The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1928-11-16

In New Bern. home OF Senator
f'inmcns, lives Congressman ChaJ.
J.. Abernethy. whose stature has
never appeared to be that Of a great
! leader; b. fbernethy broke with
Senator Simmons in the recent cam
paign and while Simmons, believed
TO have been lavishly financed by
the power interests Of the StaCe,,
Organized and directed the cam
paign that made North Carolinl
! nationally Republican, Abernethy
stuck by his party and carried his
! own precinct and his own county
over Ecnator Simmons.
Abernethy now challenges the rule
of Senator Simmons further and de-
clares that North Carolina Demo-
Gratis should retain their present
party organization intact and re-
sent any effort upon the part OF
Senator Simmons TO insinuate him
self into the party councils or any
attempt upon the part of him and
his followers to sieze the party ma
chinery.
One thing makes being a Demo-
crat an interesting and hopeful
thing is the threat Of Senator Sim
mons to run for reelection In 1882.
North Carolina Democrats will re-
condition their fighting clothes and
work from now Oil for the over
throw of Simmons. Simmons is an
issue in North Carolina politics.
for unlike that other Judas who be-
trayed his master, Senator Simmons
! has not the deccncy to go hang him.
F! self.
/ Governor Smiths speech 10 the
American people over Il nation-
wide radio hook-up Tuesday hight
and the nation wide acclamation OF
Franklin D. Roosevelt as a strong
and hopeful leader for the Demos
cracy have had heartening effect
| this week. The Democratic party
has more lives than cat and. in
North Carolina at least, 1t will re-
main very mtch alive 50 long rs
! there is q spark of life in its cnemy
! Simmons. Now read Abernethy's
statement again. altho you may
have read it before:
! Aberncthy's Statement
1.-The political situation in North
Carolina brought about by. the re-
! cent election demands the most Scri-
GUS attention of the Democrats OF
The State fer the future. The mem
bers of the North Carolina delega-
, tion in the House, with the excep-
ton of che. followed Senator Sim
mons in his oposition 10 Governor
+ Smith until his nomination at Ho'3-
ton, and then Senator Oyerman and
. the entire delegation in the House
supported the straight Democratic
ticket.
"It now turns out that thc cleo.
toraI vote from North Carolina was
not needed to defeat Governor
Smith. 1t now appears that it was
necessary for the North Carolina
leaders of the anLi-Smith forces to
have Joined hands with the oppo5i-
Licn and to have waged the strcnu-
GUS campaign they did to have in
sured Mr.. Hooyer's election.
Now, a calm survey of the re-
suits of this strenuous anti-Smith
campaign in North Carolina shows:
/ I-That the majority of the
State Democratic ticket was great
, ly reduced.
"2--That Congressman Zeb Wea-
yer. Democrat, and strong anti
Smith man before the Houston con-
/ venticn was defeated.
"3-TEat Congressman A. l.. Bill.
uinkle, a Democrat, and strong
anti-Smi.h man before the Houston
convention. and gallant soldier
and officer of the World War, WAS
defeated.
"4-That the Democratic Con-
gressman Of the Fifth District. that
grand o.d Confederate soldier.
Major Charles M. Stedman, was
only elected by about 500 ma ajority
when he had been elected by great
(. Democratic majorities in previous
elections.
"5-That the Democratic Coii-
gresham Of the Seventh and Ninth
districts we're in the balance for q
long time and were elected only by
greatly reduced majorities, and both
of these men were anti-Smith men
before the Houston convention.
"6-That as result Of this stren-
not necessary for the North Carolina
Carolina, every Congressman's elec-
ton was endangered, and each had
/ TO fight for his political life as never
! before
"7-That the Legislature hereto
fore overwhelming Democratic Is
now very close between the Demo-
(contiuued on Page Seven)