THE DANBURY REPORTER
Established 1872 Volume 66
Tempest in a T win = City Teapot
Or the Effloresence Of a Schlitz Stein
Whence cometh all this hullabaloo out of Win
ston-Salem over the nomination of a Fifth dis
trict congressman to fill out the unexpired term
of the late A. D. Folger?
A committee representing the seven counties
of the district met at Reidsville May 6, according
to the call of the chairman, and selected John H.
Folger, brother of the late incumbent.
The committee voted unanimously in the choice.
But from Winston comes fierce and frenzied
objection to the committee's autocratic action
The work of the committee was dictated by the
Folger dynasty, which aspires to keep in power
forever. John H. Folger is scored for "flagrant
nepotism connected with his family." Forsyth is
reported upset and very angry. There is discov
ered to be a "technique to build up rural resent
ment against Forsyth, and the existence of this
diabolical scheme is proved by the defeat in th'
past of all candidates for congress from Wins
ton-Salem, to-wit.. Judge E. B. Jones, A. E. Sams
Allison James and Marshall Kurfees.
THE ALLIGATORS
Now who is it making these sensational allega
tions against the Fifth district committee, the
Folger dynasty and the "technique"?
Not the able and fair and representative Wins
ton-Salem Journal, which in an editorial says:
"Heading—John H. Folger is our new Con
gressman.—The Democrats of Forsyth will rally
to his support in the special election soon to be
held. The committee clearly acted within its au
thority when it decided to choose the candidate
itself. John Folger will prove a worthy succes
sor of his distinguished brother."
Not the Democratic party of Forsyth county
whose chairman of the executive committee
Walter E. Johnson, Jr., makes the following an
nouncement:
"Clearly the committee had the right to select
the party nominee under the law and plan of or
ganization of the party. It has exercised that
right and it is incumbent upon the Democrats of
Forsyth county to stand by what they have dona
Party loyalty requires that we support the com
mittee's choice."
Not Mr. Shermer, one of the seven committee
men, representing- Forsyth, who voted for Folger
with the committee.
LET'S SEE WHAT THE COMMITTEE SAYS*
ABOUT IT
Gentlemen, you are arraigned here on a very
serious charge. It is alleged you usurped the
privileges of the free electorate, put up ;a candi
date for congress of your own choice, and did
not call a primary according to the suggestion of
His Excellency, according to the wishes of those
who deemed themselves better facilitated for
the job, and—er—against the peace and dignity
of political expediency. Let us know what you i
say about it.
Committee—Well, Judge, it was like this. You
see we were called as committeemen represent
ing each county of the Fifth district, to see about
filling: a vacancy caused by the death of the late
incumbent, the Hon. A. D. Folger.
Now, we found out, first, that there was no
clearly defined law about it, and second, that in
case we should call a primary that the cost of the
some would be several thousand dollars and that
nobody would agree to pay the cost of the same,
winch would be heavy on each county.
Now, we got together and says each man fc the
wfco you for, anyway? . And we found that
sm of ua was for Folger not only that it would be,
Danbnry, N. C., Thursday, May 15, 1941 ** * Published Thursdays
we thought, agreeable to the wishes of the de
ceased incumbent, but that by naming John Fol •
ger we would be honoring one of North Caro
lina's ablest and most honorable citizens, and a
man who has done as good service for the Demo
cratic party as any other citizen of the State.
We immediately got together, and first Mr.
Shermer offered a motion to have a primary. We
was all six against a primary. What is a con
gressional committee for if they can't represent
the wishes of the counties that elected them.
So, as Mr. Shermer's motion didn't get a sec
ond, Banks Horton moved for Folger and we car
ried it overwhelmingly, and in the rising vote
for a unanimous ballot the Forsyth man came
over with us.
Why didn't you obey the suggestion of the Gov
ernor for a primary.
Well, Judge, to tell the truth, we didn't think
His Excellency was very serious. We though'.:
maybe, being as how one of the candidates was
his manager in the district in the late primary,
that maybe Mr. Broughton was, on request,
making a pleasant gesture to pay one of his po
litical debts.
KURFEES' PRONUNCIAMENTO
He first gave it out he might take the indepen
dent role. Later he abandoned his independence
and accepted outright the Republican nomina
tion.
He was quite vehement in his announcement.
