The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-04-02
PoPULIsT GOVERNOR
Populist. Legislature and7 Free
Silver Senator.
AND NO GoLDsUG NEED APPLY
The PopuIist Leader Issues a Circular
Letter to His County Chairmen
Giving His Views on Co
operation.
News and Observer Bureau,
Metropolitan Hotel,
Washington, ID. c., April ].


| have just gotten hold of Senator
Buffers latest circular. It was sent out
to-day to the chairmen of Peoples par
ty committees of the different counties
Of North Carolina, and is as follows:
Ny Dear Sir: The letters which /
have been receiving from every quar-
ter of the State are almost unanimous
in saying that our people win never
agree to cooperate on the electoral
ticket unless the Republicans agree to
make common fight against the gold
bugs. But am now receiving NUM-
ber of letters with reference to State
and county cooperation. This is
matter that needs the most deliberate
and careful consideration of our peo-
ple If the Republicans refuse to ac-
cept our proposition to make a CO..
operative. fight with each elector
pledged not to vote for gold-bug, but,
ON tile other hand, insist on support
ing gold-bug for the Presidency, then
/ cannot see how we can very well
cooperate with them on the State
ticket. To have one-half of the State
ticket eanvassing the State and adj
vocating, on every stump, the election
of gold-bug President, and the other
half Of the same ticket canvassing the
State. and often speaking from the
same stump, denouncing gold-bugs,
and advocating the election of man
for the Presidency who was just the
opposite, would be one of the most
inconsistent spectacles ever seen in
American politics If we can afford
to do this, then we can equally as Well
afford to vote for gold-bug electors
direct 1T was to prevent such con-
dition of things as this that caused
me to favor the non-partisan anti-
gold-bug electoral ticket, so that we
could cooperate and all of us could
vote the same electoral ticket and lave
no friction on that line.
But. if we should find some consis
tent way to cooperate on the State
ticket, one thing is clear and certain,
and that is, that the Peoples party has
the right TO name the Governor, and
should contend, absolutely for this
right. The Republicans got nearly
twice as much out of the last co-opera-
tive fight as we got. The offices which
they got amount to over one hundred
thousand dollars more in salaries than
those we got. Then how absurd it
would be to give them both the Sena-
tor and Governor for the privilege OF
cooperating with them this year. Be
sides. if the Republicans should elect
the President, and we should agree for
the Republicans to name the Governor
hi North Carolina, then think of what
d condition we would be I'D as party.
The state would not only be oyer-run
with Republican revenue officers and
other Federal office-holders, but the
prestige and influence of Republican
Governor, in addition, would almost
crush us and our principles out OF
sight.
AS to county cooperation. you know
the situation in your county better
than do; but 1T does seem 10 me that
it is entirely too early TO be committing
ourselves as to the terms of county CO
operation 1t will not be necessary to
hold county conventions and nominate
candidates until next August or Sep
tember. and many things may trans
pire between now and then. There rs
every indication that there are great
political changes ahead OF us. We Ger
tainly will be able to act more wisely
next August than we can now, and
probably to much better advantage;
and. besides, the Republicans will be
lust as anxious for cooperation then
ais they are now, and it is very probable
that they will be even more anxious, II
possible In short, ! do not think u
wise TO commit ourselves IN any man
ner until after the two old party con
yentions are held. The present cond-
ton of affairs is very favorable to US.
1t seems that Providence is at work TO
bring things our way. We now occupy
a commanding position. Both old par
ties know that they are wrong and
they know equally as well, that we are
right. We are gaining strength stead
ily, and each dayour prestige increases.
WHY should we check all this by hastY
and probably unwise action this early?
The Democrats would be very glad to
see us make a deal with the Republi
cans as early as possible, so as to stop
our growth and enable them to hold
their rank and file in line. We have
everything TO gain and nothing to lose
by standing firm and awaiting deyel-
opments, until the two old parties go
on record IN their national conventions.
But the Republicans all over the State
are extremely anxious to get our people
committed to some terms or conditions
as soon as possible. Word has gone out
from their headquartersao this effect:
and the very reasons that prompt them
to hasty action should prompt us not
to act hastily, but to await until the
time comes to act. In every county in
the State the Republican county com
mittees are urging our people to have
Il conference with them, and to lay