The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-09-12
NOT GUILTY.

According 10 lne hdlelSn cor
respondent Of the Greensboro
Daily News, there's great grief
in the capital city over the defeat
of Judge F. D. Winston in the
Third Judicial District.
One cause for grief, he says, is
kick-back at Governor Craig
This paper doesn't remember
the reading Of any such grief
over what the Raleigh correspon-
dent calls "kick- back at the Gov
ernor' when Governor Kitchin s
appointee, Judge James S. Man
ming was defeated 1t depends
altogether who's kicked and by
whom, to get any prominence in
the capital city newspaperdom,
or bring forth such great grief. |
This paper doesn t believe that
in the defeat of Winston there
was meant any ''kick- back at
Governor Craig. The very word
kick-back acknowledges that
the people Of the Third District
were first kicked Who started
this kicking business anyhow
The voters Of this district, and GER
talnly not In this county, did not
wage the campaign against Win
ston on that ground, although
they knew, that in the selection
OF a Judge to fill the vacancy
caused by the death of Judge
PEBBLES, their wishes and recon-
mendations in the matter were
not considered. The Democrats
are too intelligent and patriotic
to cast their votes against one
person to kick back at an
other. That is an accusation Of
narrowness to which they plead
IN thunder tones-NOT GUILTY. |
1t would have made no differ
ence to them who appointed the
man to fill the vacancy, if such
appolntee had been their choice
for the position. Under the law.
whoever the Governor had ap- t
pointed, could only have held I'M
til the next general election which
IS IN next November.
There necessarily would have
been a primary. The Common
wealth ventures the assertion
1t Kerr had been appointed, no
one would have opposed him. So
far as this county is concerned.
the recent campaign was waged
upon great, broad Democratic
principles. There was no mud
singing or underhand cuts Dem
ocrats OF this District believe in
loyalty to party and its princi-
pies, and no doubt believed that
In political battle the soldier
who, according to his opportun
tiles, had rendered his company
more loyal services, was entitled
to first promotion. Who has the
right to criticize and kick when
the people have spoken? The
people Of this District wanted
John Kerr for Judge They knew
him. He had been their faithful
and efficient prosecuting officer
for more than ten years. They
did not vote for stranger. They
also knew Judge Winston. Both
these gentlemen had been tried
as District officers. They are sat
isfled that either of these would
have HELD the Judiciary up to
the standard 1t was not a ques-
ton Of personal character or abil-
ity that influenced their votes
They chose the man they wanted
This primary seems to the Com
monwealth to carry with it q
lesson which should be studied
well by all young men, aad cause
them to ever keep their politica
record straight. 1t also shows
that the General Assembly made
no mistake in enacting primary
laws through which the peopl,
themselves speak. The Primar,
makes it impossible for a few poll
ticians to name candidates, as ha
been charged by some in the past
The Commonwealth is not sur
prised at all at Saturdays vote
1t was for Kerr, but has no word
of condemnation for Judge Win
ston or any Of his friends VIII
voted for him. That was thei
privilege. His friends stood b.
him like men to the last, for whic
we admire them. They were to
few to land him. This paper SYN
rathizes with the Judge in hi
defeat, though it rejoiccs in tn
victory Of Kerr.
In the selection Of John Kerr