The Wilmington morning star., 1947-04-25

Rumors have been coming thick and
fast in recent weeks State Treasurer
Charles Johnson and former Governor
Broughton will prove the popular can
didates next year for governor and
senator respectively. Both are so we'll
known and efficient the JUNIORS OBJ
viously are justified. AS State Treas
urer Mr.. Johnson has made an enviable
record. Mr.. Broughton's administration
as governor vas distinguished by re-
moval of the sales tax from the dinner
table and a dozen other outstanding
gubernatorial achievements.
Voters in North Carolina are
naturally turning to the men who have
done things in a big way. This, at
least is the increasing attitude of the
public.
But heretofore the joining of their
names long before the campaign has
been chiefly in hotel Hobbies, on the
sidewalks, in clubs and private homes.
Now comes a forecast that both will
receive the nomination and subsequent
ly be elected-the first, we believe, that
has been made with no strings tied to
it.
1t all came about at the jefferson
Day dinner in Raleigh, yet not so much
at the banquet table as in the conversa-
tons in the Sir Walter lobby and rooms
occupied by banquet guests.
The prophet is Robert L. Thomp-
son, staff correspondent of the High
Point Enterprise. Writing after the
collation., Mr.. Thompson says: Charlie
johnson will be the next governor of
North Carolina and Former Governor
J. M. Broughton will be nominated and
elected junior senator, if today's Qast
Friday gathering of democrats is a
criterion"
This is as sharp and unmistakable
as the note sounded by the first robin
h%eralding the spring.
Mr.. Thompson's summary of the
situation is so concise and illuminat-
ing, it is we'll worth while to reprint
his dispatch. It reads:
1.-THE lead Johnson has among the
politicians is amazing, or, at least, it
was amazing to me. He is so far out
in front that some of his supporters
for the nomination are saying frankly
that the situation is such that they are
afraid everything is just too good.
But among these who are active
about the senatorial nomination, things
are different. Former Governor Brough-
ton is definitely in the lead but Sena-
tor William Umstead-senator because
Governor Cherry gave him the appoint
ment when Senator Bailey died - is
working this gathering of. Democrats
with everything he has. He might make
it, but the way things now stand
Broughton is well out in front.
johnson is so far out in front for
governor that today several politically
wise people were wondering out loud
if he would go into office-or into the
nomination-with no more opposition
for the nomination than the hog-caller
from the east who usually runs but
whose name l have forgotten, and
Mayno Albright, the bright young man
who has about as much chance as YOUR
Chinese la%undryman.
"They are in the minority but there
are folks around here who doubt that
either Lieutenant Governor Ballentine
or former Lieutenant Governor Hor-
ton will ever Personally, I
think they will but there is a lot of
sound logic in the theory that they
won't-though logic doesn't always
amount to a hill of beans in politics.
"This was supposed to be an all
democratic dinner tonight. In a way
lit was. There were no Republicans