The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-02-06
SENATOR PRITCHARD'S NOTE OF
DEFIANCE TO HIS COLLEAGUE.

When our Washington correspond
ent, one day last week, announced that
there was a radical difference between
senator Butler and Senator Pritchard,
and that the Populist Senator would
not support his Republican colleague
/ for reelection, there were not a few
/ who doubted the accuracy Of the in
| formation.
| An well-informed men expected the
| separation TO come soon or late, but
| that the two Senators had already set
up hostile camps was not along the
line of public expectation. But Il
turns out to be even as stated eNelu-
sively in these columns last week. II
any evidence were lacking it is fur
nished in Senator pritchard's letter,
published to-day. 1t is in the nature
of an appeal to the Populists to over
ride Senator Butler and stand by what
pritchard claims was an agreement to
continue Fusion long enough to give
him full six years term in the Sen
ate. The shrewdest thing in the letter
is his appeal TO the sheritfs and regis
ters of deeds and other county officers,
who were elected in 1894, TO stand by
cooperation. the Senator making this
bid TO their selfishness.
Senator Pritchard's letter, following
closely on Senator Buffers address,
makes the issue between them clear
and distinct
The Populist Senator declares, along
the line of the w II. Kitchin and M.
l.. Wood letters, that the only reason
for cooperation in 1894 having passed
away. the great overshadowing is
sues that present themselves for solu-
ton are national ones, and among
these the greatest and by all odds the
most momentous to our future liberty
and prosperity is the financial ques-
ton"
Senator Pritchard not only takes
issue with his colleague, but virtually
ridicuIes the stress laid upon the
money question, saying: I'm all seri-
BUSINESS how insignificant is the ma
tional money problem as compared
with self-goyernment, etc" If he had
sought in all the vocabulary to have
found words more insulting to his col
league than to have said that the
issue declared to be 1.-The great over
shadowing and the most momentous'
is insignificant and "unimportant,"
he could not have found more often
siye words. 1t is as if to say to Sena-
tor Butler: You are big fool to make
a big issue out of an insignificant
question"
insignificant and unimportant' as
compared to what? TO whether the
people shall have home rule, honest
elections, local self-government and
unqualified suffrage"-eyery one of
which the people now enjoy and have
always enjoyed, and neither one of
which is in jeopardy except from the
danger of Republican control.
Senator Pritchard got an Office by
going over the State and declaring
that silver coinage was THE GREAT
QUESTION. He is now instructed by
Mckinley, whom he is championing
for President, to quit talking silver as
it will injure the chances of the Re-
publican party, and he now declares it
to be INSIGNIFICANT AND UNIM-
PORTANT That is his declaration to
the Populists that he is more anxious
to restore the rule of 186S-'69 in North
Carolina than 10 secure a reform in
the financial system, which they have
from the first declared to be "the
most momentous," and great over
shadowing issue" The honest Popu-
lists know that Pritchard and like Re
publicans would have made the last
Legislature another orgy like that OF
1868 it, the Populists had not held
them back. And to pretend that such
degradation Of the State is so desira-
able as to make "the national money
problem insignificant and unimpor-
tant" when compared to it, is an i'm
suit to the intelligence Of the most
illiterate Populist in the State.