The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-08-07

State Alliance, who was in Raleigh last
week, told a reporter that the Populists
held the "key" to the political result in
1896. Mr.. Hal Aver, of the Caucasian,
has been talking to reporters about the
future of the Populist party, closing with
"Fusion is possibility but an improoa-
bility." Other politicians of both par
ties are taking the public into their CON
fidence in like manner, all of them de-
cIaring that the question of Fusion is an
open one and will not be settled until
next year.
Nobody is deceived by this kind of
talk. There is not a ten Yearold child
in the State who does not know that the
Republicans and Populists will continue
their fusion in 1896, and the simplest
minded man in the State knows that the
division of spoils and the men to be nom
mated will be dictated by less than half
a dozen men, and that the meet
ing of the conventions will be
held simply to ratify the action
of the Bosses. Mr.. Mewborne and
Mr.. Aver know this as well as anybody
else. 1t may be asked, what is their
object in pretending that there is doubt
about Fusion2 The answer is simple
enough. The Bosses are afraid, II
the people know that they are being run
by the machine, they may rebel. They
know that some of them were estranged
from the Democratic party because
they believed it was manipulated by
machine. 1t is true that
they were in the clutches of the one man
power in 1894, but they were mad then.
Now these Bosses fear they have begun
to think and will not be led by the
nose again. Mewborne, Aver and others
of the small fry are therefore directed to
talk in a semi-independent strain, and
say that the Populists are not bound to
fuse, and that they will go it alone I'M
less fusion will best advance the
interests of Reform" etc, etc. 1t
is hoped by this means to hold
those Populists who, while disguised
with the Legislature, Republicanism,
Fusion, &c, are earnestly IN favor of
silver legislation.
Not long ago, talking with a promi-
nent Democrat, he said "There can be
no fusion next year between the Repub-
lican and Populist parties. The Repub-
licans will be for gold; the Populists for
silver. They are antagcnistic principles,
and parties holding the one cannot CO
operate with the other without a shame
less public abandonment of principle"
Don't tlouble yourself about that"
said another gentleman. "The Repub
lican and Populist politicians who are
engineering Fusion are not troubled with
any question of principles. 1t is offices
they are after"
He was sweeping in his assertion, but
did he miss the mark There are, no
doubt, many honest men who were led
into Fusion in the desire of advancing
some principle, but their voice is not
needed in the counsels of the bosses, and
it viii not be permitted to be heard
when the conventions are called to ratify
the cut and dried programme Of the
machine.
Most of the Populist leaders will boldly
march over into the Republican party
after 1896. They would do so now, but
they cannot carry their followers into
the Republican party openly as we'll as
they can by masquerading longer as
Populists. There are honest Populists
who went into Fusion because they want
ed certain changes in State legisla-
ton. These have now been secured, all
promises are ''off, " and every citizen is a
free agent. These men will not go into
the Republican party and they will hest
tate before coming back to the Demo
cracy. Their pride will restrain them.
Senator Butler knows this, and the par
rot talk of Mewborne and Aver is a part
of his trap to catch these men. He has
arranged with the Republicans for CO.
operation State and Electoral tick
cts. Half of each will be nomi-
nally Populists, bat the Populists plac
ed on these tickets will, every one,
be of the Worth, Mewborne, Daily,
Bryan stripe, who, in reality are Repub-
licans at heart. After the election they
will not hesitate to act with the Republi-
cans in everything, and the electors in
compliance with secret bargain made
by Butler, will give their votes to elect a
Republican president if they are needed.
This arrangement has been perfected,
but MeWborne and Hal Aver are instruct