Henderson daily dispatch., 1939-07-22

interest in farm marketing aroused
by pending national legislation, these
would appear to be relatively safe
items to paramount.
Cooper Against "Gang."
Mayor Tom Cooper, of Whining
ton, who perhaps has come nearer
to a positive announcement of his
candidacy than any other prospective
runner, has long assaulted the "Ra-
leigh gan," and it may safely be
assumed that he will paramount To-
cal governmental control and op-
pose the increasing tendency to CEN
tralize control of county and NUM-
cipal affairs in Raleigh. That makes,
then, four issues.
Remaining to be heard from are
Willis Smith, of Raleigh, and Lee
Gravely, of Rocky Mount of the six
most frequently mentioned candi-
dates. State Treasurer Charles john
son took himself out of the picture
ton as treasurer.
Four of the above mentioned six
candidates, interviewed as to prob
able time formal announcements,
might be expected to agree in the
opinion that six months is about long
enough for an active campaign. Upon
that authority it may be safely pre-
dicted that no announcement for gov
ernor will be forthcoming until a.
round Thanksgiving, POSSIBILITY not
until the first of the year.
HOey for President.
There are those in high places
around Raleigh who will tell you
that the situation of mo develop
ments" in the gubernatorial race is
itself a fairly significant develop
ment State officials who have re-
Gently toured Eastern North Caro-
lima return to Raleigh with the news
that fasteners are just not interested
in the matter. Far more sentiment
was found in favor of Governor Hoey
for president than for any candidate
for governor.
This is regarded as significant, as
indicating not only the popularity of
the present chief executive, but also
as showing disinclination to get in
volved in State campaign which is
SO slow in taking shape. It is further
regarded as evidence of real purpose
on the part of party leaders to avoid
if possible, any squabble in the next
State convention over instructing de-
legates for Roosevelt, Garner, Hull,
McNutt, or who have you.
Still a third observation is that
this sentiment forecasts a probable
recurrence of the 1923 situation when
the national campaign overshadowed
the State races. One man, high up
in official and party councils, and
who for that reason declines to be
quoted by name, sees in this condi-
ton a real chance for an out-and-
out Administrations to win the
nomination for governor.
Four of a Kind.
He reasons like this: BrOughton
Maxwell Horton and Smith belong
to the same general school of poll
tical thought. Their voting and finan-
cial support would logically come
from the same general class, thus
dividing this support. Furthermore,
none of the four possesses a very
''colorful' personality None is in po-
sition, in view of past records, to
take a position of 100 per cent sup
port of the New Deal national ad-
ministration. But the New Deal, or
to be exact the personality of Frank
lin Roosevelt, is still exceedingly
popular among the average voting
citizenship of the State.
An overshadowing national cam
paign involving the Roosevelt per-
sonality would be a situation made
to order for a colorful candidate who
would make a hill-billy type cam
paign, tying his hopes to the tail Of
Roosevelt's kite. And that, continues
the line of reasoning, is where Tom
Cooper can shine if he doesn't jeo-
pardize his chances by too obvious
bids for State administration sup
port. Mr.. Cooper has been talking
about getting sound truck and
| touring the State after the manner
of Texan O'Daniel. The Raleigh Of
ficial suggests that if instead he
would get megaphone and ride q
mule, he could really get somewhere
On ROOsevelt's COattail. St
In such campaign no issue other
than ardent loyalty to Roosevelt
would be needed, just as in 1928
many local and State candidates rose
or fell on the sole issue of support
ing or opposing Al Smith. Admittedly
then and now, that sort of basis fol-
voting for State candidates is alb
solutely unsound. But it is the way
of North Carolinians.
There probably has not been in "a
generation as much uncertainty about
national and state campaign ques-
tions this near to the time for nomi-
nations. The situation is pregnant
with disaster for the man or the
party who guesses wrong. The
wounds of 1886 had just about heal
ed by 1923, and the 1928 trouble has
now just been outgrown. Respon-
sible leaders are loathe to do or say
anything that might precipitate more
trouble. On the other hand, old line
politicians just cannot reconcile
themselves to a do-nothing attitude
less than a year ahead of primary
and convention dates. Hence, the al
most frantic unanimity of support for
Governor Hoey as the favorite son
| in the next convention.
| Serious About 'HOey.
Some astute students Of national