The Charlotte Democrat., 1896-08-06
FOR ELECTORAL
FUSION.
The Executive Committee Declares
For Electoral Fusion With The
POpuliStS.

Many OF the Leading Politicians Deem it
the Thing to Do to Elect Bryan and
Sewell-There is Much Kicking Against
it, But it Will Come Anyway-Repub-
licans Are Badly Out of Line.
RALEIGH, Aug. 4.-The past week was
one full of political surprises. Had per>
son been told July 18th that the Demo-
cratic State committee would have practi-
cally repudiated the candidate for the
Vice Presidency by offering half the North
Carolina electoral vote TO the Populist
nominee. there would have been contemp>
tuous ridicule. But this has all happened.
There are newspapers which declare
that the sentiment OF the rank and file OF
the Democratic party is favorable to what
has been done. E. g. B. ddingfield de-
clared in a speech before the committee
that both Populists and Democrats de-
manded co operation. Ex Safe Chair
man F. M. S mmons cid me that it was
not worth while Tor anyone 10 at>
tempt to check this movement; that the
| people were bent upon co operating for
silver.
But there is a storm ct indignant pro-
| tests and hundreds of Democrats have
| been heard to declare that the pir,y has
lost more than it has gained by this pro-
posal for fusion. The times are out of
| Joint, these declare, and the Democratic
party, they assert, has lost at one sweep
it's backbone and its identity. They also
argue that if there must needs be fusion
WHY It is on the electoral ticket and not
on the State ticket. They regard the
latter as of far more Importance. But the
prevailing opinion was that it bad not the
| authority to take down and put on the
State ticket: 1t would be interesting to
know how it decided that it had the pow
er to make changes in the electors, the
more especially as one of its members said
twenty-four hours before it's action that
nothing could be or must be done until
Mr.. Bryan and National chairman Jones
had spoken.
| The Farmers Alliance meets August
10th, at Hilsboro The editor of the Of
fetal organ does not appear to be in line
with the Populists, and attacks the lat
ter's State committee for not changing
the date of it's convention from Aug. 18th
us requested, in order that it should not
conflict with the Alliance meeting.
D, L. Russell is out of spirits He
L
declares neither be nor the Mckinley
electors will come down or be taken down.
Some Republicans declare that If Russell
should come down their party would call
a convention and put up another man.
81. l.. Grant and q. z. French, two OF the
Republican leaders, say that the straig ig ht
Republican ticket will stand. They ex-
press amazement and disgust at the action
of James H. Young, colored, member OF
the Republican State committee, in de-
olaring for Bryan and Watson.
| But shake up of some kind in the Re
publican party seems imminent. There
is some tall story telling going on. Ons
not vote for Mckinley, others declare
that the negro vote is as solid IS wall
Who is right? Democrats believe that
the negro vote is solid. They do not
give the anti-Russell negro voting element
a voting strength of over $4,000 at the
outside.
The odds are against a joint canvass
this year and it is better that there should
be none. There are plenty of people W whc
could never see the reason why guberna>
torial candidates should travel over the
State and abuse each other. 1t is back.
woods idea, anyway this joint canvass
business
The meeting of the Democratic State
committee must have been dramatic iI
the extreme. Paul B Means was as US.
al q storm ceutre. He demanded to know
what electors would agree to come down
Three rose aud said they were ready te
do so it the committee said the word
This declaration was loudly applauded by
the 20 members of the committee who op
posed Means. So when q vote came only
Is. J. Pemberton, Gallert, of Rutherford
FL. c. Bourne of Edgecombe, and Lee O.
Person. Means became angry presently
and made threat to make public tht
proceedings of tho committee. Tnen Joe
Laug ugbinghouse, of Beaufort county; "reaC
the riot act" to him and there was
scene.
The broad statement was made thai
7. W. Mason, B. F. A, cock and G.. Fl
Brown, Democratic candidates for Lieu
tenant-Governor, Treasurer, and Associ-
ate Justice, had expressed a willingness.
to come down so Populists could be put
up, if the party thought best. But Mai
III. w. Wilson, as special friend Of Capt
Mason, denies that the latter ever sale
be would come down for Populist. Mr.
Aycock tells me he never offered to come
down; that if the committee asked him te
come down be would do SO.
Those on the inside in politics say the
most astute Democrat in the State i.
Judge A. G. Avery. His opinion, it is al
legged, is more valued than that of any
other man. Clement Manley, the new
State chairman, is very astute, but lacks
experience in politics on large scale.
The views of Populsts on the situation
conflict widely. Harry Skinner, for in
stance, declares that the PopuIists ar,
masters of the situation. while Buck
Kitchen says it is the democrats wbc
are masters. But since the action of tht
Democratic State committee in declaring
for fusion there are plenty of Democrat
who say that Senator Butler is in abso
lutte command of the situation.
Friday night and again Saturday Chair
man Manly called on Chairman Butler
and conferred concerning terms of fusior
| telectOrallv II waa nroud moment fo,