The semi-weekly messenger., 1906-05-22
SIXTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.

The Evening Chronicle of Charlotte
gives us the following information as
to the state of affairs in the democratic
party in this congressional district,
Brown OF Chadbourn, who is known
throughout the state as cotton grow
er and truck farmer, seems to be the
most formidable opponent of Con-
gresham Patterson for the latters
seat in congress. having captured the
New Hanover delegation. The fight
in the sixth promises to be pretty
one. That district is composed OF
Bladen, Brunswick, Harnett New
Hanover, Cumberland, Columbus
and Robson counties. The nominee
must have one hundred votes in con-
vention. Mr.. Patterson, who has rep
resented this district for two years is
Robson county man and wants
third term. OF course Robson coun-
tv will stand by him, and what makes
the situation interesting for the other
fellows is that Robson county has
49 votes in the convention, or lacking
one Of being half enough to nominate.
Therefore, the candidate who expects
to capture Pattersons seat will have
to do some hustling. With Robson,
com binations are easy to make; with
out Robson the making of a combl-
nation is a difficult matter.
The counties representing this dis
trict are entitled to the following votes
in the congressional conventions: Bla-
den 20, Brunswick 13, Harnett "a,
New Hanover &c, Cumberland "a, Co.
lumbus so. Robson 49, The total vote
amounts to 1913. Ninety-nine being
an exact half, it will take 100 votes to
nominate.
For Mr.. Patterson to go into the con-
county and what others he gets from
outside counties will give him a great
advantage over his opponents. But
| the question is: How long can he hold
Robson solidly? Another is: How
|! soon will his support outside of his
own county desert him if it be seen
| that he is gaining no additional
| strength? 1t will be remembered that
| four years ago Mr.. Patterson secured
the. solid vote of his own county only
| by the enforcement by his friends of
| the majority vote. Had that not been
| done Robson would have divided her
vote, which most likely would have
caused the defeat Of Mr.. Patterson.
! The present incumbent has the other
three candidates fighting him. If they
do not have falling out among them
selves and the antagonism become so
great that the friends of each prefer
one of the others nominated Mr.. Pat
| terson's prospects are not SO bright as
they would appear at first blush from
! the fact that he goes into the conven-
ton with 40 of the 100 votes neces-
sary to nominate. Our prediction is
that he is going to find it mighty hard
to get those other 81 votes necessary
to give him the nomination.
Strength is given to Mr.. Patterson
by the fact that he, having held the
Office for two terms, there will be
| more chance for any one of his Oppo-
nents two years hence than there
would be for either of the two defeat
ed aspirants against the new man
who might succeed in securing the
nomination this year. In other words
if Mr. Patterson is defeated this year
the man who is chosen in his place
will almost certainly be renominated
for a second term. If Mr.. Patterson
is nominated for a third term he will
be easier to defeat for a fourth than
a new member would be for a second
Putting aside all other questions this
will work in Mr.. Patterson's favor
but, the question is will it have sum
cient weight to secure him the 81
votes outside of Robson? If the
friends of his three opponents will
agree to turn to the one who develop;
the greatest strength of the three, in
| stead of fighting each other to the
death it will be hard for Mr.. Patterson
to secure the nomination. AS matters
now stand his success or failure de-
pends more upon the course pursued
by friends of his opponents than upo1
that of his own friends.
That was high old time Mr. vii
liams and the other democrats CAV
the republicans in the house Friday