The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-02-10
Congressman at Large.
To the Editor:

10 the Editor.
The most fitting answer the Democrat Is
OF North Carolina can make to the gratui-
tous insult which the handful of Republi-
cans in the Legislature have offered then
by giving TO Richmond Pearson, the mem
Der of Congress from the Ninth district
who was arbitrarily forced upon his con-
stituents who had repudiated him at the
polls, Il complimentary vote for Senator
is to send to Congress, as the Represen-
tative at large to which the State is en-
titled under the new apportionment, the
Hon. w. I. Crawford who was made the
victim of Republican rascality in Con-
gress and who was sacrificed in the cleo
tion OF 1900 on the altar of white SUI
Drerlacv.
OF his fitness there can be no ques-
ton. No district was ever better repre-
scented in Congress than this during his
incumbency in three terms. He is capa-
bic, faithful and honest, thoroughly in
sympathy with the wishes and best inter
ests OF the great mass of the people of
this mountain district.
1t has been the privilege of this writer
to have been intimately associated with
Mr.. Crawford throughout two campaigns,
trict, thereby enjoying unusual oppor-
tunities not only for becoming thorough
ly acquainted with his character, but also
for acquiring accurate information as to
the estimation in which he is held by
the people OF the district and although
it may appear paradoxical, it may be said
that his great popularity contributed in
no small degree 10 his defeat. So great
and so general was the confidence in his
success that his interests were neglected
by many warm but injudicious friends in
their eagerness TO secure vote for their
favorite in the Senatorial primary and so
positive was their belief that the district
could never express a preference for
man over whom Crawford had everywhere
demonstrated his superiority, whom he
had met and vanquished on every stump
finally driving him from the field. Moody
refusing to meet him in joint debate in
the city of Asheville whose vote had
been so inexcusably thrown out III the
Pearson Crawford contest that Pearson
had been induced rashly to contradict the
Congressional Record, that it was impossj-
bic to arouse them to a sense of danger
In spite of this condition of absolute
confidence, in spite of the unlimited use
of Doodle by the Republicans, in spite
of their misrepresentation as to the eff
feet of the constitutional amendment
which Crawford had warmly favored
making forty three speeches in it's behalf
in the district, on the illiterate white
voter, and in spite of few instances Of
the basest political treachery on the part
of some who
Bent the pregnant hinges Of the knee
That thrift might follow fawning,
Crawfords vote exceeded that of Bry-
ans in eleven of the fifteen counties of
the district. while the vote of his COM
petitor fell behind that of Mckinley in
eleven of the fifteen counties, McKinley's
majority being over 600 mc-e than that
OF Moody over Crawford. That the west
ern section of the State which bUre the
brunt of concentrated Republican effort
and which suffered for the sake OF the
east is justly entitled to the privilege of
furnishing the member-at-large is per-
fectly clear, and 1T is equally clear that
no man has more fairly earned nor bet
ter deserves this recognition, at the hands
of his party and no man would more
worthily fill the position to the advantage
of the whole State than Hon. VIM. 7.
Crawford
There can be no doubt that this sug-
gestion of Justice TO the west and to Mr..
Crawford Will be received with favor from
Cherokee to Currituck"
= \. LUCK. Sr.
~