Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-06
NORTH CAROLINA DEMOCRATS.
The Struggle Between the Alliance and Nom
Alliance Factions.
PRESIDENT Folks FOLLOWERS TRYING TO CAP
TURE THE STATE CONVENTION AND ADOPT THE
THIRD PARTY PLATFoRM-cLosE AND EXCITING
CONTESTS AT THE PRIMARIES

TuRE THE STATE CONVENTION AND ADOPT THE
THIRD PARTY PLATFoRM-CLosE AND EXCITING
CONTESTS AT THE PRIMARIES.
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star
RALEIGH, N. C.. May 6.--The ante-convention
fight between the alliance and non-alliahce
democrats over the election of delegates to the
democratic state convention, now in progress
all over the state, is the most exciting and holly
contested one that has occurred within q
quarter of a century.
The convention meets in this city Wednes-
day. Nav Is
So far as national politics are concerned.
President Polk of this state, the head of the
National Farmers Alliance, some time ago an
nounced his determination to support the third
party movement. and 1t is generally accepted
as foregone conclusion by the people at his
home here that he will be the vice presiden-
tial candidate OF the peoples party.
But he has not SO far advised separate politi-
cal action with regard to the election of state
officers. and his advice on that subject it is
said, will be withheld until it is seen what the
result of the convention on the 18th instant
will be. If the alliance delegates are in a
minority and fail to accomplish their ends then
it is thought there Will be a third party-aliance
state ticket put up, and it would probably poll a
large vote.
This is the program that has been marked
out by the alliance leaders, and Marion Butler
the president of the North Carolina alliance, a
short time ago caused all the suballiances of all
the ninety-six county alliances OF the state to
meet and appoint lone strong and trusted
alliance man from each county TO meet him in
conference in Raleigh On May H."
Ii is said that the alliance will demand the
insertion of all the main plaaks of the St
Louis platform into the platform TO be adopted
by the democratic convention; indeed, If they
have the power, they will make the st. Louis
platform the platform of the democratic party
of North Carolina
To prevent the carrying out of the above
plan, the non-alliance democrats have been
active for several weeks
III the alliance extremists succeed in captur-
ing the convention, adopt the St Louis plat
form and nominate candidates for governor
and other state officers from their own ranks
il is said here many non-alliance democrats
could not consistently swallow such a platform
and ticket, and a non-alliance third party state
ticket might result.
REPUBLICAS PRESIDENTIAL TICKET MAY wIN
As to the electoral tickets, the chances OF
success are decidedly in favor of the republic
cans. and if they let state politics alone this
year there is strong probability that the repub-
lican candidate for President will secure the
eleven electoral votes OF North Carolina. Even
the News and Observer of this city, a stalwart
democratic paper, expressed this belief in its
editorial columns less than a week ago.
The democrats are not SO much concerned
about that as they are over the state Offices
No matter what the outcome Of the demo-
cratic state convention shall be. the third party
electoral ticket will poll a considerable num-
Der of votes that would otherwise be cast for
the democratic electors. II Polk is on the
ticket it is calculated that il may receive at
least $4,000 votes and possibly more. The
democratic majority in this state in 1888 was
only little over I4.0O0. SO it can be
seen at glance the possible effect on the DEM
ocratic electoral ticket the candidacy of the
third party electors will have FOR ut least four
f,ths of the votes received by the latter will
come from the democratic ranks.
BECOMING OF NATIONAL INTEREST.
II ia asserted that Polk and the third party
leaders have decided TO make North Carolina,
the native state and home of the alliance presi
dent, the entering wedge in their efforts to
split the solid south. and they will Concentrate
their greatest efforts right here. On this ac-
count the progress Of the campaign in North
Carolina becomes q subject Of national inter-
est. At present the situation is the most no ell
and interesting and uncertain one in sight
The possibility of the democrats losing the
electoral vote adds greatly to the interest felt
in the result when 1t is recognized how essen
tiai these eleven votes to the election of the
democratic candidate.