The news & observer., 1905-12-17

the same arguments to secure support
for you that / did.
shortly after the conference with
you in HenderSonVille, Mai. Kirk
patrick came up and invited me to
his room, also, at the Hawkins House,
where we went over the Congressional
situation fully together. Maj. Kirk
patrick approached the subject by
saying: "Well, I reckon Jim's told
after this time?" Yes | replied,
land he wanted to print a statement
| in the newspapers, but | prevailed
with him not to do that as / feared
it would weaken him before the peO-
pie" And frequently during the cam
paign Maj. Kirkpatrick and myself
adverted to the fact that you must
have a big majority in order to be able
to retire gracefully at the conclusion
of your second term.
$50 far as the reference to Mr..
Hall Johnson is concerned | will say
| that / do not remember to have dis
cussed the matter in his presence at
any time, in fact | did not become ac-
quainted with him until shortly be-
| fore the conclusion of the campaign.
But you are well aware of authorizing
| the promise, as above recited, and
were advised long since that 1 had
carried out the instructions given me,
in good faith. Yet, instead of stand
ing by your statement. voluntarily
made to me, you announced a desire
for another term @fteen months be-
fore the next convention should be
held, if your speech at the banquet
| rendered Hon. John Sharpe Williams
at the Battery Park Hotel, in Ashe-
vile, last winter was correctly re-
ported. You had not even entered
upon your second term at that time
and such a declaration is contrary to
! the party precedent in the political
history of the district. | really did
not consider the statement seriously
until your representative approached
me upon the subject of your candida
cy at the kenilworth Inn during the
Editorial Association in July. 1 re-
minded him at that time of our prom
ise that you would not be a candi-
date this year, which he admitted, but
said the pressure was so strong that
you had changed your mind. Why did
you not so state in your letter to the
public instead of denying any knowl-
edge of having authorized me to
tell the boys" that you would not
be in the fight this time?
"And | will call your attention to a
conversation between you and myself
in the office of the Commissioner of
Labor and Printing during Fair week
at Raleigh in October. You made
no denial of my promise to the peo-
pie, made upon your authority, your
reply was: "Well, Shipman, these
things are subject to change
"On Nov 18th the Hendersonville
Hustler called attention to your prom
| Use and you did not deny it. The
Waynesville Courier printed the item,
with editorial comments and you let
that pass. The same week l wrote
you a personal letter, a portion of
which was in these words: "Old
man, l regret exceedinly that you are
again in the face for Congress, not
because / object to seeing you there,
but on account of the unenViable posi-
ton i'm which your candidacy places
me and other real friends of yours,
who upon your authority, stated to
the people two years ago that you
would not again be a candidate. But
my word is my bond and you must
not feel aggrieVed because of my hon
est endeavor to keep myself straight
with the people whom l induced to
rally to our standard last year by the
assurance that you would not again
be a candidate. You came out with
flying colors last year and | believe
it advisable to ''let well enough alone"
Still no denial came to me. yet l re-
Trained from making a public state
ment and held my peace" until
Democrats began to call upon me for
an explanation three weeks ago, when
the Rutherfordton Sun and a special
to the Charlotte Observer gave out
the information that you were again
in the race and would remain in the
FIGHT 70 the finish. I was still averse
to making a public statement and de-
c.ded the issue of a private letter the
better course to pursue at the time.
The charges of bad faith upon my
part were intolerable and / felt oblig-
ed to take some action, notice of
which was given in the personal let
ter above referred to, for which l
have no apologies to render.
you boast of the race you made
for State Senator in the counties of
Buncombe. Haywood and Madison in
1900. l did not say you made a weak
candidate for the Senate. You might
still make a good race for the Legls-
lature and yet make a weak candidate
for Congress- A man may make a
good captain and poor general. The
result of 1902 shows that you fell
behind the vote for Congress- two
years previous in the Democratic
counties of Haywood and Buncombe.
934 votes and in the entire district
2,258. The same year you received
342 votes less for Congress. at the
same precincts in Haywood and Bun
combe than you did for the Senate in
1900. Last year the Democrats of the
district were seriously concerned on
ly on your election. Everybody knew
that Gov. Glenn had a majority of,
at least, $4,000 to his credit while
there was only 1873 to yours. The
fight for Congress overshadowed every
thing else and still you came out !, 364
behind the Democratic vote OF l90O.
l refer to this briefly. in reply to your
interview of the vote for legislative
candidates in 1900. to show that the
people may support a man for one
office and yet seriously object to him
for another.
Your plea for harmony and unity
Mr.. Gudger. would have been timely
and pertinent prior to and during the
convention of 1902. but at this time 1t
appears a good deal like an admonl-
ton: Give me office or give me
DEATH Had you been as sollcltous
for harmony when you appeared on
the platform at the convention or
1902 and declared yourself the nom
inee, after the chairman had ordered