The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1906-05-10
Entered al the PostO6fce at RendcrsOnUs~:
NC, as mali matter OF the second class.
TOMS GONE, BUT THE PARTY
NOT DISCONNECTED.

-Ol COuAOJ oA0 Nv 0AA
alarmed or disconnected on &C
count of the recent pronunciameD-
to issued by Charles French Toms,
in leaving the democratic party.
The reasons assigned by the Hen
Jacksonville convert (?) to republi-
canism were too puerile to merit
the slightes consideration by Gov
ernor Glenn, who gladly accepted
the resignation in a very few words.
seThe long drawn out effort of Mr..
Toms to convince the people that
he has always been democrat and
not disgruntled now is amusing to
Henderson county folks who have
observed his record during the
past six years."
The democratic party in Hender-
son county will miss Mr.. Charles
French Toms very little. He has
never given itooany assistance ex-
cepting when his name has been
on the ticket. He boasts that the
democratic party has always given
him whatever he desired. Grant
ing thisto be true, though it Is not,
we will state, as a fact, that he has
never let an opportunity pass to
ask for anything and everything in
sight, and if his new associates
do not ''come up to the scratch"
with a slice of pie, Charley will not
be a very enthusiastic republican.
In his letter to the governor Mr..
Toms says, in effect, that he has
been a real big man up here in
the west, having been twice chair
man of the county democratic ex-
ecutive committee, county solicit
tor, by both election and appoint
ment, and senator from the BIRD
district has been a Fighting dem
ocrat in this section of the state,
taking quite a hand in political
affairs" 1t certainly is news
distressing news-to lose such a
man as that, but we can probably
survive the shock. When he was
chairman during the campaign of
1894, Richmond Peason's major
ity in the county for congress was
$40. The republican majority since
that time has never exceeded 400.
That was the only campaign Char
ley has eyer conducted as chairman
IN Henderson, or any other coun-
ty, although the duties of that po-
sition devolved upon him for a
month or two, when G.. P. Liverett
resigned, until nominations for
county officers were made in 1898.
Mr.. Toms was elected county So
licitor in 1900, without opposition
in either party and it was gener-
ally supposed that he had an I'M
derstanding with the republican
bosses which prevented an oppo-
nent from coming out against him,
yet he boasts of having been elect
ed county solicitor. We notice
that he failed to call the govern
or's attention to his position as at
torney for our republican county
commissioners. And since a ma
jority ofthe city officials have been
of the republican persuasion Mr..
Toms has been city attorney. Mel
Their of these positions have come
to him by virtue of services rend-
cred the democratic party, butrath-
er On account of his republican ten
denotes.
In 1902, Mr.. Toms decided that
Judge Walter Clark should not be
chief justice of the supreme court
and really did take an 'sactive
part in Henderson county against
the judge. Result: Judge Clarke
received the entire strength of the
county, except the half of one vote
and that was not cast-ln the
convention. Two years later the
gentleman Toms opposed for gov
ernor carried every precinct in the
county and received every vote in
the state convention to which this
county was entitled.
1t was Henderson's time to Sc