The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-10-29

For these and other reasons which
there is now neither time nor inclina-
ton to mention, it is the calm and
candid opinion of the State chairman
that Mai. Guthrie has forfeited all
right to the confidence of the members
of the Peoples party. He is, however,
still the party nominee, and his name
will appear on all the tickets issued
from Peoples party State headquar-
ters.
"a firm conviction of the State chair
man is that the course of Mai. Guthrie
has been such as will make it impos-
sible for him to receive the suffrage of
the full membership of the Peoples
party and here in advance of election
day, it is declared that the number of
votes cast for Maj Guthrie, as the
Peoples party nominee for Governor,
must not and cannot be accepted as
and indication of the Peoples party
strength"
AN OPEN FIGHT NOW.
Thus has ended another chapter in
the history of this campaign which
will be ever memorable for the trad
ing and dickering that has been going
on and the utter disregard of principle
many of the leaders.
1T is "a well known fact that while
Aver and Wilson have not had the
courage publicly to slaughter Maj.
Guthrie they have been secretly aid
ing the Republicans all along. At
first they did this after the manner
of loading down the Frenchman's
jumping frog. But since the Demo
cratic proposition for fusion has been
refused and the Major has announced
that he intends to stand by the prin-
ciples Of his party, they have thrown
him into the horse pond with the part
ing injunction: "Now, free silver
duck, swim if you cam
If Maj. Guthrie is no longer seriously
in the race, as Aver intimates i'm his
reply, AMID must sink, he will at least
now have the consolation of knowing
that he has made those who would
slaughter him come out and
fight him in the open rather
than, approaching him in the guise
of a friend, stab him in the back. 1t
is we'll known fact that Chairman
Aver was not sending the tickets out
with Guthrie's name on them to adj
parts of the State as it was his duty
as chairman to do. And many of those
that he has sent were probably sent
so late that they will not reach their
destination in time At least a prom
inent Republican from the West told
me yesterday that this was part of the
programme. He further intlinRated
that Chairman Aver was to do this in
return for mis- being put on the Re-
publican ticket.
Others, however, say that Hender-
son was taken off the ticket and Aver
put on in consideration of his opposi-
ton to Populist fusion, af-
ter pretending to the Democrats that
he was anxious for it and would do
all in his power to secure it through
his committee and promote it among
his people.
Chairman Aver denies both OF these
charges, but his actions fatty back
water on his words.
0tho Wilson pretends now that he is
Very much concerned about Mr.. Bryan.
He is not giving much concern to any
thing else just now if you hear him
talk. 1t is pathetic to see his fright
at even the thought of McKinley's
carrying the State. THE only harm
Maj. Guthrie's address win do is that
| fear it viii hurt Bryan. / think it
will increase the majority of Dan
Russell. It viii have no effect upon
the Populist parhy except to drive
them closer together; it will certain
" not discrganize them. The vote
Maj. Guthrie viii now get will not
indicate the Populist strength in
North Carolina-a great many of those
who otherwise would have voted for
him will now go to Russell. 1t will
certainly not give Watson any increase
in votes, except possibly in counties
where Democratic fusion prevails. 1t
viii have no appreciable effect upon
the judicial ticket
These views agree with those of
Chairman Holton, who is managing
Russell's campaign, except that Hol-
ton, of course, leaves out the hypo-
critical cant about Bryan. AS Holton
figures it out, from $4,000 to 10000
Populists will now forsaxe Guthrie and
free silver and go over to Russell and
the gold standard. He refuses to ex-
plain how this transformation is to
be brought about except to say that
Mai. Guthrie's letter will tend TO drive
Populists into the Republican party.
'sWhat effect do you think Maj.
Guthrie's letter viii have?' I asked
Judge Russell.
RUSSELL'S VIEW OF 1T.
1T will not have any effect upon
the determination of the great mass
of the Populist party, who, above all
things, are determined to keep the
State from Democratic control. Some
of them will say that as Guthrie is
boiling his own ticket they will bolt
him and vote straight for Russell.
The result will be that Guthrie's card
will increase my majority
''What do you think viii be the eff
feet as to Col. Douglass"
''As to Douglas / think it will have
no appreciable effect"
Editor Ramsey, of the Progressive
Farmer, gave out the same kind of
stereotyped interview. He said: ''In
the main / endorse Major Guthrie's
x-;axxys ~, tho xpa1sia11c nm blio cl1aCfiOnc