The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-09-24

Arguments From democracy Show
izg why he Should Fight for Silver
Under the Name of Democracy, But
Afterward Said he Was JOking--Yet
Later he Stated the Same Thing
Seriously.
Senator Marion Butler was in bis room,
No. %, at the Marlboro last night, recely-
ing his friends, many of whom called
during the evening, Among them, were
Messrs. Hal Aver, VI. j. Peele, Editor J.
L Ramsey, Waiter r. Henry, s. Ohio
Wilson and VIM. f. Worth. Messrs.
Aver, Peele, and Ramsey were present
when | called.
In spite of the heat of the night, and
the Iateness of the hour, they were earn
estly at work preparing as seemed to be
the case, a set Of resolutions, probably to
be introduced by NJ. Butler to morrow
in the convention.
I asked Mr. Butler if resolutions were
passed by the convention what would be
the practical result of them. He said, in his
accustomed illusively humorous way, that
the result would be that they had agreed
on the resolutions. He was then asked
if, considering the fact that this conven-
ton had no binding delegated power
upon the people of the state, it was
therefore probable that any tentative
resolutions that might be agreed upon
would later be followed 10y an endorse
ton Of such resolutions in some organ
| lied way.
Mr.. Butler would not go so far as TO
make predictions, about what would
follow, sayingonly that he thought it Was
right for tbe friends Of silver to get to-
gether. Mr. Butler was then asked if
all the friends Of silver would later come
to an organized agreement and stand to-
gether, would he be willing TO go in such
a movement under the name Of Dem
ocracy
He replied: Il would be wiling to
hear arguments from the Democrats on
that point. am in favor Of all going
together to whip out tie gold bugs
AS the expression to which Mr.. Butler
had just given utterance, was in view of
his previous silence upon this point,
somewhat startling, if not sensation
al, the reporter repeated the question,
and Mr.. Butler, smiling, said that he
had been only joking | then asked him
would be make statement that would
not be joke, and repeating my first
question, asked him what he believed
the convention would do.
He said, and these are his exact words:
Il can speak only for myself. | am in
favor of the friends of free silver getting
together, to work cut the single gold
standard, and restoring free silver to be
used as a perfect money metal, as it was
before 1873 I cannot tell what the
convention will do, but suppose that
every man who comes will honestly de-
sire to try to find the best means or
method of accomplishing this result. "
I then repeated the question, asking if
he would be willing to fight under the
name Of Democracy, if only thus all the
friends of free silver could be Joined to.
gether. He rep,i a, 81 am not in favor
of considering the name of any party
which would cause any dissension.
Mr. Butler very courteously put aside
his work in hand for the purpose Of say
ing this much, which, taken in connec-
ton with the manner in which it was
said, may form a basis Of calculation
different from those that have already
been made by some as to the outcome of
the convention to morrow. At any rate
the words stand for themselves.
Mr. Butler did not say thar he was
joking until sometime after he had eX-
pressed his seeming willingness to fight
under the name of Democracy for silver,
and did so only then on being pressed
for fart er expression on this subject
Mr.. Hal Aver interposed the remark
that even if the Populists did 60
with the Democrats in this way that
when the Democrats got to the National
convention, they would forget their Pop
uiist friends and 60 with the gold hugs,
whereas every P0pulist who went to his
own National Convention would be for
free silver.