Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1913-01-16
locke. .CRA|G-AN APPRECIATION
AND SKETCH OF LIFE OF
DISTINGUISHED CAROuNIAN
(By t. W. Chambliss.)

L.
The coming to the capital of the
o,d North State as it's chief executive
~ Locke Craig, the idol of the West"
marks the elimination of the dream of
+bo "mountain men" who four years
200 went en-masse to Charlotte to use
tbeir influence toward the selection of
tbeir leader as, the standard bearer of
The hammer of democracy. In that me-
morable convention the mountain-men
tailed to achieve but they were men
of simple faith and they believed that
after awhile the people of the State
would come to realize the bigness of
+hn "orator of the Blue Ridge"
Four years passed. quickly and Tar
Heel Democracy recognizing worth
and ability gave the leadership of the
State ticket to Locke Craig. The cam
naign was on and from the mountains
to the sea, the champion travelled and
wherever he went, the people gath
cred in hosts to listen and to see.
ovation after ovation was rendered the
man. who small of body but big of
mind: short in statute but long in
heart; has made for himself a place Of
honor in the state of his birth and life.
Unassumipg in manner; gentle as
woman in disposition; clean and true
in record; kind and helpful through
the years; Locke Craig has reached the
heart of the North Carolinians and
they delight to honor him. Honest in
his dealing, courageous in conviction,
broad-minded and public spirited, the
men of the west have good reason 1or
their confidence in and love for Locke
Craig.
Last summer / spent considerable
time among the folk of the West. ]
passed the time of day with many of
them and | always asked them or
Craig. Universally did find them his
ardent admirers. wondered at first
for it was different from the ordinary
opinion of men as expressed concern
ing candidate for election to an
Office These mountain men seemed
to speak of Locke Craig as personal
Nj friend, member of the family, a
blood relation. They spoke of him as
a loved individual and they seemed
ready to resent any inference Of his
unworthiness or the suggestion OF the
possibility of his defeat.
Studying those mountain men l
learned that they are admirers of the
Virile nature. They are courageous
fellows and they have way Of getting
close to a courageous nature. Some
one has said that no man who has
drunk of the milk of the white doe"
can lead the men of the mountains. IL
is true. It is also said and truthfully
that courage is a quality which all
men delight to honor" The world
never makes hero of a coward on the
contrary Kisses him from the scene
Of action. The energy which arouses
the majority of lives is courage. Men
will follow a brave leader through
blood and darkness and death and
hell. Locke Craig possesses the cour-
age of conviction in large degree and
the men of the mountains, quick to un-
derstand human nature, realized 1t
from the very beginning of the car
reer of the young man who went to
the west to begin life's battle. With
deep-seated courage coupled with
clear and honest perception Of duty,
Locke Craig has achieved the conf
dence which in turn gave him that re-
markable leadership demonstrated in
his pHhlic service
Inss modest home in Bertie county,
n the early days of the struggle be-
tween the North and the South, Locke
Cralg was born. 1t was in 1850 and
tne boyhood days were spent on the
Iarm. The dark days Of the bitter
struggle came and following them the
darker days of reconstruction. The
Iather, Rev. Andrew Craig, a Baptist
minister % nf
SCate University was a man of power.
Eloquent in speech, large hearted and
amlable, he lived life Of spotless
enaracter. He was loved and idolized
ny MS neighbors and not impatient Of
earthly glory he lived contentedly in
lis country home, happy in the COM
pdnlonship Of his family, and Gorying
~ N tne opportunities of doing good unto
II LIS fellow men and serving his Master.
ne was man of large mind, thor
oughly master of the ancient and mod
eln classics, with a literary taste and
gathered an excellent library and in
MS books he had delight
Inc call of the future came to him
anu ne passed on leaving the wife nd
'"o Doys with small estate.
WITS. Craig, the mother Of Locke
Eralg' was Miss Rebecca Gillian, and
ner father, Wiley J. Gillian was a
nlan OF considerable influence in his
oecuon. Her mother, Miss Bond, was
" highly honored family with
pDi0ncnes in Tennessee and Virginia.
d dS Ooth blood and marriage Mrs, An
Me" craig was connected with the
"'IOngest and most influential families
Inc Craigs descended from a Scotch
tTbu.cestor-William Craig who came to
Nn H.s country in 1749 and settled in
thange county. William Craig had
1Lee sons: John, David and James