The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1896-05-14

/ WoSu tue 4oesiou U C0-OpS1Bt5Ou IOs
the next campaign was discussed, tina,
Senator Butler freely and frankly
pointed out to Senator Pritchard, and
TO every other Republican with whom
the matter was discussed, that IL would
be necessary to find some common car
dinal principle in National politics on
which to base cooperation in q Ma
tionai campaign. Every time Senator
Pritcbard or any other person suggest
ed that the electoral ticket could be di-
vided with one-half gold men and the
other half silver men, or that State
ticket could be run with one-half sup
porting and voting for = goldbug for
President, and the other half denoupc-
ing goldbugs and supporting . candi.
date who stood for the patriotic Amer
lean principles Of Jefferson and Lin
coin, Senator Butler pointed out the
insurmountable objections and utter
folly Of attempting such an inconsist-
ent and fatal course.
Senator Butler saw the situation
then as clearly as he sees it now. He
then pointed out the dangers ahead,
and the only true course to follow to
avoid them-the only plan by which
honorable and successful cooperation
could be effected in National cam
paign. This was also discussed fully
while the last Legislature was in ses-
sion between Senators Pritchard and
Butler, and number Of their friends.
Besides, Chairman Buffers official let
ter file, as state Chairman, shows that
ne has on every occasion written ex-
actly this same opinion to every Re-
publican or POpulist who has asked his
opinion. In addition, the State Com
mittee OF the Peoples Party, at its
meeting in October, 1895, called to con-
sider this very matter, passed an Off
cial resolution to the same effect, and
instructed the Chairman to send copies
OF the same to Senator Pritchard and
''"S' WIN WGOtc COUCeIH-
ing cooperation for the next campaign.
The committee decided not to publish
It's resolutions, hoping that co-opera-
ton could be more tremendously eff
fected by conference than it could by
publishing ultimatums through the
newspapers. Senator Pritchard and
other prominent Republicans were
promptly informed of the action of the
committee. Therefore, the position
which the State executive committee
OF the Peoples Party took at Raleigh
on April 10th is nothing new to the
Republicans. They have been thor
0ughly advised as to che views and DO
sition Of the Peoples Party committee
all the time; but it seems that some
Republicans took it for granted that
since Chairman Butler and the State
committee did not go into the public
prints last summer and lay down an
ultimatum, as the Republicans had
done, that they were not in earnest and
did not intend to insist on a course of
principle as basis of cooperation.
The Peoples Party State committee
stayed out of the public prints on this
question, thinking and trusting that it
would be easier to effect a co-opera-
ton if there was less said by the two
parties through the newspapers. In
stead OF this course of the Peoples
Party being appreciated by the Re-
publlcans, it seems, on the other hand
That some of them took advantage of
knowing what the true position of the
Peoples Party committee was, to 20 to
work quietly through correspondence,
and possibly by personal solicitation,
to try to influence certain Populists,
to try to prejudice them against their
State committee, and probably by
making promises of offices and re-
wards to try to get them to override
the advice of the State committee.
Chairman HOltOn has boosted fire.
quently that they would succeed in
doing this, and that they would split
and divide the Peoples Party. This
game, thanks to the integrity of the
members of the Peoples Party, has
fallen flat.
Briefly, this is the situation. Now
what will any honest, fair-minded
man say? Will he say that the Peo-
pies Party ought to accept the propo-
| sition, the ultimatum which the Re-
publican committee laid down to us on
April 18th? No!
But if the majority of the Peoples
Party in State convention shall saw
that because Senator Butler was elect
ed to the long term, they feel
bound to accept any terms that the
Republicans may name for co-opera-
ton, even if it be such terms as means
the disintegration of the Peoples Par
ty, then Senator Butler WILL HAND IN
PROMPTLY HIS RESIGNATION as Senator
rather than have the Peoples Party
make such sacrifice on his account.
lie is too good Popu list and too
strong friend of the people to allow
the Peoples Party to be sacrificed to
keep him in office.
Or, on the other hand, let every Re-
publican, elected to office by the last
co. operative fight, resign, and we as
sure our Republican friends that every
Peoples Party man will also resign.
Then if we can not cooperate against
goldbugs, we will draw the line square
between the people and the gold COM
bine. Do this, and we will fight the
whole battle out to a finish this wear.
and abide by the verdict of the people.