The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1929-05-24

Inere Is pOSSlDluty iHuctu VI
Or the L. S. Senate i'm 1880.
Judge Meekins was in Elizabeth
City Sunday and was interviewed by
this newspaper. Il am not seeking
the office of U. S. Senator" he said,
and would not move hand TO get
it. I am not unappreciative Of thc
suggestion however and it is q
thought worth entertaining" Only
so much would he say for the press.
But to a friend in Elizabeth City
Judge Meekins talked more freely.
And he told this friend that if his
party leaders should consider it coed
political strategy for him to oppose
Simmons for the U. s. Senate IN
1920 he would as a matter of party
loyalty. resign his iudgeship and
enter the race.
Judge Meekins also admitted -
this friend that he is being urged
by both prominent Republicans and
prominent Anti-SimmorS DeEocrct5
to enter the race There arc many
political prophets who believe that
MeekinS could defeat Simmons ani
it has been whispered to Judge
Meekins that here IS the opportun-
ity of his life time; q SIX year term
in the United States Senate as a
Republican from the South wcull
put him in line for the vice p-esl-
Dental nomination on the Repub,i-
can ticket in 1886. And there Is al
ways that possibility of vice prcst-
dent becoming president.
Simmons Has His Party Leaders
Cowed
And all this booming of Meekins
for the U. S. Senate is inspired by
the recent determination of Demo-
cratic readers to make no opposition
for Simmons in the 1880 party pri-
mary. When Simmons carried the.
State for Hoover in the last general
election, Democratic leaders declar-
ed with vehemence that he wCuld
be opposed for denomination. Bit
they talked before they had CONSULT
ed their masters; Simmons is the
favorite of the big corporations in
North Carolina--the biggest Of them
and the Democratic leaders in
North Carolina are but plant pup
pets of these same corporations.
Former Governor Mclean, whose
voice is the voice Of the Atlantic
Coast Line Rail Road, Is already
preparing an announcen,aD5 in
which he will not only say t,!at he
will not oppose Simmons in 1890,
but that he will support him.
Only the redoubtahl2 josiah Will
liam Bailey of Raleigh reic 7ins to
be squelched and + is ha.tiy Dos-
sible to squelch him Eailey viii in
all probability defy al TIC powers
that be and contcst the nomination
of Simmons. But ali rho corporate
wealth of North Carolina will be
thrown against Bailey ard bis
nomination would be b. no means
certain. And if he were norninat-d,
all the corporate wealth Of North
Carolina would be thrown a~c'n-t
him in behalf of his Repi!'rgal O2-
ponent. This is the way ,A2 poll
tical wiseacres are doping II out TO
Judge Meekins and it is fact that
Judge Meekins is sorely tempted.
Those Who Stood BY AL
Most of the Democratic leaders in
North Carolina can be reconciled to
Simmons and, for the sake of party
harmony and eXpedicncy, trail with
him in his candidacy for renomi-
nation and reelection. But not 50
the rank and file who voted for AL
Smith in the last genera! election
and resented bitterly the treachery
of Simmons that threw North Caro-
lima into the Republican column fof
the first time in generation.
Al Smith received 235,l08 votes in
the last election. II one third OF
this number remained true to their
ideals and their determination t
punish the traitor Simmons, let's see
what would happen: One third OF
the Smith vote roughly represents
9s.032 Democratic votes. Seawel,
Republican candidate for Governor
in North Carolina in the last elec-
ton. received 2eS,S15 votes, which is
the normal Republican vote IN
North Carolina. Defect 9b,O32
Democrat votes frc:n Simmons to a
Republican nominee, adding them
to the normal Republican strength
CT 23e,0l5 ynLeS and you have .35i,-
SAT votes or zI,S47 n-ore votes tnaA
Max Gardner poiled tor Govern.