The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1896-10-08

oAShh posillOH upon the ISSUE
which Populism had made domi-
nant, it would have lost the South
disappeared from the West and been
spurned by the East. 1t would have
found itself in the position of the
Douglas wing of the Democracy in
1860.
But with this Napoleonic stroke
the Populists, when they met in con-
vention in St. Louis, found them
selves IN a quandary. The Democ
racy had seized their position and
nominated one of the two men whom
the Populists had already selected
as THAR probable candidate. To in
dOrse the Chicago ticket was TO lose
their identity as a party. To nomi-
nate q separate ticket was to divide
the silver strength of the country.
The most prominent leaders fought
for the former action. The tempta
tions Of power which a united arrlg
seemed to insure wese grsat. But
the privates in the ranks, far more
Independent than the privates in po-
lit!cal parties usually are, were not
SO fast.
1t was at this juncture that Butler
of North Carolina came to the front.
| His standing in the party was strong.
| He bad made himself master Of his
own State; he was president CT the
National Farmers Alliance; he had
all the prestige that goes with sue
cess. When he arrived in st. Louis
he had not committed himself. He
had already learned the power that
is often gathered from waiting until
q decisive moment; he had won his
leadership largely through his abili-
ty to gauge the feeling of the ranks
and direct this feeling.
Made temporary chairman of the
convention, III his speech he played
skIlfully upon the passions Of the
mass and the desires of the leaders.
1t was then that with the strength
gained by his foresight in making
himself, SO to speak, the balance Of
power, he formulated his plan for
the Endorsement of Bryan and the
nomination of Southern Popullst
for second place. The chief leaders,
Weaver, Allen and others. fought
his plan bitterly. But the Tar Heel
statesman carried tho convention
with him by an overwhelming ma
jority; his programme was put
through and Butler found himself al
the close of the struggle the fore
most man of his party. AS a logical
result, he was put in charge Of the
campaign.
| This at 33 wears of age,
Up to this time it is certain that
Butler had, outside his own party,
, been misjudged and underrated. His
\ advent in the Senate had tended to
= obscure his political talent and craft
D He had stepped from the editorshir
3 of THE CLINTON CAUCASIAN to the
5 Senate-a long stride. It is a mat
: ter of history, l believe that on the
! gray December day when this pro
} prietor of q village weekly newspa-
, per dawned upon Washington, the
!. dead leaves rustled and the resist
ance spirals of the Weather Bureau
, registered fresh wind. What con
lection there was between the two i:
not clearly established. But it is GER
tain that on the day mention ed the
/ venerable traditions of the Senate
l faithfully upheld by the picturesque
= old gentlemen who roam about it.
! halls without being stopped by th'
f doOrkeepers, suffered q rude shock
s like uuto the advent of the weirdl,
r wonderful Tillmar. The voice 0
a the new member was rasping, HI
i chest capacity large, his style 0
Of Cn " HI
: State. And he had mission.
Y was the last perhaps which paine
s most. The young man came straigh
It from green fields and baoolln
Q brooks and his manner was reminis
O cent; he was in earnest, and tn
Senate, it IS regrettable TO say is
l. sophisticated, and somewhat bias
h body. AS the day wore on, over tn
Ie faces of many of its members creI
1t wearied look and they regrette
10 thar anything could have so disturb
l. ed tho reveries of that deiightfl
l. club.
ID 1t is only fair to say, howave
N that it soon became apparent ths
s. there was more behind the membe
le than the declamatory fustiap, s
s. they regarded it, with which it seen
d. ed to abound. After q brief seaso
lg in which, like many others, the ne
I'd Senator from North Carolina SCENE
of TO find debate as seductive and il
is toxlcating as an ella borate collec.lo
r. of cocktails, he settled to his worl
We He began to give his antique co
it leagues the unpleasant task of thin
lie ing about new things, and for tn
ed he was not liked. In particular |
lis raised his storm over q bill to pr
at hibit the further issue of bond
without the sanction of Congress
nd He had other measures designed
nj prevent a recurrence of the famo
lrk or Infamous" bond deal. He soug
nd to have convened constitution
the convention which should reform t
lad Supreme courts conception Of t.
60 validity of the income tax, and
nd raised another storm by his amen
sm ment providing for q trial by jury
md such eases as that of the recent
ct, Debs in Chicago. In behalf of the
on, measures, he spoke often and lor
the incidentally quoting from Jeffersu
rec whom he took for his political N;
ere ter, in a way that gave additio,
As weariness and pain to the come
IN old gentlemen who for years b
ICY been prattling of their Jeffersoni
the Democracy. Altogether, they We
ON hot times, in which, nevertheless
the fear the young man from Mo-
ess Carolina experienced deep and
ow- sidious joy. Butler is fighter, a
ing he has that pleasing quality VIII
leir goes to make the thorny path of
ltic innovator and revolutionist less il
J to tating than it is to the most-he d.
ing not know when he is thrashed.
ney A turbulent spirit in the Sena
the in the st. Louis convention, a.
be- said, he showed his craft. 1t '