The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-12-13
Pfitchard Was First TO Break
Faith with Populists.
A4o MIST NOW BE DEFEATED
Mr.. Lyon Says Major Guthr'e's Course
Was the Only Consistent One and
That 1t viii be Endorsed by
the Populists
de PopuI

: HAT IL WIZ NC ~~'@SS ~
the PopuIists
pritebard will not succeeded himself.
He Will breathe his last in the United
States Senate on the 4th of March. The
Popnlists of Tar TIeeldom are already
casting lots for the garments OF TINS
lost Joseph of gold-buggery and ettete
\ disciple OF Mark Hanna.
But who viii get it,
The fiat has gone forth from Senator
Butler that noneS bug silver men need
apply for the job. Now there are silver
men and silver men. There are silver
81 men g.ho believe ia tariff reform and
silver men who are high lrotectonists--
silver men who were 1865 carpet-5ag'
ss*e. Repnh6eans and silver men who have
svpnathized with the Southern people
aud helped them build up their country.
What kind of assairer man this new
Senator must be- has not yet been Defined.
Ppf Ia. mist above all, ne Il silver man.
Senator Butler has said Il and Chairman
Aver has taken up the refrain. Nhhe
the answer comes back from I'ritchard,
in Washington, that he is not silver
man and he viii never pledge himself
~ Ia vote for silver if he is re-elected-that
he is a Republican and proposes to stand
by his party aud its policy For such
man the Populists have sworn Tine and
again that they wifi never vote, and that
is why / say that Pritehard is to-day
beaten man. -
"Will the Ponulists vote for any man
that is not pledged to siyer?" | asked
.2 Chairman Aver.
"They will not" he answered. II have
letters from large per cent OF them aiio
while they say that they are not pledged
to anybody, they declare, without eScep-
ton that nobody can get their vote who
is not a true friend to the white metal.
He also went on to say he did not
think that man in the Senate, who was
simply pledged to vote for silver and was
IN not ut heart desirious of securing silver
legislation would be worth much to the
silver forces, as any measure was always
carried or defeated before il came to q
- vote. A pledge from Senator Pritchhrd,
therefore would amount to little since
ee he has openly and boldly declared him
self god-bug. xEfA
Senator-eect from the Eighteenth Sena-
r torial district. Mr.. Lyon lives In Bur
ham county and is the Populist leader~in
his section. He is a man Of considerable
property well connected and has much
influence Mr.. Lyon is an ardent silver
man and willing to 60 his whole length
to defeat Pritchard. He doesn't care
ss much how it is done He has full
blown contempt for the stateman from
Nolachrcky. his political methods and his
views on the financial question.
Notwithstanding the boasts of the
Republican managers said Mr.. Lyon,
II don't believe there is Popuiist mems
Der OF the Legislature that viii vote for
sJeter Pritchard or any other gold-bug
Republican, or Democrat either, as for
that matter, have received letters from
quite a IIsunber or them touching this
matter and have ret to hear from one
who says he will support any man who
is mot beyond all question a friend of
silver. As for pritchard, they have abs.
solutely no confidence in him since he has
han aorEv
tien and they are in favor of defeasing
F4 him at all hazards"
do yon think it possible for the Popn-
lists and the Democrats to come together
on this question when the Legislature
meetsY' was asked.
s II do conditionaly. | not only think
it possible, under certain circumstances,
M bat / think it very probable, if yos
Democrats are in earnest in your pro-
fessions of desire to- beat Pritchard.
AS for the Populsts, they are beginning
to awake to a full realization of the
power they have in their hands and he
is a foolish man, to put it mildly, who
thinks We are going to make the grave
mistake or throwing away this opportun-
S ity to elect United States Senator
~ "But the Republicans say you will
be breaking faith with them if you do
not vote for Pritchard,' / suggested
''Well that is not true. Pritchard was
the first to break faith. He deserted
us ia our time Of sorest need and went:
over to tie camp Of the gold men. That
released US from any obligation we might
have been under to again vote for him.
or any other Republican. His party
stands for gold. The Populist party
stands for silver, and will not support
anybody but free silver man.
1.-THE election of q Senator is, OF course
~ the most important thing to be done at
the approaching session Of the Legisia-
ture."
"Do you mind telling me whom
you are in favor of for the placer
- Not at all. 1t goes. without saying
that / am in favor Of aNstraight middle
of-the-road .populist Aud that Popu-
4 list is Mai William a. Guthrie. =
rs he candidate4
q - - don't know about that but / do
- know that his friends in the Legislature
will insist on him allowing his name to
be used in connection with the Senator
ship. And | say further, he will
have many strong supporters among the
Popnlists in that body. He is especially
strong among those elected in the Fifth
district where he lives, and in the middle
and western parts of the State. | also
have letters from some in the eastern
part Of the State telling me that they
would be glad OF chance to vote for
him.
"But will not his letter, written Just
before the election, and Chairman Ayers
subsequent fight against him, greatly in
jure Maj. Guthrie's chances in the Sena-
torial racer I asked.
"Not ut al" replied Mr.. Lyon, with
more emphasis than the question seem
ed to demand, "t viii help him. When
the members fully understand the result
49, -