Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1908-05-07
VOL. XXI
Mr.. CRAlG'S RECORD.
No Man in Public Life in North Car
0lIDa Has Rendered More VAL
liant ana Effective Service.
o the Editor OF the ARGUS j:

/ have known Hon. Locke Craig,
who is q ca sdidate for nominal ton Tor
Governor, for mere than thirty years,
and in character, ability ana pubuc
service l regard him as the peer OF any
living North Carolinian. HIS services
to the Democratic party have peen
long, continuous and effective. Since
1886 he has been at the command OF
the Democratic State Executive Com
mlttee, and has gone over the state,
wherever he was sent, at his own ex-
pense, advocating the cause of the
Democratic party. No man in the
State has made more speeches for the
Democratic party except, possibly,
Governor Glenn and Governor Aycock.
1 remembe especially the splendid
speeches he delivered during the years
OF fusion supremacy, and how nobly
he fought the forces that were so an
tagonistic to the best interest OF the
State. 1 recall that after the fusion
victories of 1894 and 1896, when the
Democrats of the State had become
thoroughly depressed and Respondent,
that he never lost his courage or hope
fulness, although d number OF the best
Democrats OF the State lad become SO
discoura ged that they were in favor OF
an attempt to fuse with the Populists
. in order to remove the menace OF fusion
rule. Mr.. Craig, however, was always
in favor OF maintaining our separate
organiza tion, and making a clean cut
fight for Democratic principles and
Democratic supremacy, and in May,
1898, in the town OF Laurinburg, his
was the first voice that was raised in
opposition to entangling alliances, and
in magnificent speech delivered at
that place, and at that time, he raised
the hopes of the edespondent, and blazed
the way to the victory which crowned
our efforts in November, 1898, and in
that campaign he rendered SUCH SER
vice to the party and to the State as no
other citizen has ever surpassed. With
out his knowledge or desire the Demo-
Gratis of Buucomb nominated him for
the House, and although he was giving
practically his whole time to the State
campaign in other sections of the
State, he was elected and served as one
of the a blest and wisest mem bers of
the General Assem- bIy in 1895. In tha :
body he stood easily in the first rank
of the many able men whom the people
in that era OF distress had called into
public service as member OF tha mem
orable body. ] was greatly impressed
with the conscientious fidelity with
which he discharged the duties of a
mem Der Of that General Assem- bly, In
which many OF the most monentOus
questi0ns affecting probably tor gen.
eratioGs tie welfare of the people OF
North Carolina were considered and
passed upon. In his consideration OF
proposed Legislation l observed what
I had treqHently observed in him be-
tore, that i'll approaching any PROPOSE
tion his first inquiry was whether or
not it was taIr and just and in the best
interest of the great masses of the
people. When he had decided this
question and not before, he then con-
sidered WheLher or not 1t was eXpedi-
ent at the time to act upon it. Among
the many able discussions in the Demo-
cratic caucuses held at that time his
speeches stood out prominently, and
were singularly able and effective. He
was a mem Der of the Committee on
institutional Amendment. The
principal hesitancy about submitting g
the amendment came from the mem
bers from the Western part of the
State where the negro was not men
ace, and wheredt was feared that the
submission OF the amendment might
very injurios1sly affect the Democratic
party. Mr.. Craig's influence and
Jealous advocacy of the amendment
had great weight with the Western
members and was largely instrument
tai in securing the necessary majority
Tor the measure. LIE served as Cla1r-
man OF the committee on educati on
and had much to do with framing the
present school law. His interest in
the education of the chilren of the State
has been life long and gave him great
strength as mem ber OF this com nit
tee. He introduced the substitute to
the pending bill, which was adopted,
providing for separate cars for whites
and blacks. He had seen the great
evil which frequently resulted from
the removal by foreign corporations of
their cases from the State to the Fod-
eraI Courts whereby needy and help
less litigants were greatly oppressed,
and in order to remedy this evil he
introduced and secured the passage of
an act known as the Craig Act, for the
purpose of preventing the removal OF
such cases. This act was sustained by
our Supreme Court, but in some re-
spects was afterwards declared by the
Supreme Court of the United States
unconstitutional, but in any event it
indicated how Mr.. Craig stood on
this question, and his strong support
of Governor Glenn in the recent con-
test between the State and Federal
Courts is no new thing. Mr.. Craig has
been an advocate of the Watts Law land
has stood in his com munity and in the
State for all these measures which
make for the best interest of the peo-
pie. During the memorable campaign
of 1900 tor the adoption of the Consti-
tutional Amendment h vent from one
end of the State to the other making
speeches OF great power, and aided
most effectively in rolling up the great
majority which has freed our people
from the tear Of negro rule. Born and
reared as he was in the county OF Ber-
tie. he knew the troubles OF the East