The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-07-14
SOMETHING
KEEP YOUR
EYES OPEN TO
May Be Using Popular Indig'
nation to Wreck Demo-
cratic Party Here
By w. o. SAUNDERS.

BY w. o. SAUNDERS.
There was an undercurrent in the
mass meeting in This city hist Fri
day night that the people Of this
town and this county should detect.
ira % 10 its source and discover its
purpose. The meeting WAS called
oSrpnSibly To cry$;ali2e opposition I"
the wiliul determination of the l'aS-
Ouotank Highway Commission to
spend the county'S road funds IN the
construction of road for the bene-
fiji of two members of the Highway
Commission To the exclusion OF the
needs and interests of the tax pay
prS of all the rest of the county.
But there WAS something else be-
hind that meeting. lntimation ot
that something came when L. II.
Sawyer made the declaration that II
F F. CohOOu. the Democratic can
didate for the General Assembly did
not commit himself 10 certain issues
satisfactory to the people. the people
should put up another candidate,
This suggestion of an independent
candidate brought thunderouS ap-
plauSe from certain element.
Later in the meeting. Clarence
Puyh 1.-THE same Clarence who would
have organized and delivered 4O.Oo0
and odd Negro votes in hits State
for Will Hays in the last l.residen-
tial electionl said in a speech that
il WIS too late now for the Demo
Gratis TO put up another candidate.
since their Primary had closed.
No il isn't too late:" came huS-
XIV voice from sullen old man up
front. The voice was the voice OF
Mack Sawyer.
Then f. f. Aydlctt took the floor
Mr.. Aydlett is too shrewd Il pol'I-
riun and courts too many favors ot
the party TO openly advocate an ln-
dependent candidate: but MIR. AydIett
did 20 so far aS to say that II the
Democratic nominee did not do GER
tain things he would not vote Tor
him.
What does it all mean: | think 1t
means that Aydlett ami Sawyer anu
Clarence Pugh have designs which
.hs Democrats of this county will do
we'll 10 investigate. There has oeei
a lot of talk about an independent
candidate for the General Assembly
am not one of those who would OPP
nose an independent candidate on
priuciplc. but | do know that me
peoplc of this town and this county
should know the pedigree of any cam
didate for office oh an independent
ticket.
am suspicious because l still car
rv in NV safe document drawn u9
aud signed BY ID. O. Newberry' thei
RepubIican Collector of Customs al
Elizabeth City and Mack Sawyer
then the Democratic political boss ot
the county in April. 1910.
AZ that time ID. .. Newbcrry held
certain lien OH all the machinery
and equipment of this newspaper
This newspaper was pounding MACK
SAWYER and his crowd week after
week. ID. o. Newberry entered Into
+ an agreement with Mack Sawyer D!
which he was to turn over to saw
YER the plant of THE 1NDEPEND-
ENT if | continued to attack saw
rcr and his friends in this newSpap'
or. Sawyer was to pay NeWDerrS
tbe sum of $4,000 in one year II
kent the covenant; and if | dIdn t
SAWYER was to pay Newberry the
$500. 90 and take my paper.
! And D. o. Newberry explained II
70 me this way. Said he: sonny
r have made for you the Opportun'
ity of your life; be sensible and &c
what | tell you; Old Man Mack ano
are going to run the politics oi
this county; he wants your paper u
keep off of him and will give S'o'
10 keep YOU off; don't want thIns
out of this for myself and if you VII
stand By me in the agreement haV'
made | will at the end of one yeal
release you from the claim l hoiC
on your property and give you the
500 l get from Old Man Mack.
will do more than that; l VIII see
that every one of his crowd adVer'
tise in your paper and | am solns
to put you OH the road to making
money. Now be sensible; don D'
damphool all of your life; if you
Just do what / tell you to do oIt
Man Mack and l will have this coun
ty just where we want 1t and yot