The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-01-13
NOT A BREAK IN
THE CAUCUS
No Candidate is Yet in Sight
of the Nomination.
CONFERENCES YESTERDAY
Rumors of Calculations That are Being Figured
Out by Which a Sena'orship
is TO be Won in This
Weeks Caucus.
CONFERENCES YESTERDAY

The aftermath of the First Engagement
in the Senatorial Campaign arrived and
| departed yesterday, leaving to the I'M
| observant nothing but a day of peace
and ease.
But there was work yesterday, and de-
termined work, in every camp. There
| was no display of what was going on,
but as the day moved the adherents of
| each of the Senatorial candidates kept
in touch with his choice and kept feeling
! the temperature of the political pulse.
The expression given by each of the
candidates in yesterday mornings News
and Observer is a correct index of the
! condition late last night. The morning
| began with the adherents of each can
didate determined to stand by his man
and it ended that way.
No reliable rumor of the change of a
single vote was heard during the day.
! The ballot in the caucus had shown the
leanings of many Of the legislators and
these were interviewed by friends of
| other candidates yesterday, but late last
| night from each of the headquarters the
| report was of unbroken lines.
| 1t is understood that there was a con-
| ference of the Overman men yesterday in
the Raney Library Hall, and that there
was a careful study of the situation.
The views of all were taken, and the
J great question was: "Where are the "a
votes needed to come from?" On a basis
of locating these the conference went
on.
The friends Of the other candidates
were not idle either.
Rumor was busy yesterday figuring out
how the Overman forces were going to
get the "a votes they need, if they hold
all the so cast on the last ballot. and
at night it was said that the future Of
| politics in North Carolina for the next
! four or six years was wound up with
the contest here for the Senatorship.
On all sides you can hear all sorts of
rumors, big claims and some boasting.
But those who are best acquainted with
the situation know that at midnight
last night OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
hours after the caucus a~djourned-there
hao peen no appreciable change in the
SITUATION. OVerman's friends are hope
III because ne is IN the lead, but they
are unable TO hgure out where he will
get the twenty-four votes he needs
Ihose OVerman men who talk in the
MOTEL Hobbies say he is sure to win, but
the men on the inside, while, believing
and hoping he will win and feeling that
the chances favor his nomination. know
that ne has no 'cinch'' on ii, and that
OVerman, like the other candidates is
"quaking in his boots"
All of them are hopeful and hard AZ
work, but nobody is near enough the
goal to feel confident of victory. The
TRENDS of all in the race are
unlteo and determined. If there is a
preak IN their lines it does not appear.
~ was rumored last night that Judge
fokes name would be withdrawn on
Monday night. Captain Alexander's sun
porters were "standing pat General
Carr went home to spend Sunday and
VIII De back tomorrow to press the fight.
Inc friends of all the candidates. ex-
cept OVerman, while each expects his
man 70 win, are confident that at no time
VIII Mr.. Overman reach more than co
votes out OF the necessary "A votes. Mr..
oVerman's friends are equally confident
'hat "hen a break cOmes-9nd they
predict it Will come on Monday mighty
OVefman viii get enough. Both Craig
and Watson's friends last night said that
Overman would never get enough votes !
TO win. The friends of each think. when
the break comes, his candidate will ride
III On the tidal wave.
Such is the gist of the talk heard on
jill
every hand. But it all may be summed
up in these words: At midnight on Sat
urday night, the waters We're as muddy
as ever. 10 break could be found in the
lines OF either of the candidates. and
when the balloting begins Monday
n~lght-unless there are changes from now
on-there will be no substantial change
in the voting from the last ballot on
Friday night.
The Democracy of the whole State will
1eel proud to know the feeling that ex-
lists between the candidates and their
friends. From first to last there has
been the kindliest feeling between them.
Ihey meet in each others headquarters.
swap stories and laugh together at good
jokes that go around, and wage their
contest on a high plane. A stranger TO
MOI CallnyN ways would never sup