The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-10-29
DRIVEN FROM COVER
Maj. Guthrie's Card Exposes
Ayers Double Dealing.
THE CONSPlRATORS MEET
Then Wilson BUSHES OF to
Consult Holton.
WHAT THE GOLD8UGGERS SAY
Aver Makes a Vicious Reply to Maj.
Guthries Address and Tries 10
Drive Guthrie Out of
the Party.
THE coNsPlRAToRs MEET
WHAT THE GoLDsUoGERs SAY

the Party.
A thunder-clap from a clear sky may
be surprise, but it doesn't begin to
compare with the establishment and
Indignation that came to the little
! Populist and Republican leaders here
!! Yesterday morning when they read, in
| the News and Observer, Maj. Guthrie's
! address to the voters of the Peoples
! party. Chairman Aver was not sur
! prised because Maj. Guthrie gave him
! a copy of the address on the previous
| day. But the others were startled, as
! founded, that Populist leader, espe-
! cially the nominee for the highest of
flee in the gift of the people, should talk
of putting principle above party at this
stage of the game and ask the people
not to sacrifice free silver for the
sake of few paltry offices. No mat
ter how much the people endorsed
such utterances as these they were
reasonable and not to be allowed.
These leaders racked their brain to
prove Maj. Guthrie in the wrong, but
they have not yet been able to do so.
They began early in the day to say it
was "a mistake grave and serious
mistake on the part of Maj. Guthrie"
This was the opinoin expressed by
prominent Republican at the break
fast table. Later a Populist leader de-
nounceds it as a qualification of both
the man and his party" Ohio Wilson,
Hal Aver and Ramsey held a hurried
council of war in Ayers office and
it was decided to print Guthrie's letter
and Ayers reply to it in the Hayseed-
er and send it out broadcast all over
the State to try to counterfeit the in
huence of Maj. Guthrie's address.
When asked why they wished to
counteract the influence of the adj
dress they could give no satisfactory
answer. Chairman Aver said it was
because the result of Maj. Guthrie's
policy would be to sap the very life
and strength out of the Populist par
ty. Otho Wilson said it called for a
reply because it was an attempt to
deliver the party over to the Demo
Gratis. Chairman Holton is reported as
saying that he was the proper man to
make reply to ii and he would do so
in due time if the Populists would only
keep quiet. But the Populist traders
wouldn't keep quiet, they ran around
like ducks hit on the head with cob,
denouncing Guthrie with every
breath.
The meeting in Ayers Office broke
up. The conspirators separated breath
ing out threatenings and slaughter
against the head of their ticket. VIII
son went down to see Holton and
denounced Guthrie as a bolter Ram
sey went back to the Progressive Far
4. \
lost his influence anyway. Hal Aver
remained in his Office and wrote a
very long address in reply to Mai.
Guthrie in which he tells him he has
forfeited the confidence of the Peo-
pies party and in effect advises them
not to vote for him.
AYERS REPLY TO GUTHRIE.
After referring to the publication of
Maj. Guthrie's address, Aver says:
THE abuse of confidence is some
thing that can command no respect
| from the person or persons abused;
the betrayal of a trust calls for the
| unreseryed condemnation of those be-
| trayed."
He writes two columns reviewing
| the trade made with the Republicans
to elect gold-bugs, defends it as a means
of getting some silver men elected. He
concludes the remarkable reply by a
| summary which shows that Maj.
Guthrie's address, in which no mention
| was made of Aver, has cut the trafficer
to the quick. The little chair
man writhes under the influential ex-
posture of his dishonorable bargain to
elect gold-bugs to office. We quote:
Now, to conclude, Maj. Guthrie
| says: 1T gives me little concern what
the result as to my own election or de-
feat may be- Well, whem a man who
is honored with high trust by poll
| teal party, and whose fate and fortune
are to illustrate the fate and fortune
of that party, becomes Indifferent and
| unconcerned as to what becomes of
| him as a chosen leader, there is good
| reason TO believe that he cares nothing
| for those who selected him to lead them
| forward. When this becomes appar-
| ent, it is time to withdraw the conf
dence and rescind the honors which
| have been so unworthily and unhappily
centered upon him.
ITO briefly summarize the unauthor-
lied surrender by Maj. Guthrie to the
Democratic party, there is this to say:
First. He vilely insults his party
and the members of the State com
| mittee.
Second. He bolts the action of his
State convention in certain cases; he
bolts the action of his own Congress
sional district convention, and also the
| action of his Judicial district conyen-
ton.
Third. He pleads that Populists
will vote for Democrats, but nowhere
pleads that Populist shall vote for a
Populist.
Fourth. He declares he cares moth
ing about the results of the greatest
compliment and honor that the Peo-
PIES party State convention could be-
stow on any man, and this gives the
members of the party a full right to
~ st1s IoA1 Hoo eF