The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-05-19
THE OPEN FORUM
DIR. CLIFF WHITEHEAD WRITES
ABOUT CLAUDE KITCHIN.

Dh. Wd1I6d6AO
ABOUT CLAUDE KITcHIN.
Editor The Commonwealth,
Dear Sir:
This is out of my line, but since we
farmers are the backbone Of the coun-
try and I claim to be one of the boys,
and can prove what I say by my neigh
bors, as 1 have been working here in
e blooming swamp three years (and al
most as big job as digging the P.na
ma canaD why I think l am entitled
Ito be called orny-handed son of
toll.
Now just a word about my good
friend, Claude kitchin, whom I have
known for say forty years. I notice
and read a great many good things
about him by some very able and smart
men, and of course see he has some
opposition in a man whom it was my
very great pleasure to meet once com:
ing out on the train from Norfolk, and
whom I consider a very clever gentle
man.
To my mind, Claude Kitchin is be-
yond doubt one of the biggest men in
every way this country has ever pro
duced I have come in contact with
great many men of all kinds in most
every walk of life-surgeons, politi-
clans, farmers, sports; in fact every
kind; but how often will you come
oorocu como up,ort follow with q hiu
brain but who has some damnable habit
that spoils it all. I spent two weeks
| in Washington several years ago with
Claude and Will Kitchin, and I visited
the halls Of Congress and the Senate
every day l saw politicians and heard
speeches and to my mind and to the
mind of every other man who would
tell the truth those Kitchin boys were
the most distinguished looking men
saw, and 1 had JUST come out Of New
York where I had been looking at
throngs for months.
Now, Mr.. Editor, I would like to
ask my friend Claude's enemies a few
questions which date back before he
took his seat in Congress and was ac
icused of doing so many funny things
up there and differing from Mr.. Viii
son in so many things. 1 didn It think
that under the law it was criminal even
for congressman to differ from The,
President. That's the privilege of g.
freeb born American.
For goodness sake, who wrenched the
Second District out of the hands of that
burly negro Whites hands years ago?
Who rode the country roads night and
day to work to pass this constitution
al amendment? No man in the State
worked harder than Claude. Why 1
have heard that negro White make
speeches in Tarboro political speeches)
and it reminded me Of big bull bel
lowing. a friend of mine in Phila-
delphia told me-and he was the chief
of the detective force of that city
on one occasion that when Tom Dixon
was up there with his play this negro
White made a speech on the Opera
House steps that almost caused riot
it was so bitter against the South
say, who put that gentleman out of
commissions Claude Kitchin!
This is not only so, but also! That
all came along under Russell s admin
istration when it was dangerous for
a lady to walk the streets of New
Bern or Wilmington; when half of the
Ipostoffices here in the good old county
of Halifax were filled with negroes.
For God 8 sake, don It let us forget
these times and the men who did the
work!
I don It suppose I will ever live to
see our beloved South have a Presi-
dent, but where could you find man
better fitted for Presidential timber
than Claude Kitchin? And if he has
really differed with President Wilson
in so many things as he has been ac-
cused of, he must have some head on
him to do all these things.
NO, we will just naturally keep
Claude up there until he gets tired Of
the job and gets too old to hold it
down-and when he says he is too
old like Uncle Joe Cannon, to do the
work, we will let him come home and
spend the remainder of his DAYS in
thinking how big man and how much
he did for his country.
DR CTJEE