The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1907-04-25
The Correct Position.

bold stand upon principle in city poll
tics this spring and sincerely hopes q
signal victory may be achieved. Had
the policy outlined for the present cam
paign for CITY officers been maintained
uninterrupted since Mr.. J. P. Hickman
was first elected Mayor over o. v. F.
Blythe the affairs of our municipality
would be in better condition than they
are and Henderson county matters
would today be In the hands of the
democratic party. The citizen move
ment (so-called) in 1870 proved an an
tering wedge which rem asunder the
democratic organization in the town
and resulted in factional strife in the
county, from which the party has only
recently recovered. The name 'citizen
ticket" was q mis-nomer, but served
the purposes for which it was launched,
that of deceiving the people into the be-
lief that their interests would best be
subserved in that way rather than by
either of the two political parties, there
by securing their support for u few in
dividusls who were yearning 10 hold Of
fee. The plan succeeded and has been
repeated every two years since it was
first proposed, but the affairs of the city
government are In no more favorable
condition 'fthan when they first began"
Financial matters are reported to be in
a strained condition and the temperance
laws may as well be repealed. A moral
awakening is greatly needed and there
is no better means of bringing it about
than by the election of a straight demo
cratic ticket and the selection of sub-or-
dinate officers who will execute the law
without fear or favor, reward, or hope
of reward. This is exactly what Jim
Rickman's administration gave the peo-
pie and they should return to ''those
good old times" The opportune NOM
emit has arrived. Democrats, do your
duty. Victory is within reach if you
will but put forth q determined effort to
win. The beginning is hopeful, may
the ending be equally pleasing.
Even in AshevilIe there is to be a
straight fight between democrats and
republicans this Spring. The republic
cans are in the minority, but say they
viii not become a party to any ''inde-
pent'' or ''citizen's'' movements, such
as those heretofore festered and launched
by republicans and disgruntled demo-
Gratis. They say that these movements
in the past, with but few exceptions.
have met with crushing defeat and the
republicans have borne the stigma.
The republicans of that city now say if
they are to meet defeat they prefer to
go down in a dignifed manner with no
''citizen'' or ~"independe 1t" movement
attachments. They are going to nomi-
nate only straight republicans. This is
the correct position and we commend
the Asheville republicans for having the
courage of their convictions at last mani
tested in a public way. OF course they
do not expect to win, but will have the
consolation of knowing afterwards that
they took their medicine straight. This
was the democratic position in Hender-
sonvillO until two years ago, when they
compromised themselves by going into a
mass-meeting in the hope OF defeating
the original ''citizen" crowd at it's own
game. They succeeded in this, but cOu-
ditions have improved little If any un-
der the insurgents" One party or the
other should be responsible for the
management of affairs in every NUM-
cipality which has attained the size of
Henoersonvllle. Waynesville has put
away the Citizen ruse and the demo-
Gratis OF that hustling burg recently met
In mass-meeting and unanimously de-
cided to put out a straight ticket for
city officers this time, Verify the peo-
pie everywhere are coming back to a sane
and sensible view of public matters, a
condition most favorable to the triumph
of principle and the quitting away" of
fake movements. Such a result is bound
to come and will be most pleasing. The
Hustler is gratif1ed to see the position
from which it has never swerved again
sustained by the democrats of Hender-
vile and elsewhere.
This article is not written with any
intended disparagement of the motives
Of good men, who were induced into
the alignment with the ''cftizen" move
ment in this city some years ago, from
honest motives, but to emphasize the
importance OF adhering to principle in
all matters of public policy. Many of
these have realized their mistake and
make public the acknowledgements of
the same by coming out boldly for a
straight ticket this year, q conclusion
which is admitted t their everlasting
credit and a condition every true demo-
crat has longed to realize. Thus it be-
comes the militant democracy of Hen
d~ersonville to put away all f~actional
differences and let -disagreements of pre-
uione vaars ba $50 sealed bOok.n Thn