Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1914-04-23

presided and helo Inc Tudder true. III
: Governor let it be known that he i
) just a plain Democrat without an
frilIs and declared his sympathy witt
the spirit,of the times. 1t is estimated
that probbaIy ten or twelve counties
in the vicinity of Raleigh were repre-
scented and that less than fifty farmers
put in an appearance. They r evf-
IDENTIFY doing their own thinking These
days ad feel perfectly eel in their
honorable vocation under the progress
sive administration of Locke Craig and
Woodrow Wilson.
While there was no necessity for the
meeting, it has done no harm. With
one or two exceptions, the resolutions
accepted are worthy of serious consid-
Grafton and will doubtless be incorpor-
ated in in the State Democratic plat
form. The party is really committed
to the primary plan of nominating cam
didates for state and district offices
and a conservative measure would
have been enacted by the last General
Assembly, but the bill first offerd mad
It a feIon for a republican to vote the
democratic ticket, and prescribed
methods to be employed in making
nominations for county offices which
the representatives declined to swal-
low. The counties ought to be allow
ed to work put their own plans in the
| Selection of candidates. If a State
wide primary law is to be enacted, let
the counties be exempted from it's pro-
visions. The State need nave no con-
Germ about the nominations of county
officers. Local committees are more
capable of a~scertaining what will be
the wisest methods of procedure, in
their respective localities, than all the
State authorities combined.
Representative ]. A. Bolick. of Polk
county, was the only participant in
the discussions from the tenth dis
trict and the meeting voted to debar.
him from holding a legislative office.
because he happens to hold a pass as
an employee of a railroad company.
Mr., BoIick made a strenuous objections
to the resolution aimed at those who,
carry railroad passes, as employees of
the companies, but his pleadings fell
upon deaf ears. The purpose of this
resolution appears to be the prevention
Of sending railroad lawyers to the leg
is lature, but all employees were caught
in the net. even after Mr.. Bolick, Cap
tain Tom Mason and others had given
the sign of distress. However. the
proposition is merely recommends
tory and will be finally passed upon
by the Democratic convention. 1t was
upon this resolution that the test
vote came and 119 voted in the af-
hrmative.
The initiative and referendum had
been adopted by an aye and no vote
a few minutes previous without any
call for a Division. and after Governor
Craig, who is opposed co the PROPOSE
ton, declared the resolution had been
so modified that it really carried very
little significance. This matter was
defeated in the House Of Representa-
tives last fall. after having been pre-
viously rejected by the Constitutional
Commission. But the real progress
sives appear not to have abandoned
the fight for this innovation in u
public affairs. The State convention !
will be asked to pass on the thing
and it is likely to receive another de-
served Jolt
The resolution relating to matters
of taxation, conservation or natural
effective child labor law. for the bet
ter education of all classes and a rural
credit system for the farmers arc not
Objectionable. A number of the
suggestions contained in them having
already been included in hte propos-
eG amendments to the State Constitu-
tino. upon which the people r to
pass at the general election next Nov
enaber. But the discussion of these
matters has done no injury to the DEM
ocratic party and fears, In IA quar-
tiers, that the meeting might cause q
division in the ranks have been al
layed. 1t turned out to be the strong
est evidence in justification of the
contention that the people of the
State are happy and contented rather
than d~isp1eased and di%sgruntled with
existing conditions. Why not have
another oneP