The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-08-30
POPULlSTS FOR SILVER
{ Can the Populists Stultlty
Themselves?
EXTRACTS FROM CAUCASIAN
And Other Populists Sources Oeciar-
ing Against Prilchard and Fus"
ion With the Gold
Bugs.


publicans and Populists?
Two years ago it was claimed that
fusion was effected to secure repeal
of thc election and county government
laws. Both were accomplished, and
although the Republicans have been
q, pressing the Populists to fuse again,
lupoa such a division of the spoils as
give the Republicans both the Governor
and the Senator, the Populists have de-
clarcd: I'VE are opposed TO cooperate
ing with those who have no principles
but who simply want our votes to help
them 10 the pie counter" This was be-
fore the Republican State and National
conventions met, and before the declar-
ations in favor of the gold standard.
These two conventions passed reso-
buttons which make it absolutely inn
possible for the Populsts and Repub-
licans to fuse without abandonment
of the principle that is the chief issue
an the campaign. In it's State platform,
the Republicans, not certain then that
they would have to advocate the single
gold standard, passed a straddling res
,olution in these words:
I'VE favor the use of gold and
silver as standard money, and the
restoration of silver to its func-
tien and dignity as money
metal"
1t also declared that, "inasmuch as
every intelligent man in every party
comedies McKjnley's election, II men
who voted together in 1894 ought
TO cooperate in 1896. 1t then proceed
ed to nominate a man for Governor,
who had bought up the delegates, by
defeating Doekery, who had been the
party leader for twenty-five years. So
fragrant was the corruption in that
convention that the Caucasian, in its
next issue, said:
THE Republicans have been
~'vhooping her up for honest cleo
tions; have been crying out for an
honest ballot and fair count, and
vet the very first thing they did in
: the convention was to begin to
filch and steal votes from among
themselves. Good Lord deliver Us
from any such honest ballot and
fair count system as this"
Fane Republicans still did not give up
an attempt to secure a fusion upon
spoils, and left open certain places
upon their ticket for the Populists to
fill. In the meantime the Republican
National convention met, and for the
first time in the history of the party,
declared: I'VE are opposed to the free
coinage of silver" and "the existing
gold standard must be preserved" This
was a declaration that made it i'm
possible for the Populists to have any
thing further to do with the Repub-
aicans withoutToing over to the party
that openly antaganized the free coin
age of silver. The impossibility OF
: honorable fusion was made more clear
: when at the National Populist conven-
ton in St. Louis, this resolution was
adopted:
We demand the free and I'M
restricted coinage of gold and sill
ser at the present legal ratio Of 16
10 4, without waiting for the con
sent of foreign nations"
This declaration was ratified and
confirmed in the Populist State con-
vent ON which named a free silver tick
et. utting upon it for Lieutenant-Goy-
elnor Oliver H. Dockery, whom Rus
sells henchmen and hirelings had
che~1ed out of the Republican nomina-
ton for Governor.
The Republicans still resolved to
effect fusion by force, now that fusion
on principle was no longer even talked
about, met and endorsed the Populist
nominee for Lieutenant-Goyernor
Treasurer, Secretary of State, and Su-
sperintendent of Public Instruction
This they regarded as a fine piece oil
good politics. Now that Dockery has
declared himself against Mckinley
and in favor of Bryan fol
president. Watson for Vice-President
and against the gold standard, do they
still so regard it? When the news O.
Dockery SOLICITATIONS reached Raleigh
last night, the Republicans at head
quarters were dumbfounded AfteI
they got their voice sufficient 10 speak
they said it would amount to moth
ing ''DockerE is a back number
anyhow" and tried to underestimate,
the influence of the man they hay,
worshipped as leader for twenty five
years How can the Republicans vote
for man for Lieutenant Goyerno
sho attaclls Mckinley, Russell and the
gold standard ON the stump? How
can there be fusion between two force.
so antagonistic?
Put. aside from the two platform.
OF the TWO parties, niic1 aGe d.ame
tricalIy opposed, the Republican Stat,
F. etise Committee, at its meeting
oa l5ta, resolved to heartily
endorse the action of the National Re
publican convention" in nominating
Mckinley and Hobart, "and herebJ
pledge our earnest support of then
Af ,,,-tr1 ri