The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-09-08
HAS PEARSON MADE HIS TRADEq
Guthrie Continues to Fight Him-Did
Strowd Swap Votes With Pritchard
In Randolph Some Notes of
the Situation.


Mr.. HarlSins, who was the Republi-
can candidate for Mayor of Asheville.
last spring, and was defeated by Cooke,
rs IN the city. He brings some inter
estlng newsabout political situation
IN the Ninth district, and talked 'out
IN meeting" some plsns when the man
ayers have been trying to keep dark.
he tod a colored citizen whom he
6hought he could talk to without it's
getting in the papers, that A LAST
Richmond Pearson had consummdted
his deal, on which he has been work
ing for two months, and as the result,
Populist nominee for Congress would
soon be named in the Ninth district.
1t has been known to the Democrats for
a month that Pearson was willing to
pay a good round sum to the PopuliSt
campaign fund if they would put UP a
sham fight and a decoy candidate in
the Ninth district. Pearson has been
so desperate about this that he has
taken two courses:
/. To apply through the official chan
nels, making promises and offers to
Chairman Aver and others in charge
of the party.
2. Trying to get the help of the
county Populists independently of the
State committee, and doing it in way
that has not been pleasing to the lead
ers of the Populist party. He s said
to have boosted that the Republicans
would have the Populists to help them,
even if they had to turn down Butler,
Guthrie, Aver and all the leaders.
In his speech at Rutherfordton last
Friday, Major Guthrie voiced the SEN
timents of the better class of Populists
with reference to Pearson, when he
said:
II want to warn my Populist
friends against voting for gold
bug for Congress, or for a man for
the Legislature who will vote for
goldbug for United States Senator.
I want to tell my Populist friends
in Rutherford county and in the
Ninth district that they hold the
balance of power, anditis their du-
ty as true silver men to vote forhon-
est Joe Adams of BuncomIbe coun-
TN, against that goldbug candidate,
Richmond Pearson, who is to-day
going all over North Carolina try
ing to foment strife in the ranks
of the Populist party. lie is not
the friend OF you Peoples party
men. and you should not give him
a Peoples party vote in this dis
trict."
Query: Is Harkins right? Has Pear
son succeeded in his trade? 1t So
Major Grthrie's remarks indicate that
at least the Major was not party TO
the sell out to the goldbug Duke.
News reached Raleigh yesterday
that the basis for fusion between the
Republicans and Populists in RAN
doIph was that the Republicans should
support Stromd for Congress. The
Populists say that not only did the
Republicans of Randolph agree to sup
port Strowd. but made bargain with
Senator Pritchard by which Massey is
to be taken off. whether he wants to
come off or not. and Strowd substitute
ed. AS part of this trade, so the he
publicans claim, Strowd is to deliver
to Pritchard the Popnlist legislators
from the Fourth district, and is to in
.erest himself to secure fusion in all
.hc counties. This is the news that
came We shall know later on how
true it is. If the Populist nominees for
the Legislature fail todenounce Pritch-
ard from the stump that may be taken
as evidence of its truthfulness. Ii they
do come out for Pritchard, or keep ST
lent they will hear from Major Guth-
rie in tones Of denunciation. He said
at Rutherfordton Friday:
Il warn you to be careful who
you vote for to go to the Legisla
ture. Vote for no man until he
pledges you that he will not vote
for Jeter Pritchard, or any other
goldbng for the United States SEN
ate"
If the Populist leaders have made
this trade, there are hundreds of Popu-
lists who will join Palmer, of Ran