The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-10-06
FUSION IN THE STATE
HAS BEEN ALREADY ARRANGED
IN HALF THE COUNTIES.
Chairman Aver says here is no Breach
Between Maj. Guthrie and the
Populist Committee.

@fSNA'SA ~VttHi'tANNs
The Populists have fused with either
the Democrats on Republicans in about
half OF the counties of the State Iu
thirty three counties the Popuiists and
Republicans have agreed to cooperate
on the county and legislative candi-
dates, and in ten counties the Demo
Gratis and PopuEsts have nominated a
joint ticket.
OF these ten counties in which Demo
cratic-Populist fusion has been ar
ranged, five are i'm the Second Senate
rial district; the others are Forsyth,
Durham, Caswell, Person and Cumber-
land.
Fusion in Cumberland is, however,
not yet a certainty. 1t seems That the
publican and Populist committees
,.,t and made a partial agreement to
fuse. The Populists then met and
nominated their part of the ticket. In
the meant l5e, however, great opposi-
ton to cooperation with the Republ-
cans arose in the PopuIist ranks and
negotiations were opened with the
Democrats. The result of it was thar
the Democrats met last week and filled
out the ticket Now the Republicans
announce their intention of doing the
same thing, in accordance with their
agreement with the Populists. 1t
seems that the Populist end Of the
ticket viii be endorsed by both the
old parties, while for the places on the
other end there will be a free fight,
with the chances in favor of the side
to which a majority of the Populists
go. The Populists themselves are very
badly divided on the question and de
velopments are watched with interest
/ the present arrangement is continu-
ed and the Republicans fill out the
ticket as they now threaten to do, the
contest will result in the annihilation
of the Populist party and the align
ment of its members with one or the
other of the old parties.
In Forsyth county the Republicans
claim that they are able to defeat the
Democrats and Populists combined.
This, however, is proven false by the
desperate efforts of chairman Holton
and S. Ohio Wilson to effect combi-
nation with the Populists, Offering
them nearly everything in sight and
promising them much more.
In Durham county all the leaders of
prominence prefer to fuse with Demo
Gratis rather than Republicans and an
arrangement perfectly satisfactory to
both sides has been agreed upon by the
committees and ratified in convention.
But Chairman Aver says the rank and
file of the Durham Populists prefer to
flock with the Republicans and he
thinks they will yet find some way to
do so. He thinks they viii do this, even
at the sacrifice of Mai. Guthrie's
chances i'm the county.
just here Mr.. Aver was asked about
the rumOred breach between the Major
and the Populist State committee.
There is no breach" he said. "An
this talk is rot. The Major was here
this morning and he and | are as thick
as two peas in pod"
'Win there be an editorial in the
next issue of the Caucasian attacking
him, or taking him to task in any
way9"
Not that / know of. know of no
reason why there should be-"
What do you think of his reported
advice to Populists in the Fifth district
to vote for Kitchin rather than for
Dalby?"
"Wel. if he ever gave such advice I
think he is wrong. but that is matter
purely of personal opinion. He has as
much right to his opinion as l Ito mine.
But whenever I can find a Populist
nominee I'm going to vote for him in
preference to anybody else"
Even if by so doing you will elect
a goldbug?"
''Oh, well, that's all supposition."
''What did it mean by Guthrie's pub
fishing his appointments, over his own
name i'm the News and Observer? Many
seem ito think it was significant"
ut simply meant that he wanted
Democrats to come out to hear him,
and as / could not, as chairman, afford
to ask the favor of you, Maj. Guthrie
wrote and asked it. The Caucasian
has been publishing the same appoint
ments for the past three weeks. They
are not Mai. Guthrie's personal APP
pointments, they were made by the
committee for him."