The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-12-13

lapel Of the coat and put his face close
UP to mine, had ii not been for the
course pursued by Major Guthrie in that
campaign the Popuists would net now
he the absolute masters OF tie entire
situation that they are. The Republicans
were counting on getting q majority or
the Legislature and but for MAJ. Guth-
RE they would to-day have had it and
pritchard's election been certainty.
What then would have been the result !
tThe Republicans swould have snapped
their fingers in our faces, the Democrats
would have pitied us and between the
two the very life would have been ground
out Of the Populist party.
1T will not be long before the true
populists OF North Carolina win find
ont that Mai. Guthries course was not
| only the dictate of sound party policy,
but really the only patriotic course toebe
pursued and be true to the party. There
can be no doubt on this point. His
standing by the principles of the party,
and urging the voters to do likewise,
caused the defeat of enough Republicans
and pobulists who were pledged TO
pritchard to defeat his re-electionE
.'Just reflect n moment and see. how
it resulted here in my own, the Fifth
Congressional district. / refer that
especially because / am familiar with, it,
lii was entirely through Mai. Guthrie'S
influence that we were enabled TO defeat
Tom Settle and elect Il free silver man
to Congress in his place
SIN Durham county we send free
silver Democrat to the House instead of
Mr.. n. L. Duke, tobaeco-trust gold
bug-Pritchara Republican Mr.. Duke
represents the Duke cigarettes orsA4neri-
can Tobacco Trust which the Popuhsts
of this section. Who grow tobacco ON their
farms. have been denounoing for years
Ought we to have fused with the Anleri-
can Tobacco Company and sent Mr.
Duke to the House to vote for Pritchard
and fight for trusts and turned down Mr..
Umstead, our Durham county represen-
tative-eleets who, though ealing himself
Democrat, is really a consistent free
silver anti-monopoly farmer, and repre-
sents what all true Populists are fight
in for? And it would have been done
but for Maj Guthrie's influence.
In the counties of Orange and Per-
son we send n Populist and free silver
Democrat instead of two Republicans,
by fusing with the Democrats. DIR.
Merritt also goes to the Senate from
Person. He is Populist endorsed by
the Democrats in that district.
In Rockingham county we also get a
Senator and member Of the House by
fusion between Democrats and Popuiists.
Capt. Parker, a free silver Democrat,
and i, populist. go to the Senate from
the Eighteenth Senatorial district, in
stead of Jim Cheek, of Orange, a gold
bug Pritchard Republican, and Wilker-
son. protested Populist from Durham.
| Wilkerson, You know, was put up against
| me hy Chairman Aver. ! was the regu-
| lar Poplilisti nominee. / was nominated
and Capt Parker endorsed at a regular
convention Of the Peoples party, held at
HiIlsboro, and Chairman Ayers eandi-
date, Col. Wilkerson, was never nomi-
mated by any convention OF any party,
nor endorsed by anybody except Chair
| man Aver.
II might go further on this line and
give you still more particulars, but you
are as familiar with the situation In
other sections as / am. There are many
other counties in the middle and western
sections OF the State which were can
yassed By Mai Guthrie, and where it Is
manifest that had be not pursued the
| course he did, and had the Populists
not had the good sense and patriotism
to stand by the policy which he advocated,
the result would have been quite differ
ent. TO sum it all up, enough Pritchard
men would have been elected to have
| put him back in the United States Senate
and left the Populists no fighting ground
to stand upon. As it is, the Populists
will All stand together, and | believe they
viii we will need but . Democratic
votes ont Of AZ to elect q Senator from
/ our OWN ranks, one who will stand by
silver and financial reform generally
throughout his whole term Of six years.
1t would be a great mistake for the
Populists now to throw away this op-
portunity.'
but the question IS, suggested,
show many Populists are going to desert
the party and support Senator Pritchard
Of some other gold-bug&
As I said III the beginning, | am en-
couragea from letters received from
! many Populist members OF the next
| General Assembly that no gold-bug can
be elected to fill Pritchad's vacancy. I
haye yet to hear from a member who is
| in sfavor of PritcIard's reelection.
'"The action of the Legislature at it's
| coming session, not only upon the Sena-
| torship, butsupon other matters of vital
| Importance, will shape the destiny OF the
| Peoples party in North Carolina. To
| throw away our opportunity and elect
q Republican, since that party has taken
| the position it has on the money question,
il TO utterly destroy our organization
| ooLoRED EDUCATORS ORGANIZE
j ~ T:4- Qua f.a 80 c,t