The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1911-07-13
WHAT SETTLE TOLD NEWSPAPERS
He Seems to Have Hinted That John
Motley Is His Man for National
Committeeman


respondence to The News and OBJ
server, G1r. Pence referred to an in
terview which ex-Congressman Thos
Settle had given to a Washington
newspaper, concerning Republican
leaders and future leadership in NORTH
Carolina.
The interview is found in the Wash
ington Post, and, in full, is as fol-
lows:
Fight For National Committeeman
The Republicans of North Carolina
may have regrets over losing three
members of Congress last year." said
Thomas Settle, nee a Republican
memhe of the House, "but they do
not owe an apology to other State Re-
publican organizations throughout
the country. Compared with Republic
can losses in real Republican States
of the North, like Ohio, Pennsylvania
and West Virginia, the Republicans of
North Carolina did amazingly well
when you recall that one of our Re
publican members of Congress was
only beaten something like 700 votes.
That was in the Cowles district, and
the greater losses were in districts
formerly represented by Morehead and
John Grant. There was regret that
Morehead did not run again last year,
and Grant, who did run and had a
slender majority to go on did remark
ably well, considering the general up
set condition of things the country
over. Stedman, the Democrat now
here from the Morehead district, had
something like 5000, but he will never
get it again. The three North Caro-
lima districts which sent Republicans
to the last House are in a section of
the State once dominated by the old
Wing element and opposed to slavery
to a great extent. Away back before
the Civil Wal the counties now COM
prising the three districts mentioned
were inclined to the Wing and very
much opposed to the Democracy.
Much of that old Wing sentiment sur
wives and prefers to line up with the
Republican party, especially in Ma
tional campaigns and in the selection
of men for duty at Washington.
while we lost the districts last
year, we will get them back, never
fear, and you can depend on North
Carolina next year possibly not to
elect Taft electors, but 10 send Taft
delegates to the convention and make
a splendid showing il November.
is just the beginning of a re-
organization among the Republicans
of the State to be in readiness for
next years National fight. Even if we
did not send John Motley Morehead
back to Congress, we long ago pick
ed him as a Republican leader-a
of the sort that "a be power
full and useful in a National conven-
ton and, in the succeeding National
Morehead is about As, in
the full flush Of manhood, equal to
emergencies, and ever ready for &C
ton that will aid the Republican par
ty. He is a nan of wealth and big
business interests SO he is not in poll
tics for the sake of gain. His grand
was the sturdy old Wing Gov
ernor of North Carolina, elected on
the same ticket with President Will
liam Henry Harrison, and the grand
son Of today inherited the courage
of his ancestor in defviug the Demo-
cratic foes of the commonwealth. The
John Morehead of today is no less Wig
orous than the John Morehead who
was Governor in the %troublous times
preceding the civil war.
81 do not know the plans of Colonel
Morehead for the coming Presidential
campaign, but / know he is loyal to
President Taft, is not hankering for a
Job, and is the sort Of man who ought
to be sent as a delegate at large from
North Carolina. You car Judge of
his standing at home, when 1 recite
that he carried by several hundred a
district which two years before had
oiuan ." :" Kifahon q nnmn0rafiN
plurality of 5,400 votes.
Whether Colonel Morehead goes to
the Republican National Convention or
type, and they will be for President
Taft. We are not worried about that
part of it, but we would like to re-
gain the Republican districts that
were lost to US in November. The
stirring UP of a National campaign
will do much to recover the lost
ground, and with the districts nor
ma1ly so close, the National Repub-
lican organization is likely to give
them some attention next year"
To Look the State Over.
While former Representative Settle
did not care to make observations or
the present organization of the Re-
DliCan party IN NCTCQ Carolina,
there were others from the State who
have taken pains to impress upon the
White House the need of quietly look
ing things over throughout the State
several months ahead of the next
State convention. To a certain ex-
tent some of the old Senator Pritchard
following retain a hold upon the Re-
publican organization.
Prior to the last November conven-
ton the survivors of the old Pritch-
ard following were able to handle
things with some ease and facility,
thanks i'm part to the fact that they
were wise enough to be for Taft, and
this brought about the election of E.
G. Duncan as the member of the Ma
tional committee. Duncan has been
collector of internal revenue, and
while he has been given appointments
which ought to have aided in build
ing up a strong organization, it is
a matter of remark that he has &C
complished all that was expected.