The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-11-17
BUTLER ON PRlTCHARD.
LOOKS LIKE A FIGHT TO THE
FINISH.

The Junior Senator Writes Pritcharo
That He sas Changed His Views and
Now Belongs to the Cleveland Sher-
man Carlisle Crowd Tells Him PLAN"
ly That He t4as Deserted the Cause
of the People.
Elliott City, N. C. Nov. Ia, 1896.
Hon. J. G. Pritchard, Marshall, n. G.;
Dear Sir:-Yours Of November 9Th,
asking whether or not favored your cleo
tion to the Senate received. Who shall
he Senator is matter to be deter
named by majority of the members OF
the next Legislature, but If l were
member of that body / would not vote
for any man for Senator who favored the
gold standard, or whose position on the
financial question ESQ vital TO the welfare
of our people,, was uncertain or equlVo-
cal.
'syyben YOU were elected to the Senate
two years ago, you were as outspoken ana
as strong for the free and unlimited com
age of silver ut the ratio OF TO to l as
| or anyone else. You condemned the
gold standard as one Of the greatest curse
to our people and our country, you con-
demned Cleyeland's financial policy, and
especially Carlisle's policy in redeemlng
Treasury notes in gold alone. But to-day
Senator John Sherman, the arch leader
of the British gold conspiracy, says that
their hope OF capturing the next United
States Senate for the gold standard de-
ponds upon getting a Senator of their way
az thinking from both Kentucky and
North Carolina. 1t is understood that
they want to elect Carlisle from Ken
ts.cl1y and you from North Carolina.
Therefore, take it that you are no longer
for the free and unlimited coinage or
silver, at the ratio Of 16 TO I, but If you
are, then Sherman and Mark llama
mast be deceived as to your position.
Resides, if you have been correctly
reported by the newspapers, you have
In some Of your speeches admitted that
you have radically changed your views
Oh the financial question, which question
is ut all times the most important ana
vital one in this or any other government,
and which is especially so at this time IN
the United States. Again, You had pub
lished in the Winston Republican few
months a statement of your great change
on the money question. The article, which
the editor said he was authorized to pub
lish. and which you have never corrected,
stated that you would vote for free coin
age until March 4th, next, because you
were pledged to do so, but that after then
You would become sound money man.
THUS it seems clear that you have
decided to desert the people in this great
a. xAsSr n yfd
have gone over to the side of the money
changers, who bleed and Cypress the peo-
pie.
There is no longer any half way or
straddling ground in this contest. Every
man in Congress will have TO vote for the
free coinage OF silver and more full legal
tender money for the people, or he will
vote with the bankers, bondholders, spec
nlators and gold gamblers who live and
grow rich by making money dearer and
scarcer. II this is your position, then no
member OF the Legislature, who is not
himself q goidbug, can vote to send you
TO the Senate. You certainly cannot ex-
leet the vote of any Populist, neither
can you expect the vote Of any silver Re
publican, for when your State convention
passed a resolution approving your course,
v
had changed your views.
every man has right to change his
views on the money question, or other
question, whenever he has reasons suff1-
Gent for doing so, but he has no right
to complain if the people Of his State re-
fuse TO change their views because he
changes his.
Having radically changed your posi-
ton on the most vital issue before the
country to-day, and now holding new
views in conformity with those
of Sherman and Mark Hanna,
you would not represent the sen
timents and interests OF the peonle
Of North Carolina In the United States
Senate any more than did Senator Ran
som after he changed his views ON the
money question to conform with the views
of Cleveland and Carlisle.
''One vote may determine the position
Of the next United States Senate on the
money question. In fact. If YOU are elect
ed, or any man holding the new and for
eign views you have adopted, it will all
most surely give the bankers, bondhold-
ers and gold trust one majority in that
body and complete control Of every
branch of the Government. and this is
probably the reason why that class OF
men are now showing so much interest
and anxiety about your election.
1T is absolutely necessary for the peo-
pie to hold the United States Senate in
order TO check the further schemes Of the
nonopolists and contractionists. 10 do
this it is necessary for North Carolina
TO send free coinage and anti-monopoly
man TO the Senate. Therefore. / favor
The election who holds the same views on
the financial question that you held before
you changed.
Yours respectfully,
MARION BUTLER