Biographical Conversations With... | Unc-tv

Fighting for Clean Air Part 3 of 3 Parts Hugh Morton's story of Mildred's arrival to Grandfather Mountain begins the final installment of Biographical Conversations. Morton explains how Mildred and her kindred black bears became a protected species on the mountain. Politics began to be more and more a part of Morton's life, beginning with a campaign to institute liquor by the drink in North Carolina. In the early 1970s, he followed the suggestion of some of his friends in the travel industry to run for governor, but he pulled out of the race before the primary. After Jim Hunt was elected for governor, Morton assisted him with some of his agendas, including a campaign to change the state Constitution so that governors could run for more than one term. Morton did not always automatically comply with Governor Hunt's requests, however. When Governor Hunt asked him to campaign for an unpopular gas tax in the early 1980s, Morton suggested that he ask Arthur Smith for help instead.