The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-12-22
REPLY TO GUDGER
Shipman Utters His Last
Words.
Says He is Not Much Surprised ia
Hear That the Congressman Has
Enough. Denies That He is
Inconsistent.

Mr.. NJ. l.. Shipman. when asked
make in reply to what Congressman
Gudger said to the News and Oh.
server Washington Correspondent
said:
II am not much surprised to hear
that Mr.. Gudger has had enough. A
man usually declines TO continue u
controversy when he has no evidence
to sustain his contentious There is
nothing more for me to say. Of
cuorse 1 am and certainly ought 20
be satisfied at the hearings 1 have
had in the newspapers, and L observe
that Mr.. Gudger himself has been
using some space at so much per,
judging from the following in a re-
cent issue Of the Cherokee Scout:
Ion Wednesday last we received
letter from Congressman Jas. M.
Gudger, Jr., enclosing an answer to
made any such promise. Further
more. he requests us to publish his
Shipman's letter, denying that he
letter, send him the bifl. make out his
subscription account for past indebt-
edneSS and include six months in adj
vance. and he would send us q check
We suppose other papers in this dis
trict received the same proposition
but all of which sounds very funny
to us. inasmuch as Congressman Gudg-
er is not and never has been a sub
scriber to the Scout. and in all his
nil@rimages through this section he
has never lifted the latch string of
our sanctum His portly form has
never darkened our door. and to ali
appearances he did not know (nor
care) that such a paper as the Chero-
kee Scout was being published at
Murphy. He did not need us then
he might need US in the future. That
makes the difference between then ana
now But the sign is not right for
his nomination for a third term-and
if we were in politics we would I'M
hesitatingly support Hon. w. t. Craw-
ford, the peerless statesman of Hay
wood county
Mr. Gudger undertakes to say that
my statements are Inconsistent and
contradictory, but l defy him to pro-
duce any evidence in SubStantiation
of the suggestion. He could point out
only one instance which person, VINO
has not followed my letters closely,
might so construe. and that was the
reference | made in the Asheville Cit
zen regarding q contemplated review
of the situation. But | will remind
Mr.. Gudger that he had publicly de-
MED, in an interview with the Ashe-
wife papers, my authority FOR stating
that he would not again be a candi-
date, prior to the publication of his
signed statement. SO that his only sug-
gestion of Inconsistency falls to the
ground Expressions of confidence
come to me daily from leading Demo
Gratis of the district, and l am perfect
iv willing for the public to take the
evidence already adduced. consider the
interests of both Mr. Gudger and my
self bearing upon the question and SCI
fle the issue upon its merits.
1.-The Congressman now feiSns de-
sire to stand on his record; yet, before
he had entered upon second term ne
announced a desire for another. Just
how he hoped to receive third noml-
nation. on account of t he record
made during his second term, before
it commenced, is a proposition l fail
to understand. Heretofore our candI-
dates for Congressional honors have
been willing to stmit their claims TO
the people a few weeks prior to the
CONVENTIONS. but Mr.. Gudger started
out this time fifteen months before
hand. Still, he PIRATES about consls-
tencv. while an apparent stranger 10
it himself.
eff he had sought harmony at any
time excepting when he had finger
in tbe ME the people might have some
faith in his utterances, but the OBJECT
of his appeals now. when the party Is
not disturbed, and only himself under
fire, are too patent to warrant serious
consideration Mr.. GudSer and my
self are involved in the controversy
provoked by his denial of statements
made to me, and that is the reason my
recent reply was addressed as an open
letter to him. This is all | have TO
saw