Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1940-02-03

Sonal financial resources ana Iiio>e
OF wealthy friends.
While six men are now III the
race, the gathering Of the clans last
night uncovered a lot Of real doubt
as to whether OF not Willis Smith
would ever get into the contest he
cent developments OF 4 personal
business nature figure in that sur
prise. He had everything all ready
to pop Wednesday. but at the last
minute faltered for further con-
sideration. which may lead to the
| conclusion not to hazard the battle.
A good deal OF talk was heard,
TOO. Of Jonathan Daniels ambition
to be national committeeman from
North Carolina. Congressman Folger
| now wears that badge of distinction.
The State committee. as such. has
nothing to do with making the Selec-
ton. but the delegation 10 the
national convention. which will de-
eide the matter. will certainly in
clude many of the men and women
| in the State committee. Daniels was
reported to be talking for late
State convention. but if that means
ANYTHING as to his fortune it is not
wholly to his liking in the reSolu
ton adopted in the twinkling Of an
eye and without opposition.
Fourth district politics emerged in
mild sort of way at the COM
mittce gathering. Franil;u'S Willie
Lee Lumpkin is authority tor the in
formation that he is seriously con-
Sidering furnishing Representative
Cooley with opposition in the May
primary, and that he has had con-
siderable encouragement to that
end. lie would not say he mad
reached conclusion, but he is so
full Of the idea that formal an
nOuncement at the proper time
would occasion little surprise.
LumpkinS vote-getting powers
are nothing to be belittled. He has
won every legislative contest under
taken in Franklin county, taking
him to the House several times and
to the State Senate once And he
may try it even yet again in the
event he SHES Off the congressional
race. Lumplin, be it remembered,
was righthand man OF Dr.. Nc
Donald in that memorable battle
tor governor in 1886. and his
generalShip and his keen knowledge
of politics certainly didn't hurt the
radical doctor.
One heard surprisingly little talk
OF Horton for governor. This is not
!" say there wasn't plenty Of it. But
some of the others appeared to be
more in the minds and con-
lerSationS Of those joining in the
general gossip.
The genial and always popular
Libby Ward was all about and
around during the gathering. Quite
naturally. for one thing. because he
is secretary Of the committee But
he has never slammed The doors
against his own bid for the CUB
ernatorial honor this year. There
was not much in the way of gossip
last night, however, to point to his
taking the plunge.
A meeting the like of the State
committee in Raleigh in a campaign
year can always be relied upon to
breed rumorS, plots and maneuver-
ings This one, brief as il was, and
is cold night as it turned out to
Ice. was no exception. And the I'M
Usually keen rivalrieS for the No. |
political plum added fuel to the
lire.
Unless Smith makes up his mind
afrirmativcly within week. the
lists for governor undoubtedly arc
closed. 1t will be Il whale of race.
fraught with uncertainties and sur
priScs, and with a lot Of money, in
the aggregate, put in to the fight.
North Carolina appears definitely in
,Dr something the like Of which it
ras not experienced before. There
arc 50 nfany candidates that
!: may easily be possible for the
election Of d governor who would
not be the first choice Of 4 majority
Of the people.
Whatever happens now, the Strug-
gle OF 1914 is already diSccrnible in
the background with another 1896
Battle looming. or course, it would
center around DR.. Mcdonald. a lot
will depend, however, on how the
DOCTORS candidate fares in this
years political wars.
The committee meeting was so