The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-11-17
SENATOR BUTLERs CLEAR RING

we publish elseWnefes Sopieo AhOA 49,
Progressive Farmer, letter written By
Senator Butler to Senator Pritchard that
will cause more talk than any letter that
hos boon written in North Carolina since
Senator yancc's letter denouncing the re-
neal Of the Sherman act. In fact, TINS
letter of Senator Buffers follows the line
Of the late Senator Vance's latest dellY-
erances on the money question. 1T rings
clearly and without equivocation, and will
be approved by every free silver man
in the State, and will be as strongly con-
demned by every gold man.
The reelection of Senator Pritchard by
the coming Legislature, majority of
the members of which proclaimed on the
stump that the continuation of the gold
standard was robbery of the people, would
be as transparent an act of selling out to
the goldbugs as was the betrayal Of the
American cause by Benedict Arnold. 1t
is fortunate for the people that though
they lost the Presidency, the corruption
fund OF Mark Hanna could not buy the
electoral vote Of North Carolina and could
not elect gold majority to the Legisla-
ture. 1t now remains to be seen whether
Senator Pritchard, standing on the gold
platform and backed by Mckinley, can
override the will of the people OF North
Carolina and induce legislators to make
the United States Senate gold body.
His friends say that by the free promise
OF Federal patronage and otherwise he
can get enough Populist votes to secure
his election. But as every Populist elect
ed promised on the stump to "abide by
the Populist caucus" it will be impossi-
BILE for Pritchard to get any Populist help
unless we believe that a majority of the
Populist legislators can be bought with
the promise Of Federal Offices. Senator
Pritchard will need not less than fifteen
Populist votes to secure his election.
As all will go into caucus, it will be
seen that he cannot win unless he can get
majority of the~Populist voters in the
Legislature, unless, indeed, he can per-
shade fifteen legislators to bolt their par
ty and join the Republican party. The
experience Of the past shows that the
North Carolina Populists have been strict
party men, and that chose who have not
supported the caucus or conventions have
been destroyed politically.
The strongest point in Senator Buffers
letter is the following extract:
Zone vote may determine the po-
sition of the next United States SEN
ate on the money question. In fact,
il you are elected, or any man hold
ing the new and foreign views you
have adopted, it viii almost surely
give the bankers, bondholders and
gold trust one majority in that body,
and complete control of every branch
of the government, and this is proba-
bly, the reason why that class of men
are now showing so much interest and
anxiety about your election.
at is absolutely necessary for the
people to hold the United States Sem
ate in order to check the further
schemes of the monopolists and con-
tractionists To do this, it is neces-
sary for North Carolina to send
free coinage and anti-monopoly man
to the Senate"
This sums up the issues that viii con-
front the members Of the coming Leg
isIature. One vote may determine the
control of the United States Senate. The
man who, under this situation, would vote
for Pritchard or any other gold man,
will write himself down in the history of
the State as either an advocate of the gold
standard or a Hannaized Republican,
with the Doodle or the promise of office
in his pocket 1t matters not whether he
is Democrat, Pepulist or a Republican.
1t win be all the same
No man who believes in silver can
fail to stand true at this crisis. The ac-
ton Of the North Carolina Legislature
will control the financial legislation Of
the United States Senate for the next
six years. He who is false now, will
be traitor of national reputation.