The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-11-27
AY ELECTION RETROSPECT.

There is no doubt that the electou was
not in Ill respects fair,and wherever there
has been fraud or unfairness it has been
against the Democratic party. Many
have voted who were not entitled 10
vote. In many instances the ballot boxes
have been stuffed. There is ground for
the suggestion, that, if the cleo
ton had been absolutely fair, Watson
and Mason would have been returned
az elected by small plurality
But the majority for the candidates
on the State ticket or where the Kepub-
licans and Populists fused ,show,that the
combined strength of the forces, as now
allied of the two parties is stronger than
the Democratic party by at least thirty
thousand. This is serious reflection, and
II is not from a mere partisan stand
point. The number of Populists engaged
in this alliance can not exceed thirty-tiye
thousand. The vote of the combine ag-
sregates in round cumbersome hundred
and eighty-fye thousand Deduct
from this ten thousand for fraudulent
votes and votes counted that were never
really legally cast, and you will still nave
one hundred and seventyfve thousand
Deduct from this the Popuhst vote of
thirty-fve thousand, and we have one
hundred and forty thousand Republi-
cans. just four times as many Republi-
cans as Populists.
The Republicans have plurality i'll
the General Assembly. They made liber-
al concession to the Populists in respect
of the allowance to them of members of
the Legislature. This was done for the
purpose of giving the better assurance
that the Populists would stand by flu
sion to the end,o which the Republicans
were very uncertain for some time after
the adoption of the Chicago platform
and the nomination of Bryan. 1t
will be discovered, however, that the Re
publicans were careful to control wher-
ever they could do so, the selection of the
Populists who were. nominated for the
Legislature. In some instances Populists
after they had been nominated were tax
en- down and others selected, because
of the refusal of the Republicans TO give
their support When we consider that of
the voters who elected the Populists to
the Legislature, a large majority were
Republicans we would fail to make prop
err allowance for the natural effect Of
things, If we did not assume, that the
independent force of the Populist portion
of the General Assembly viii not be
equal to what would, in normal eondi-
tions, be the measure of expectation from
their numerical strength.
SO it would be impossible for any one
to forecast what would be the course
of the Populist portion of the General
Assembly, in respect Of those questions
which as between the Republican and
Democratic parties are differentiating
ones.
But beyond this there are other con
siderations that give anxiety to every
true North Carolinian The Republi-
can party upon certain problems has
adopted a view which strikes at the very
life and integrity of our social and civic
life in this State That they will
control absolutely the policy Of
the fusion forces, is true according to
every rule OF moral or physical force.
The hope OF the State is in the sug-
gestion that the Populists or a considera-
bile number of them viii continue in this
association.
1t is urged that we have no hope in that
direction for the reason, that the past
election, by the intense issue on the fl
nancial question and which divided them
upon the presidential vote, put upon the
cord Of their fusion the seyerest
strain possible, and that it severed that
That is true, but we should remember
rs in part explaining that, that when
the parties entered into the arrange
ment for cooperation two years ago, it
was contemplated by some of them that
the arrangement should continue-past
this presidential election. Again, be-
fore the Chicago convention met and
came out squarely for silver and nomin-
ated Bryan, the Populist and Republicans
in many sections of the State had practi-
calIy agreed upon fusion for members
of the General Assembly and county of
ficers And it had been fayorably dis
cussed between the leaders of the two
parties, that there should be cooperation
or fusion on the State ticket if not on
the Congressional ticket. The evidence
of that is that the Republican State con-
vention which met in April, left places
upon their ticket to be filed by the Pop
ulists. We do not believe that if the
Populists had not been Influenced by some
such consideration as these, they would
ever, after the issues were made up be-
tween the Republican party and Demo
cratic party, have co-operated with the
Republican party. We are OF those who
believe that there will come a time not
far distant, when there shall be a union
of the good people Of this State to save it
from the rule of Republicanism.
BE THANKFUL IT is NO WORSE"