The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-30
Three Candidates for Cover
nor, but Public Cannot
Pick Winner.
CON TEST DEVELOPS
GREAT BITE RNESss
Horne, Craig and Kitchin to the
Front, With Field Open to
Any Dark Horse Senti-
ment Turns Against
the Radical
Leaders.
Especial From a stan sros,ens,l q |! &.

Leaders,.
Especial From, a stan CORES srontentl
| ~ ALE1GFi. n. c., March 29.--Nots
withstanding the Wild rcck-
\ AZ less, distorted claims of caniy
" paign managers, the three
cornored contest for gover.s
4 nor is as open to-day as q turf event
for maiden three year-olds in a sea OF
/ mud BY noIsystem of scheming. by
\ no pencil combination, can any one Of
/ the candidates figure positively on hls
nomination. There is world of hope
and a whirlwind OF uncertainty, with
| Indications of trading and cutting an1
changing which will leave the aues-8
| tion in the air until the State Demo-
cratic Convention to meet at Charlotte
! In June. has bestowed the prize.
There are three candidates anxious
| to put on the well-worn shoes of Cove
ernor eilenn--Ashley Horne, of john
| ston Locke Craig. of Buncombe. and
iCongressman William w. Kitchin, OF
| the Fifth District Old man Horne
the term is used respectfully--is 4
| in cotton mills. mercantile establisf-
ments. banks and the like.
/ He has long been In the race. HIS
| political friends have organized Horne
clubs. Horne societies, and some of
! them have even captured a few count
/ lies.+5 SsTdlS IS d sSuCCeSSlul & lawyer at 9
/ the Ashevlle bar with ambition and
brains. Kitchin comes from a family
of office holders. His father, popular
/ ly known as Buck" KItchin. was once
a member of Congress. Will and
| Claude kitchin, who are brothers. are
representing couple of districts IN
i Congress, and a younger brother. Paul,
is member OF the North Carolina
Legislature. This much by way OF
Identification.
Much bitterness Already.
Having fed tor years on politics.
4 North Carolina is feasting these days
on the bitter war of words which Iia5
ldeveloped between iitchin and Craig.
1 The exact cause of the strife lis in
definite and OF no Importance to the
outsider. Whether 1litchin said it,sthis
correspondent is not prepared to state,
but his more rampant boosters have
brought forth the threadbare, yet
| startling accusation, that Craig's cause
| is espoused by the Southern Railway
and the American Tobacco Company. 1t
had to be charged to some body
| turn OF the cards might have flung IT.
at the door of Ashley horne. Assur-
Iiances from President Finley that the
Southern Railway would no longer oe 4
q factor In politics, are accented In
the utmost good faith by the best ele-
mert here. so the allegation may not
be detrimental TO the barrister.
| So bitter is the feeling between the
glory seekers that in the event Of
convention deadlock. few students nt
North Carolina politics believe that any
Craig delegates would swing 70
Kitchin, or viceSversa. In other words, &
| If one cannot be nominated his sole
desire will be the defeat of his enemy,
Observing this condition, Horne smiles +
rap m, bpr tGafa to- n 7
picks UP another chunk of wood
which he saws with vigor.
Mny Go to DIRK Horse
Because OF this Craig -Kitchin war.
the prediction is often heard that
Horne will be nominated. or else will
name the next governor of North Caro-,
lima. But tina Is not altogether cer-
tain. a dark horse may spring to tts.
front at any moment and the honor
may go beyond the three. Neverthe-
less. each man claims 1t with degree
of enthusiasm more eshlarating than
the product which North Carolina Is
preparing to vote away next month.
Ashley Horne Is depending inlA
great measure upon the revulsion of q
feeling in this State. The pendulum
is, swinging the other way. The long
and merciless attack upon railroads Iii
particular and corporations in general,
has reached that state where the price
must be paid sS a5
THE people believe that the fight
was carried too far" was the way a
Democrat explained 1T to-day. "an,l II
they believe that the time Is opportuns
for the election of business man
rather than a politician. We must
soften the effect of the war. Mr.. Bryan
said In his Richmond speech that only
those newspapers which stood for pre-
datory wealth believe the decision ~
the United States Supreme Court in
the rate case would have a. salutary
effect If Mr.. Bryan could come here
and put his ear to the ground he would
find that those who have no wealth
subscribe to the newspaper view. What
we want Is peace and quiet. and ali b
OF this VIII operate to the benefit 81
the business candidate whether 1T ba r.
Ashley Horne or Ashley somebody
ese.'' 5lj
Ring Takes Active Part.
As II happens in most Southern
States, however we must reckon with NJ
to be with Kitchin. That. aft least, ii
the general opinion. United statos
Senator Simmons. who is serving nis
farewell term. and former Governor
Aycock who siss going to scalp him.
are Kitchhl men. Simmons Is the rings
master lie and sAScock are the strong
mon In the Easterr section.
68 no show how they stand, news4
papee with q fairly good amount os
has said that the scheme
Sis for Simmons to heip elect Kitchin.
that toward the end OF the formsrx
term he will ras:gn, wheseupon kttchin
will appoint AycoclS to succeed him in
the Senate. What becomes of Sinl-
mons2 Well. according TO the story,
he Will he the next candidate for Cor
ernor. 1T Is very beautiful. II Eitchin5 WI
wins fthta So "a al Drr a h NJ