Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-18
FOR FREE, SILVER
A Mixed Convention to Be Held in
North Carolina.
DANGER TO DEMOCRATS In FUSION
Leading Negroes to Stand by the
Republican Party.
A CAUSE FOR CONCERN

Free silver democrats, republicans and
populsts OF North Carolina will meet in
cor vention in Raleigh on the 25th instant to
| consider the silver question. There is but
one important feature of this convention In
the opinion of the leaders of the straightout
democracy of North Carolina ard of North
| Carolinians resident in this city, That is
that 1t is dangerous tendency toward
fusion between these three elements for
united action in the presidential election of
1896, and If that should ever take place it
Is believed that the nominee of the demo-
cratic party would stand little chance Of
carrying the old north state.
In the Free Silver Ranks.
In the political potpourri of North Caro-
lima there is about great variety In the
mixtures of various opinions as in any state
of the Union. but 1t is generally conceded
that the state at present is in the ranks Of
the free silver phalanx of the country. Last
spring there was an expression of opinion
by the North Carolina state democratic
committee on the question of free silver,
ana with one exception every member Of
the committee showed his preference for
the white metal a subject for free COIN
age. This being fact, it is said that there
was no logical reason for the holding of a
free silver convention in North Carolina,
ard even among conservative free silver
democrats 1t was opposed to the last. But
ex-State Chairman Spier Whitaker and Ed.
| Chambers Smith, radical free silver men,
! determined upon holding convention per-
haps largely for what they believed TO be
its national influence and by diligently
working they have been 30 far successful
as to insure very considerable meeting at
Raleigh. They made their convention nom
partisan. Indeed, it is expected that Sena-
ter-elect Marion Butler will be the leading
Ms IN in the convention, and that before the
| meeting adjourns the whole performance
| will be regarded as populistic rather than
democratic.
Danger I'm the Convention.
The danger of the convention, as stated,
| He's in its tendency toward a fusion of the
| elements which are to compose it In ma
| tional politics. 1t Is three years since
there was a serious division in the democ-
| racy of North Carolina, and straightout
democrats are fighting to keep members Of
the party away from the populists ana re-
publicans. In this convention extreme free
silver men Of the democratic faith will
meet as brothers, working for a common
cause. populists and republicans, and IL is
| feared that this will result In more in
innate relations between these factions
than has been known in the past. Party
lines will be subordinated to the principle
OF Tree coinage. and just how far this prin-
cfple viii be permitted to permanently af-
| feet party lines is the important question
If the national democratic party should
occurring in North Carolina would net be
Injurious to the cause Of the party in
1895. But 1t is not likely that any free
silver man will be the nominee of the ma
| tfonal democratic convention. What is
more probable is that a conclliatory plank
declaring for both silver and gold will be
adopted and that Sound" money man
will be chosen to stand upon it.
If this is done, and IL there Is a candi-
date in the field for presidential honors
| who is an out and out free silver man.
q will ha k-ls t.
Carolina which will bring disaster to the
democratic party there, it is feared by the
leaders, as result of the convention to be
held on the 25th instant. Accustomed to
hold councils with the republican and pop
ulists it is feared that the extreme free
silver democrats of North Carolina will
not hesitate to go over to the former as
allies In a common cause. which will sub
ordinate everything to the one issue OF
| free silver.
A Conference of Leading Negroes.
Last week there was a conference in
Raleigh composed Of leading negroes Of the
| republican party from all sections OF the
state, the tendency of which is in a direc-
ton opposite that of the convention to meet
| there next week. The proceedings of this
cor ference were partly secret, but it is gen.
orally believed that one of the important
features Of the meeting was to hold all
members Of the race there represented in
the republican party. The tendency OF the
conference was 10 exaSSeTaI6 the lKnpOr.
| lance Of party organization and for carry
Ing on any fight that would be made within
party lires. The conference of colored men
| adopted resolutions demanding better rec
ognition at the hands Of their party friends
| in appointments to Office and in every way
| that could advance the interests of the race.
The eastern part of North Carolina has a
populatio which permits the colored re-
publicans TO dominate their party; but in
the western section Of the state, where
there are more white republicans. the lines
| are more evenly cast. 1t has been argued
In the western part of the state that the
| colored republicans might control the east
| ern section. while in that section the white
| element should predominant. It is claimed
that this argument has resulted in pushing
all colored men In western North Carolina
| to the background and in depriving them Of
| even chance to hold Office. 1t was against
this that the conference last week protest.
was made by the leaders to caution against
| any tendency of members Of their race to
| leave the party with the hope of securing
better recognition elsewhere.
Democratic Leaders Concerned.
So it is that within the month of Sertem-
| Der there will be two important political
| meetings in the old north state; one in
which free silver democrats take part in
| conjunction with republicans and populists,
| and which, it is feared. will result In a
split of the vote of the party in the nation
| al election, If the presidential nominee does
rot suit the friends of the white metal
| there; the other representing colored repub-
\ licans throughout the state, the chief pur-
| pose of which was to keep members of that
| race within their party. These two events,
coming In September have given demo-
Gratis of North Carolina considerable con-
| Germ about the future of their party there,
| and, II 1t is possible, some action will be
| taken to counterfeit what is regarded as the
| very injudicious course Of radical free sill.
yer democrats.
j