The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-04-11
sON-IN-LAW PARTY BOSs-SHIP.

SON-IN-LAW PARTY B0Ss-SHIP.
When ex-senator Pritchard was given
a judicial position, the people of the
State had every wish that he would prove
worthy of the high honor. They knew he,
was not great lawyer, but they believed
he had the ability to grow into a good
judge, and with one accord they wished
for him a career that would be honorable
to him and to the State of his adoption.
In their wish they said pleasant things
about him, were disposed to forget his
miserable Radical political record, and
help him to rise to better things.
But to-day they find that the ex-Sena-
tor is the same political boss. wearing
the ermine that he was when he was
bung- smeller. "Ephraim is joined to his
idols" He is revenue pdotician to-
day just as when he was a revenue
doodle in the mountains. He cannot rise
superior to the East Tennessee political
prejudice. 1t is a pity, for the oppor
tunity for higher things lies out before
him. He cannot grow into an able judge
and continue the political boss of the
gang of pie-esters and pie-hunters of
North Carolina. When he accepted the
judgeship, it was thought that he would
retire from politics and devote himself to
judicial duties. He could not rise to the
demands of the better career "Once a
bung-smelling politician, always bung
smelling politician" is once again shown
to be true.
1t would have been more decent in
Pritchard to have kept the craftsmanship
himself and openly defied public senti-
ment than to pretend to resign his polti-
cal bosship by putting his sceptre in his
son-in-law's hands. There isn't baby
in North Carolina who does not under
stand that Rollins would not have been
dreamed of as State Chairman if he didn't
call Pritchard daddy" There isn't
bung- smeller in Mitchell or Yadkin
county who does not know that the seec-
ton of Rollins means that Pritchard is
still to dispense the patronage and be
the political boss. Rollins is perhaps
clever enough young man. Nobody ever
heard of him except as Pritchard's SON
in-law 1t is certain that he will be con-
trolled absolutely by daddy-in law
Pritchard His selection is notice that
Pritohard will sit on the bench in the day
time and pull political strings in the
night time. The Republican situation
will be perpetual Punch and Judy show
Jeter will pull the strings, while Rollins
bows before the footlights. Rollins is
Pritchard-nothing more nor less.
The fact that Pritchard could by his
word make his -in-law, an obscure
young mountain lawyer. State Chairman
shows the material of which the Republi-
posed. For weeks they have been saying
everywhere that they would not submit
to any grandfather clause-son- in law
dictatorship in their party. The very men
who talked that way up to the hour that
Pritchard cracked the whip walked into
the meeting and hurrahed for son-in- law
rule. Is it any wonder Pritchard issues
orders to such crowd of sycophants and
office-seekers? II he had ordered them to
elect Jim Young, they would have voted
for Jim and taken oath that he was the
very man of their choice. And Prtchard
would probably have picked out Jim, if
he could overlook providing for his own
family, if the Constitutional Amendment
had not DISTINGUISHED the negro voters
What does it all mean? That in the
Republican party in North Carolina there
is no freedom of thought, and that
Pritchard is the whole thing" Isn't il
pitiable to see men who claim to be men
elorying that they are puppets?