The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-06
SEVENTEEN DAYS RESPITE
HE'LL HAVE TO GET OUT OF,
OFFICE ON FEBRUARY %.
DIRECTORS MEET THEN IN NEWBERN
The Governor Was Too Tmid to Take Action
at this Meeting When the Directors Re-
fuse to Take the Responsibility He
Agrees to a PoStponement.


Carolina Railroad directors here yester
day morning and Friday afternoon re
minds one of a Gagged squirrel entertain
ing himself in his wheel.
They make things spin, do these direc
tors and the squirrel but they don't &c
anywhere. They quit off yesterday
morning just where they started Fri
day afternoon-the directors did.
They started in like a thousand
brick but they soon ran down and spar
red for time. Then the Governor took
hand and tried to make them do wha
he ought to have done but was too tim
id to do boldly, abOye-board and in de
fiance of the wOrld-turn Hancock out
The board objected to being made cat
paw of, naturally. His Excellency (idn'
care to pull out the chestnut with HI
own fat paws and SO there was no
much DONE"
Indeed the meeting yesterday morn
ing lasted only about five minutes ]
was a few minutes after
o'clock when it was called to order
Hancock was not present. Everybod
else was. Mr.. Meadows, of Newborn
arose and, in accordance with the agree
ment reached in the conference at the
Governors Mansion the night before
moved that the board adjourn to meet
again on February 22nd in Newbern
The motion prevailed without a dissent
ing voice, and the meeting, called to
such great things, was at an ignomin
ious end.
To be sure it is generally understood
that on that date Hancock's head is
come off, but why this delay? The hes
opinion of the day was that when th
directors meet again on the 22nd, Han
cocks resignation will be before them
This, / am told. was one of the rea
objects Of the postponement. The 9th
er was that the Governor did not wan
to force his resignation under fire. Some
of the newspapers in criticising Han
cock have included His Excellency and
demanded that he turn the man out.
This demand has been made in sue
manner that the Governor resented it
and felt that if he acted at once in tn
dismissal of the man it could be sad
that he was forced to it. In other word
there was a conspicuous absence of bac
bone in the whole thing.
Inc Republican of 1876 didn't do thi
way. He either openly condemned mean
ness or he openly upheld and aided
unusually the latter. He never tried
TO shift the responsibility If it didn'
suit him to stay in the straight and mar
row path, and it seldom did suit him
he just lawlessly pushed down the fence
and went across lot and defied the world
the flesh and the devil to head him OFF
There was dilly-dallying, no hiding in
the fence corners or among the saplings
along the way that one sees now a-days
In this | maintain that the 1876 Re
publican had the advantage of the up-to
date product. He had no honesty o
responsibility and he made no preten
sions to any. The world stands ready tc
admire any man, irrespective of age
color or previous condition of servitude
who is frank bold and free from hyp0
crisy, even though otherwise he is n ba
man. OF all frauds in the world tn
foggy, humbug hypocrite of politics
the worst.
The Governor and the Governor alon
has the power to turn Hancock out. Thi
he can do through his board of Internal
improvements (Loge Harris and Charli
Cook and not the directors.
No doubt some of the directors votet
for postponement because they wer
born with big hearts in their bosoms
but others did it because they were Dor
mean and spiteful and feared that !
turning Hancock out they might be do
ing something that would be endorse
by decent folk.
1t was painful to see Hancock after
the meeting yesterday mOrning-gray
headed, and his life blasted by one
rash act. He knew then that he woul
have to go; that the seventeen days re
TNriOy had h, % Ill, 4.
to resign; that it had come TO him as
rock in weary land to let him down
as easily as possible. His disappoint
ment was written in his face and bear
ing. He looked for all the world like
toy balloon that has inadvertently re-
posed upon tack.
Though Hancock is not of the shrink
ing violet disposition and is fond O
public office, still his friends say now
that he knows the jig lis up, his resig
nation will be before the board when
meets at Newbern on the afternoon q
February 22nd.
Now that it is practically settled tha
Hancock will be removed the INQUIRY
naturally is: Who will be his successor:
Yesterday morning the News and Oh
server exclusively announced that Mr.
John +. Mewborne, of Kinston, was
candidate for the place; also it was stat
ed that if Hancock We're removed now
Mewborne would be appointed. When
the directors adjourned and went home
yesterday morning the situation in this
respect had not changed except that
one other, and about the only remaining
member of the board--Mr. w. II. Saw
yer, of Bayboro-had announced his
candidacy. He is said to have pretty
strong backing for the place.
Mewborne is said to be a man of fine
business ability and great strength OF
character. He is engaged in the cotton
business at Kinston. He is Populist
Possibly his strongest opponent il
Daniel w. Patrick. of Snow Hill, 4
moss back Republican. Next comes T
d. Hewitt, who is backed by the Dukes
of Durham. He is the manager of theil
\ "Carteret Lodge" property and Mr.. b