Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1928-09-06
Democratic Gubernatorial Nominee
Commends Constructive Record
of Presidential Aspirant and Lauds
Record of Party in Carolina.
90 to be Completed
Boone Trail Highway, Under His Ad-
ministration Must be the Equal
of No. 10 or Amy Other

A crowd variously estimated at
from two to four thousand gathered
on the lawn of Mrs. j. W. Jones
Monday afternoon to hear Hon. o.
Max Gardner declare himself firmly
in support of Governor Alfred E.
Smith for the presidency and Off
cially launch his campaign for the
governorship Of North Carolina.
A mixed group of both Repubi
cans and Democrats applauded long
and often as the candidate appealed
for honesty in government and re-
viewed the achievements of the
Democratic party in North Carolina,
especially in regard to its efforts in
the development of the highway sys-
TEN.
Attorney John E. Brown, recent
ly appointed chairman of the Demo-
cratic executive committee for the
eighth congressional district, opened
the program by introducing Repre-
sentative Robert L. Doughton as
''the man that both Democrats and
Republicans in the district want for
their next representative" Mr..
Doughton in turn introduced Mr..
Gardner as the "best qualified man
! in the state to carry on the work of
the recent Democratic governors and
said he was already elected in the
hearts of the people.
Departing from his prepared
speech, Mr.. Gardner pointed out
the fact that it was a Democratic
administration that lifted Boone
and the rest of the state out of the
mud and built the fine system of
public roads now enjoyed, and
promised the people of this section
that the work would not be finished
under his administration until the
Boone Trail Highway No. 60 from
the mountains to the sea is the
equal of highways Nos. 10 and 20,
or any other thoroughfare within
thes tate.
The full text of the speech is as
follows:
1 beg your indulgence in this, my
first speech of the campaign, that l
may offer a personal and prelimi-
nary statement touching my party
record and also undertake to clearly
define and set forth my position with
respect to the national and state
situation.
l recently stated before the Demo-
cratic executive committee that in
this campaign l would say nothing
to injure the feelings or bruise the
conscience of any North Carolina
Democrat. l hereby renew this
statement. have never tried to
drive a Democrat and l have never
permitted a Democrat to drive me,
whether it be Senator Simmons OR
any other senator. When a Demo-
crat becomes dictator, he ceases to
be Democrat.
~-"It has always been my policy to
enlist Democrats and not to drive
them, and l earnestly appeal for the
loyal, triumphant, and united sup
port of every North Carolina Demo-
crat l have never given an hon.
orable or dishonorable discharge
from party service to any Democrat
in my life and never expect to. am
ready to fight to the limit for the
right to have my individual political
opinions and 1 freely grant this right
to my fellow citizens. This right
touches the core of real freedom.
Voltaire in his immortal words to
Helvetius expressed my views when
he said: 81 wholly disapprove of
what you say, but will defend to the
death your right to sag it."
The term may appear odius to
some, but by inheritance, training
and conviction, l am a party man.
Being an organization man, l am fire.
quently called upon to subordinate
my personal opinions to the express
ed will of the majority of my party.
l am now the leader of the Demo-
cratic party in this campaign, and
the integrity of party leadership car
ries with it the positive demand of
party loyalty.
The names of a number of re-
ligious and fraternal organizations
are frequently mentioned as bearing
on this campaign. In this connection
may say there are at least three or
ganizations to which i belong that
the vicissitudes of this campaign will
not disturb, ,ands these are the Bap.
tist church, the Democratic party
and the Junior order. was Demo