He believed the Democratic congressional com
mittee had "overstepped its bounds and threw
off democratic principles when it nominated Fol
ger and refused to give the people a primary
where every citizen would have been allowed to
vote for the candidate of his choice."
THE VENDETTA
I Over the foaming seidels it is sworn that For
jsyth, which has never had anything', no gover
nors, congressmen, highway commissioners, not
nothing, will form a political machine born ot
continued disillusionment. Every shade of
; opinion and faction will be included in the prin
ciples or principals. It would demand for the
county the fruits of its own plantings. Forsyth
; citizens are plenty fed up. There will be less
conciliation and more agressiveness in the credo,
j Marshall Kurfees, urged by a crescendo of
| voters all over the district, "will find some way to
run for the seat in regular election." (Eureka--
he has found it.)
I vendettists were then receiving a motion
jtv adjourn when someone said:
I '"Wait a minute. You reckon Alec Hanes, our
former road commissioner, will feel snuffed'that
we do not acknowledge him and his road
system?"
!
I The motion to adjourn carried amid clamorous
dm.
REPUBLICANS TAKE HIM ON
Kurfees was introduced in the Republican
committee meeting by S. K Hall, prominent
Winston Republican, former State and national
Republican committeeman.
Mr. Hall said:
"The autocratic manner in which the Democra
tic congressional committee has attempted to
dictate to the people of the fifth district as to
who should represent them in Congress, has
made it mandatory that the Republican Dartv •
give them a choice. J
"The candidate the committee has selected,
(Mr. Kurfees) was born and reared in the dis
trict, is from a staunch and highly respected
lineage and has inherited strength, ability and
those traits of character which command leader
ship."
KURFEES NOMINATED BY THE
REPUBLICANS AND HE ACCEPTS
At the Republican committee meeting no good
; Republican was willing to take the chance.
i "Let's try Marshall," someone suggested.
He was sent for.
j Marshall arrived, breathless and visibly agi
tated.
• "We have decided to make you our candidate,"
the chairman said. "Will you accept?"
| "Yes, and thankee, too." quoth young Lonchni
ivar.
! "But what about a primary?"
"To hell with the constitution."
MARSHALL
Somebody asked Tom Petroe, a Stokes member
of the Republican sth district committee, if he
was going to vote for his party's candidate June
14:
Tom said: "What'd you say?"
Marshall is a politician of adventures. I>orn in
Stokes and rocked in a Republican cradle, he fell
out, landed in \\ inston and became one of these
what have you'.' He is a boy of a big heart and
generous impulses, smart, kind and honest—ex
cept in politics—but none of us) politicians don't
claim to be honest. Am I right, or do I slander a
noble profession.' Marshall loves the turmoil of
conventions, delights when discord begins to
ioment among candidates. >miles when (i'satlec
tion begins to brew, and is ever ready to step into
ci.e breacn. he adores a scat on the bandwagon,
and has been known to ask the driver where
he was going.
It you think Marshall has not many warm and
loyal friends in Winston, you have another think
coming. They are galore. They are usually of
that swagger crowd who like a chance, and don't
give a ——n. Sometimes, and to be frank, quite
irequently, they are disappointees who are glad
to utilize his brass-band capacities to "tell 'em " or
to tantalize, while they sit in the shadow nursing
their grudges. These fellows load Marshall's
guns and hand to him the shots thev are not
brave enough to make themselves.
flvhv nTcfh't 16 lack .? übHt i ty - but the re are always
r y-b>-mght scurrilous sheets of free rlistnh.
tion, glad to chase a break. 1 lbu *
THE FOLGER DYNASTY
. *^°^ n Folg-er knew nothing- about and had noth
ing to do with his draft for congressman to Suc -
ceed Ins brother. It had been suggested to him
he persistently refused. Sunday evening*, Mav
4, committeemen from several other counties
visited Mt. Airy and pressed him to run. He
nnally consented only on condition that the peo
ple wanted him—he would make no gesture
whatever.
Q w e J er V n^ ind things have been written
about the situation, touching the death of the
lamented A. D. Folger. One of these is that J
H. stepped out suddenly, "buried his grief" and
said he would run.
TTn^V» WaS Jr ft for the e P u blican organ, the
Fav n a & ? ne ° f Marshall ' s sponsors, to
burial" a L Fol^er u wa s fven a political
burial. A large number of the dead congress
man s political friends, including a delegation
(Continued on 4th page)
Number 3,585.