The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-09
THE SURRENDER OF Mr. SHOOK.

Now while the earthquakes are going
IN in Asia Minor and other minor places,
there comes volcanic eruption from
m Asheville way. 1t comes from the
crater of the heart of Hon. ]. Wiley
Shook. 1t comes with the hot tears of
lava Sizing adown the gulches ard
slopes of his ponderous and precipitous
breasts.
When the sea of politics has been
oily with methods more smooth than
righteous, when the stability of things
were sick upon the fog-swell Of uncer-
tainty of men. when the thick mists
circlel close about us, and made
narrow the horizon of our hopes,
there was vet consolation. We saw
standing on the forepeak of things a
lone figure in blue shirt with horny
hand and a horny voice-a fog-horny
voice that was as light in the midst
of the darkness of sound
1t was the voice of Shook shouting
eight bells and alls well"' We lay
down and went to sleep again knowing
that Shocks voice would verify blaze a
way of safety through the storm.
Behold now that voice has been spiked
\ card comes out in the Asheyille Citi-
zen. which to be properly appreciated
must be read in full.
ITO the Public: Until a very recent
date | had been an active candidate for
the nomination of congress in this dis
trict. Whether / was in earnest in my
candidacy was doubted by many of my
closest friends. / realized that in the
contest l would be met solidly by these
holders Of positions in the district under
the administration who | believe would
he arraycd against me in the interest OF
the nomination Of Mr.. Pearson.
''In consideration Of this / realized
fully the desperate fight / had to make
il ! won against those in position and
their influence. My political knowledge
was learned in the school where we
were never permitted TO sleep on our
arms With us any advantage was a
fair one. In the outset | chose as the
issue of my campaign opposition to the
civil service system of the country. |
began my campaign on that issue from
the city of Washington on the 4th day
of March. 1897. This was published as
IAN open letter to the President" in the
Raleigh Tribune "a few days later. / have
endeavored TO keep up my fight along
this line ever since. In my opposition to
the system | believed | had enlisted the
sympathy of the whole people of this
State and felt that my nomination was
almost ''walk-over."
when Congress met found that q
very large number Of Republican men,
bers of the House agreed fully with
myself on this question. When the sub
ject came up in the House | saw that
Mr.. Pearson, the representative from
this district stood in the front rank Of
the battle against the system. Keeping
mp with the daily proceedings I found
him by far the best equipped man in the
ranks Of the opposition on the floor
He was a foe to be dreaded by the
friends of the system, and a leader
worthily trusted by its enemies.
II looked in dread and sorrow upon
the reputation he was making in his
fight at Washington and the strength
he was gaining among his constituents
at home. / carefully watched every
hour of the battle and when. through
an understanding, the appropriation for
the support of the commission was al
lowed to pass the House unchanged.
with, as | was assured, the pledges of
the administration that certain accept
able notifications should be made be-
fore a presentation to the House OF the
bill which had been agreed upon shuold
be made. | wrote and published in the
Citizen an interview in which ! recited
the history and predicted the fate of
this opposition in a manner very uncOm-
plimentary to those who had made the
proposition, and in said interview
charged that those members who spoke
in opposition to the system were insin-
cere in their efforts only making ''bun-
combe' for their benefit in the coming
campaign.
Il now wish to say that through that
interview | meant no reflections upon
the integrity of any one save Mr. Pear
son. and that | published the same
solely for the purpose of distracting at
tention from that gentleman's deserv-
eddy popular record made in the inter
cat of his people. ] now hasten to say
that my close observation and personal
knowledge Of Mr.. Parsons sentiments
and efforts on this subject fully justify
me in saying that | believe no more ar
dent or honest opponent Of this sys-
tenn is in public life than that gentle
man, and | sincerely without re.arya-
ton tender to him an earnest apology
for this insult to his earnest efforts in
behalf Of his constituents and pledge