The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-02-23
OPPOSES A PRIMARY
w. W. Zachary Want Legis-
lature to Elect Senator.
The Mountain Counties Are Going 10 Become
Democratic For the People There Are
Naturally Democratic.

NdturaItt DeHiOCsauCt
TO the Editor: i see that the question
as to how the choice of the people is to
be ascertained in regard TO who shall
represent us in the United States Senate
as the successor of J. c. Pritchard is be-
ginning to exercise the minds OF thought
full men all over the State. would like
TO state In the outset that / am a firm
believer In the election of United States
Senators by the people and think the
Constitution ought 10 be amended so es
to- allow the people TO elect both the
President and Senators by a direct vote.
However, we do not always have the
privilege of dealing with things as we
would have them, but must contend with
them as we find them. 1t is hard for me
to believe that Legislature of repre-
sentative Democrats, such as the conser-
vative Democratic people of the State
always elect, is not just as honest and
capable of making a selection of a wise
and good man as our Senator, as the
Legislatures were that elected Vance,
Ransom, Clingman, Mangum and others
who represented this State with marked
distinction in the Senate: neither can
get the consent OF my mind to suppose
for moment that North Carolina has
not just as wise and good men in her
borders for the General Assembly 70
select from as she ey err had in her his
tory. Then / would suggest to let the
Senator be chosen as the law prescrioes
and not as some convention or primary
>lo "a, 49,
mites for fraud and corruption are ten
fold greater than it is in Legislature
So far as / am concerned I arm perfectly
willing to risk the next General Assem-
bly, in choosing the Senator provided It
is Democratic. But if we as Democrats
are going TO wash our dirty linen, using
enc of Ben Tillman's expressions, on our
own front steps, before the election, We
VIII still be firding plenty of it to WASH
after the Republicans shall have carried
the election and secured a majority in
the next Legislature, and of course the
next United States Senator I may be
somewhat prejudiced against primary
elections, but I thought l saw danger to
the party, when the primary was first
proposed two years ago. and tried to
sound q note of warning against it in the
State convention, but failed to defeat it,
and now since the experiment has been
thoroughly tried in the State, I am just
as fearful OF the dangers as before; for
the greatest hopes the Republican party
has In carrying the next election in the
State lies In the fact that they expect to
be able TO reap harvest TO their own
gain from the seeds of discord sown in
the Democratic party by the primary
election Of 1860. The way look at II is
the candidate who will press his claims
on the party before the legislators are
elected, or allow his friends to press him
on the party. is more interested in his
own welfare than he is in that of his
party; and such a man should not he
elected Senator under any circumstances.
and for one am willing to do all in my
power TO try TO keep the Legislature
from electing any man to the Senate who
either presses his own claims or allows
his friends to do so for him to the detri-
ment Of Democratic success, however
feeble my efforts might be.
If We can only have a rest from per-
sonal bitterness caused by Senatorial
candidates and their friends through
their efforts TO control convention and
primary elections the Democratic party
of the mountain counties and districts
VIII again come to the front, and the
mountains will once more be a Demo
cratic stronghold. as mountain people
are Democratic by nature
Since the people in this part Of the
country are becoming thoroughly con-
WINGED that no native born white man
rio to vt.o
new Constitution, and the new election
law is all that fairness could dictate.
and that there is no chance of putting
false construction on it, the Republicans.
have lost all their hobbies with which
they have been going before the people
and appealing to their preiudices for SO
many years, urging upon them that the
Democrats We're attempting to steal some
sacred constitutional right of which
mountain people seem to be more jeal-
Gus than any other people upon the face
of the earth
Furthermore the people in this part
of the State are becoming interested In
the cause of education in a manner sur
prising to the most enthusiastic educa-
tors. and they are so elated over the ir-
crease in the public school facilities,
brought about by the new condition OF
things, that they are unwilling to see
the State go into the hands of the Re-
publicars again and see the cause of
education suffer and dwindle as it has
always done when they were in power in
the State.
Some of the more thoughtful Republi-
cans are beginning to realize this danger
and they are making desperate effort
to overcome it, through promise of APP
pointments TO positions under the Re-
publican party. After everything else
in sight and that could be imagined has
been disposed of by promises by the Re-
publican leaders they have just Matched
new supply in the prospects of the new
park movement. Republicans high up in
their councils, / am informed, are now
making overtures to Democrats in the
Way of the promise of appointment to
moguI' positions, over, through and
around the proposed park in return for
political support. But with all their
premises they cannot keep as from
making Democratic gains in this section
of the State.
Before I close this communication l