The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-08-21
b. r.. LACY AS CHIEF ARTHUR's
SUCCESSOR.

We are glad to see slch bright pros
poets for the election of State Treas
urer r. r. Lacy TO the position of
Grand Chief Engineer of the Brother
hood of Locomotive Engineers. With
a .t.rt of the solid vote of one hun
dred and fifty from the southern divis-
ion out of a total of six hundred and
fifteen votes in the convention. he will
be a formidable to the other
four candidates. The location of these
-four men is also a strong point in Mr..
Lacy's favor They are pretty we'll
punched as - location. Two of them
are from Iowa. one from Ohio and one
from Nebraska. ANY one of them.
with Mr.. Lacy holding his one hun
dred and fifty votes. to be elected. will
have to draw votes from the other
candidates in the latters' territory.
These four candidates antagonize each
oti-ar in their own territory. Situated
as they 20. it is not likely that any
one # them can get three hundred and
eight votes. the number necessary to
elect. out of the four hundred and
siX,y-fve outside of Mr.. Lacy's fol-
lowing.
-. Lacy's election to the position
WC--d bring delight to his thousands
OF -.iends within and without his ma
tive state. Mr.. Lacy would be a very
ht,i-g successor TO the late Chief
A --Ur. He would be as popular and
as efficient in that position as was his
DR. lessor.
SIeaking of this matter the RALEIGH
Mes and Observer says:
The feeling that State Treasurer Il.
r. Lacy is q most eligible man. and
stands Il sDlendid chance of being
elected Grand Chief Engineer of the
brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.
as among men who know.
Us name has been canVassed by
his friends throughout the southern
division. and wherever it is mention
ed there is great enthusiasm shown.
So much is his so that there seems to
be a practical welding together of the
engineers of the south for him. with
big chanceS in other divisions.
Yes said one of the group of To-
connective engir0o~S Yesterday. who
Were talking of the matter: We believe
that Mr.. Lacy is going to be elected.
The death of Grand Chief p. NJ. Ar
thur. elected in May. made a vacancy
which is temporarily filled. The cleo
4lOl tDIlleS HCSI May Ut OuI IiltellllS III
Los Angelo California. and every eff
fort will be made to elect him to the
position
" And we start in with u solid lot OF
votes for him. said another engineer.
There are $50 votes in the southern
divisions and it is practically certain
these will be cast for Ben Lacy. The
men on the Seabnard. the Southern.
the Atlantic Coast Line. the Atlanta
and West Point. the Louisville and
Nashville and other roads are a unit
for Lacy for Grand Chief
with $50 votes as Il start State
Treasurer Lacy will prove a fOrmi-
dabIe competitor to the other men men
toned for this nigh position. There
is in the Brotherhood when it meets
IN annual session. about 615 votes. and
one-duarter of these for a car'7ate
with q I~ro- number in the field is 4
strong argument for the MAJ from
North Carolina.
The friends of Mr.. T@cy calculate
that from the eastern and central
roads of the country he will receive a
strong uDDOrt with some from the
west. and the north doubtful Besides
Mr.. Lacy. the four r~"minent candl-
dates are George w. NrOOman. of Ne
braska: Herman Wills. of Iowa: w.
H Shay, Of Ohio. and the present IN
scumbent. who is from Iowa.
THE head officer of the Grand Chief
is in Cleveland. Ohio. where he has
a large force OF aids. said by soma 10
be five assistants and u clerical force
of from fifty to seventy-five. The DOS
Jtion is said to be salaried 81 $1,000 a
q
MI Lacy would make ar ideal head
spor. the great order of which he Is q
member He has been at the throttle
and is a fine engineer: he has mixed
with men. and he is a popular man:
he has held office. and he is an adml-
rahle official. as the COMMISSIONS OF
Tohor and Printing and as the State
Treasurer of North Carolina he has
shown remarkable energy. tact ana
execTytiye ability. which would tell
were he made the Grand Chlet En-
gineer of the Brotherhood
Patent PHI Pleasure.