The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1908-12-03

ayers" Did Not Want to Win
Why They Fear the Coming oi
Recruits-LocaI self-Gosernmenl
Would Have Been Winning
Issue-Repubiicans Need Only Il
Develop Breadth Tnseiflshness and
Ordinary Common Sense TO Work
Some Changes
New York SUM-
The Democrats have won In North
Carolina. but in such fashion as &c
rob the victory Of Its substance
Governor Aycock's majority of co.
900 in 1900 was cut down to $4,000
for Kitchin. The Republicans car.
ried three Congs fssional districts
hitherto Democratic. made material
gains In the State General Assembly
and otherwise exhibited a spirit. a
courage and an address that have
extorted from the Charlotte Observer
these philosophical reflections:
1T would be folly TO predict wha,
four years will bring forth, but II
is to be seen by blind man that a
serious breach has been made In the
Democratic fortress In North Caro-
lima, heretofore supposed TO be i'm
pregnable. IL the ratio of decline In
the Democratic majority which the
past eight years have witnessed is
maintained, 1t calls for no argument
to show that another eight years
will see the majority disappear.
There are rumors throughout
North Carolina to the effect that
the Republican manager" did not
want to win and that but for their
Indifference IL not secret antagonism
the Democratic shortage would have
been much more pronounced. This
grave accusation has been warmly
denounced and repudiated by the
aforesaid managers, but certainly
1t is the. past history Of the party in
the South that the professional Re-
publicans have always been jealous
of accessions from the masses of the
people. In almost every State they
have formed tight little coteries de-
voted to the delivery of delegations
at national conventions and the sub
sequent parcelling out of the Federal
Offices within their respective baili-
wicks, and it has long been notorious
that they neither seek nor welcome
recruits, being entirely satisfied
with very profitable industry. How
it has been this year in North Caro-
lima we do not pretend to say.
Other factors were at work. For
one thing, not only all the Democrats
but many Republicans as well want
ed to see Senator Overman re-elect-
ed to the United States Senate. His
present term of Office expires next
year; he is universally popular, and
after all, North Carolinians are of
one political family in a way. This
consideration had much to do with
maintaining lines that were sadly
wavering and weak, and on top of
that was the superstition, or the am
bush, of the gubernatorial primaries
which was utilized to the fun extent
Carolina as in Virginia the obliga-
tions, real or supposed, of this art
fully arranged deadfaH were pressed
home with frantic energy and urgent
eloquence, and it Is entirely safe to
assume that many thousand votes
were CONSTRUCTED and suppressed in
the interests of the Democratic party
That party's triumph, therefore, was
largely one of superficial appearance.
Indeed, II the Republican orators
and workers had possessed the cour-
age to conduct a perfectly harmo-
nious campaign in the matter OF
local self-goyernment-local option,
as regarded the Demon Rum and in
respect to other burning domestic
issues-the Republicans might have
carried the State after all, despite
the sentimental devotion to Senator
Overman and the alleged hostility OF
the close corporation known In
North Carolina as the Republican
party"
Among those who conducted the
uSuL Will SpSC4dl 1OI &c anu IOul age
we note the Hon. Thomas Settle, OF
Asheville, formerly Of Greensboro,
some time a Representative in Con-
gress son of a former governor of the
State, born and bred a North Caro-
linian and far removed from the sus-
picion of Office seeking with sordid
end in view. He was not alone OF
course. Good men and true were
with him, shoulder to shoulder, and
If he had been supported in good
faith by the Organization" there |:
no telling what might not have hap.
pened in North Carolina. The oppor.
tunity has passed, but If the Repub'
licans here in Washington or else
where who pretend to manage things
should ever by any chance develop
the breadth, the unselfishness, the
ordinary common sense to begin a
the South a policy of dignity and In
telligence, the solemn forecasts o.
the Charlotte Observer would be jus
| tilted not only in North Carolina bu
| In many other Southern States.
Secretary Root win Succeed Sena
| tor Platt From New York.
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