Henderson daily dispatch., 1939-05-30
Stacy Boom
Nav Attract
Real Backing
Daily Dispatch bureau,
In th.. Sir Walter Hotel


Raleigh, Nav 30.-Recent endorse
ment of Horace Edney Stacy for gov
ernor, given by unanimous vote OF
the Robeson county bar. has not re-
suited in the withdrawal of any 9TH
er candidate for the Mansion nor
has it been received with degree
of enthusiasm which would indicate
a Stacy nomination by acclamation.
In fact this baby boom for the
brother of Chief Justice Walter p.
Stacy was regarded with the utmost
placidity by other prospective can
didates, by Raleigh politicians and,
to the outward eye at least by the
people at large.
Nevertheless and Notwithstanding,
there are factors, some of them quite
intangible and imponderable, which
might cause the bOomlet to assume
man-Size proportions and put the
Robson county lawyer in the run
ming with far better than an outside
chance of ultimate success.
These factors come from two sep
arate and distinct origins - the
strength of groups which might quite
conceivably align themselves behind
OF the campaign he is in position to
conduct. Added to these two sources
OF strength is the further admitted
fact that Mr.. Stacy himself is quail
flied by moral character, mental cap
abilities and actual attainments to
I'LL the gubernatorial role with credit
to himself and to the State. AS is
the case with most of the other as
sumed or suspected candidates, it is
agreed on all sides that he wouldn't
make "a bad governor.
Speaking to the first origin, the
nature of his support Even the most
casual student of North Carolina po-
lltlcs is fully aware that when the
McLeans and the McIntyres and the
Johns and the Varsers of Robson
county get their heads set on some
thing, they generally make more than
lew futile gestures at getting it.
And so if these folks really meant
anything more than an. amiable pat
ON the back as they endorsed Horace
Edney, they can be counted on for
more than the ordinary amount of a
stump stirring, log rolling and vote
gathering
1t must be conceded at this point
that there has been no outward in
dlcation either before or since the
endorsement that it was intended in
all seriousness but on the other hand
nobody has publicly said it was
meaningless.
Looking back a few years. it is
easy to recall that Tom johnson. a
close Stacy relative, moved from
RoDeson Ito Asheville for the express
purpose, so twas said in reliable |
quarters, Of running for governor
when it was the Vests turn. which
was 1886. Something happened to
mat plan, evidently, as Johnson (who
was Tor time on the superior court
Dench never did get around to toss
ing his hat into the ring.
Z II, however, there were forces
anxious enough to name a governor
70 move Mr. Johnson all the wav
from Lumberton to Buncombe. then
these same forces must be reckoned |
win II they decide to get behind |
STACY, who would unqueStiOnably get
all the support that Johnson could bv |
any possibility have mustered.
Then the second origin of strength
remember that Mr.. Stacy has been
IN the very forefront of opposition
10 the centralization of school con-
trol IN Raleigh. He has spoken loud !!
ana often of the evils he conceives
attend a system which requires that
requlsltlon be made to the State
capital before a one-room school in
Manteo can buy box of chalk.
without going into the merits of
centralized control, and at present its
advocates have the upper hand here.
IL cannot be denied that there are
thousands and thousands of citizens
scattered from one end of the State
10 the other who are bitterly and ir-
reconcllably opposed to the present
set-up, whether their opposition is
.I!ght' or wrong, reasonable or cap
ricious. up
Mr.. Stacy could quite obviously
capitalize on this opposition, though
there isn't any way to Judge wheth-
er there are assets enough in it fo |
ACQUIRE the governorship.
There hasn't been, so far as vo,,r
correspondent is aware, one WORD
from Mr.. Stacy, to indicate that he
mas the slightest desire to make the
race; and it's quite possible that he
hasn't any such desire or intent. This
story IS written just Gin case" so to
speak. 'o W