The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-03-20
FUSION WITH DEMOCRATS
Tt Has Already Been Perfected
in One County.
An EQUAL DIVISION or OFFICE
Mo Surrender of Principal on Either
Side But Simply a Business
Proposition Made and
Accepted.

in one North Carolina county, at least,
and / am not at liberty to name the
county, there has practically been eff
fected a quiet fusion between the Popu-
lists and the Democrats. This informa-
ton comes to me to-day well-vouched
for in a way perfectly to be relied
upon. The Democrats are to have the
clerk. 8 member of the Legislature
and the treasurer.
The Populists made the proposition,
the two sides to have three offices each.
The Populists said they were tired of
their Republican mesalliance, and
wanted to come back home" They
were given to understand by the Demo
Gratis that the old organization could
not suffer itself to become disinteg-
rated on the basis of wildcat fusion
plans, but that the Popullsts who broke
off from their brethren in pet would
be welcomed back, and their coming
would be facilitated in every way be-
coming to the dignity of the old party.
This outline is no phantasm, but a we'll
defined and agreed-upon plan, the par
ticulars of which / shall be enabled
to give later. The gentleman who IS
my informant yentured to suggest that
each county, in its autonomy, had
perfect right to order its own choice
of legislators and other officers, and II
4be PopuIists came to the Democrats
in a brotherly spirit, there was no
reason they should not be received in
the same way The question of barter
r., .a1y of n 6iyIGinn
of Office was discussed, for there We're
some good Democrats present and II
was urged by some that there could
be no barter of principle where Doth
agreed upon the common principle OF
silver and furthermore upon the COM
mon principle of keeping the economy
of the States laws within the lines OF
the interests of those who IN the eyes
of the world have the destiny OF the
State most at heart. / ventnred to sug-
gest that the Populists as party were
not SO far away from the Democrats
as were the leaders of the Popuilsts.
1t matters not about this conference
or who were participants In 1T: my
aim here is to record only what has
happened in North Carolina as matter
of news. And / do say from indispu-
table authority that in one county OF
North Carolina, the Populists have
made advances to the Democrats as
suggested above, and that perfect
programme has been planned and
fusion perfected for the purpose OF
carrying out that programme. When
/ am able to give details. there may be
some surprises, but no one, doubtless,
will question the right of county Dem
ocrats within the county limits of their
party powers to welcome back to the
ranks those Populists who see
their only salvation in the Demo-
cratic party from which they have
been misled for the purpose of furnish
ing Office to office-seekers only.
The suggestion was furthermore
made in this company of gentlemen
that this meant the coming back of
these particular Populists to these
Democrats and that in two years the
two would be fully one again. If there
be any giving away of so-called secrets
here, ] give at least the news, so that
what is going on may be judged of by
all those interested. 1t may be that
the salvation of the State lay some
where within the lines drawn by this
county which i wish I could name.
A new book makes its appearance
on the news stands entitled. "a glance
at government" by Cicero w. Harris.
1t comprises short essays on the rise
and basis of government, the study
of politics, the unity Of sovereignty,
and the saving principle. Mr.. Harris
says it is the forerunner of a ((forth-
coming) History of the Sectional Strug-
gle, and writes q preface as follows:
"The first two divisions of this 'Frag-
ment of Government treat of govern
ment i'm general; the last three, of gov
ernmenta in the United States. The
whole is simply what it's title imports:
a Glance at Government
Mr.Harris is a gentleman of scholar
lv tastes and research and perfectly
sincere in his reflections, and he would
be poor North Carolinian who would
not wish him success both in this lit
tie "curtain-raiser" as well as in the
real drama Of the sectional struggle
which may yet come. Mr.. Harris, be-
sides being gentleman of literary at
tainments, is correspondent Of the
Charlotte Observer as well as of the
New Jersey Edition of the New York
Tribune, and the editors of each of
these papers know of his brilliant poll
tical duties in way to place him
among the foremost of Washington
correspondents. Success to him and
his work.
\
Yesterday MIR Cousins, Of Iowa,
made the great hit Of the session. He
was speaking against BaYard on the
ifnpea ch1nent resolution OF that Bath
erslxite Barrett from Massachusetts,.
Cousins is young, say 33, tall, with dark
thick hair. well-barbered and brown
eyes. He dresses carefully and talks
deliberately with artistic pauses which
he distributes we'll to guard against
''stop-orers" His intonations are
good. and in the midst of great passion,
ne is cute and cultured enough to use
calm, strong Saxon words instead of
flush, Latin words. Many speakers
would save themselves, if they but
knew this secret of eloquence. Then
his voice is musical, and he glided well