The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1911-10-19
WE REPEAT.

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The Asheville Citizen announced
some days ago that the Hon. Locke
Craig aspires to be the next governor
of North Carolina and makes bold to
present his name for consideration by
the State democracy in connection
with the democratic gubernatorial
nomination. This newspaper long
since declared it's preference for MI.
I,rs,s and a further declaration would
simply be a matter of form. Follow
ing up frequent references to the
availability of Mr.. Craig, his claims
upon the people, and the ability to
serve them this paper gave further K
preston to it's sentiments in the issue
of July 20, which we here repeat:
''The general opinion has prevailed,
and been frequently expressed
since the memorable State Democratic
convention of 1908 adjourned that two
candidates for governor Of North Jar
DINA had practically been named by
the delegates then and there as
sembled-Kitchin and Craig. The for
mer has had his inning and nearly
every body in this part of the State
is locking forward to the fulfillment
of the party pledge ESQ UNDERSTOOD to
place Locke Craig in the Governors
chair next year.
After the long, strenuous fight in
the Charlotte convention had been
concluded and Congressman w. w.
Kitchin was declared to be the DEM
ocratic party's candidate for governor,
that gallant democrat and immaculate
Tar Heel Statesman, Locke Craig, 'ap-
peared upon the platform and spoke
as never man spake, under similar
conditions, for peace and harmony in
the grand old party of the people,
pledging the unstinted support Of
himself and his friends to the ticket
nominated. And he kept that pledge
faithfully. The first speech heard for
W.W.Kitchin and the democratic ticket
in the campaign which followed was
made by the distinguished Buncombe
man, and his voice was raised in every
section of the State until the contest
had been concluded and victeTy perch
er upon the Democratic banner. Two
years later, after the party had been
deprived of three of the ten represent
atives in congress. Mr.. Craig again
responded on the firing line till the
last charge against Butler, booze,
Doodle and bonds had sounded the
death knell of the busted crew under
the supposed direction of John Motley
Morehead. In that conquest Locke
Craig performed his full duty
and mcre-as he had done, unselfsb:y,
for twenty years before. He did not
go about nursing a political ambition,
but pleading for party harmony and
predicting party success. the result
Of that battle is distinctly remember
ed and Mr.. Craig deserves to share
largely in the fruits Of that glorious
victory.
And his valuable service to the dem
ocratic party for all these years en-
titles him to vastly more than the
mere sounding Of brass and the tink-
ling of timbrels." In fact his friends
have virtually been promised the gov
ernOrship for him. neXt year. II
should not be Mr.. Craig~c the Tenth
district, but Locke Craig of NORTH
Carolina. whose name. alone, is pre-
scented to the Democratic State con
vention of 1912. His party service
entities him to the nomination fol
governor next time and this fact has
been generally conceded these three
years"
A formal announcement through his
home paper is all right, but it was no.
necessary, as the candidacy of Mr.
Craig has been considered a matter q
fact ever since the Charlotte conven.
ton adjourned three years ago. The
nomination of Locke Craig for govern.
or next year is written in the stars an(
only the interference of Providence
a prevent it, without a complete
change of public sentiment now pre-
vailing throughout the state. TIL,
east seems practically solid for him
and he has lost zone of his popularit!
in this section. Looks like a walk
over.