French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1916-1919, 1919-03-27

ton Fails to DeVeIOp Expected BIZ
terness-PrOspects Good of Twist.
ing Radical Tails In May.
The Democratic City Convention
held at the City Hall Monday night re-
suited in the nomination of J. Mack
Rhodes for Mayor and John T. Will
kins, Raymond L. Edwards and Thorn
as Shepherd for aldermen.
The convention, which was by far
the largest gathering of city democrats
ever held in HendersonvilIe was cal
led to order by City Chairman C. E.
Brooks, and T. L. Durham was un-
animously elected chairman. C. s..
Fullbright, Charles Morrow and C. N
Wrenshall were appointed tellers.
c. E. Brooks was placed in nomina-
ton for mayor by e. w. Ewbank,
end J. Mack Rhodes was nominated
py John II. Wilkins, Mr.. Brooks nom;-
nation being seconded by Med. Ray
and that of Mr.. Rhodes by W. A.
Keith The votes were tailed as they
were cast into the hat, this tally show
ing a total of 257. The. count Of the
votes for two candidates showed
Rhodes 1872, Brooks 124, these two
figures totalling 256, or a discrepancy
of only one vote from the first cheek.
Four ballots bearing the names OF
candidates for alderman were thrown
out, the tally showing that these had
been cast by error along with votes
for mayor.
For alderman, John T Wilkins was
by w. A. Keith, Raymond
L. Edwards by W. H. Bangs, and
Thomas Shepherd by Sam T. Hodges.
There being no further nominations
it was moved by E. w. Ewbank tha;
these nominations be made unanimous
by a rising vote, and every man in the
hail came to his feet. None of them
sat down again, and the announcement
Of Chairman Durham that these gem
had been duly chosen as the
party's candidates was lost in the
noise and shuttle of going crowd.
= Although the closeness of the con-
test between the mayoralty candidates
promised a bitter fight in the conven-
ton, the bitterness failcu 60 develop,
and although each side worked hard
up to the last minute and neglected
no possible chance of winning, when
the convention came to order, and the
test came, the whole conduct of the
meeting was marked by a noticeable
spirit of fairness and willingness on
all sides to do the right thing and
abide by the result. There was an al
most complete absence of the mis-
placed sarcasm which so often starts
trouble, no votes we're challenged, and
there was no question Of the honesty
and correctness of the count. One
member of the convention had brought
to the meeting a trifie more than his
share Of party patriotism and other
and for a time showed
some inclination to take charge OF the
without the formality OF
rising and securing recognition from
the chairman, but was finally dis
suaded from such a course by the not
very subtle hints of nearby fellow
members.
A noticeable feature Of the conven-
ton was the number Of Republican
rail-birds who watched the proceed !
ings with keen interest. A census of
the peanut gallery taken Monday
night would have made pretty COM
plete issue of who's Who in the !
Realms of Republicanism" for Hen.
T. Mack Rhodes the newly chosen |
nominee to head the city Democratic
ticket is a Henderson County man,
having been born in the Mills River |
section and educated at Oak Ridge
Institute. He was connected with the
Did Bank of Hendersonville for four
years, being cashier of that concern
when it was consolidated in 1907 with
the Commercial Bank, and being made
cashier of the resulting First National
Bank. He held this Office until 1912,
when the First National was consoli-
lated with the Wanteska Trust &
Banking Company, resulting in the
formation of the present institution,
he First Bank & Trust Company, OF
which he has been cashier from the
,ime it started business. His business I
record is an enviable one, clean rec
1rd of over sixteen years OF active
and successful work in positions OF
leavy responsibility, while on the /