The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-03-29
WORRIED ABOUT CANDIDATES FROM
THE COMMON PEOPLE.

WORRIED ABOUT CANDIDATES FROM
THE COMMON PEOPLE.
The following editorial appeared
In the Charlotte Observer OF last
Thursday:
"The low level to which public
office has been reduced in North
Carolina is the gravest charge that
can be brought against the Popu-
lists, Republicans and Populist-
Democrats of the most dignified |
Office. The Observer has some &C
uuaintance with the men OF the
State, and is tolerably close read
er Of its exchanges, and yet 1T SOL
emily AYERS that there are on the
bench now three judges OF whom 1t
never heard, whose names it never
saw in a newspaper, until they were
scheduled for the high and respon
sible offices they now hold. At this
time there are candidates for judi
cial and other positions in the State
who would have been laughed out
OF court fifteen years ago, because
they are incompetent for the posi-
tions to which they aspire. 1t is a
humlliating fact that Of late years
we have degenerated very much in
the character and competency OF
our public officials"
We are not sure that we know to
what three judges the Charlotte
Observer refers. Judge Starbuck,
Judge Bowman, Judge Tim berlake,
and probably other judges now on
on the bench, all OF whom have
made fine and enviable records,
were not prominently referred to In
the newspapers before their nomi-
nation, neither were they candi-
dates in the common acceptation Of
the term.
But the significant thing about
this editorial is the fact that the
Charlotte Observer declares that it
Is now worried about the number
OF candidates In the Democratic
party that have sprung up from
what might be called the common
people, or the rank and file of the
party. 1t seems to be greatly wor-
ried and irritated, II not outraged,
that any one should presume to be
a candidate for nomination before
Democratic invention unless
that person had been fortunate
enough to have himself pulled fire.
quently in the columns of the Dem
ocratic organs, or was fortunate
enough to be the son Of colonel OF
general or some one Of the "old.
est and best families" commonly
known as aristocrats. 1t seems thai
the grievance which the Charlotte
Observer has against the Peoples
party is that that party has aroused
laudable ambition in the breasts O.
the sons Of some plain farmers OIL
mechanics or ordinary merchants
or Of simple country doctors. In
deed, as the Observer says, til;
worst offence that the Peoples par
ty is guilty OF is that 1t has broker
down that awe and reverence which
the common people had beer
taught to have for certain set O.
ring of office-holding aristocrats o
the State. The Peoples party ha
incurred the lasting displeasure o
the Charlotte Observer and tina
class OF autocrats by arousing in tn,
breasts of the plain rank and fl,
OF the Democratic party a laudabl
desire. to hold positions of hone
and trust. S.,
We can understand thoroughly
that this is all true, but we are as
tonished that the Charlotte Obser
yer should be so ingenious as t,
admit and complain openly tina
some more Of the rank and f.. :
the psrty dared to aspirerso be car
didates for positions Of honor an
trust. THE o.
onorob s.4irSNA I oAslAN was SIN pi
gu to think that one of tn
phSJuest things to the credit of tn
"" party was that 1t had broken til
domination of this false aristocrac
and liberated the plain people {
the State, no matter to what part
thoy belonged, and made it poss
BILE for the son of the hu mblest eli
lien in the State, il he was homes
and worthy, to aspire to the higf
est honors. Of course we can vi
derstand that the members Of tn
oligarchy should naturally consids
this the greatest offence that til
Peoples party has been guilty Of.
ANOTHER LIE NAILED.