The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-02-06
He Gives His Reason For Fav-
oring Fusion.
REPLY TO THE CAUCASIAN
1t is a Matter Both of Policy
and Principle.
THINKS BUTLER HAS CHANGED
The Wood Letter in the News and OBJ
server Opened His Eyes as to
the Position the Wayne
Senator.
Washington. y. C., Feb. 4, 1896.

10 Tile CulbOf.t llSTeWtlH thIlOSI
a copy of letter which / have address
ed to the editor of the Caucasian, with
the request that he print it III this
weeks issue of his paper.
Will you do me the kindness TO pub
lish this copy in the News and Obser
yer. With best wishes, | am,
Sincerely yours,
j. c. PRITCHARD.
The letter referred to above is as
follows:
Editor Caucasian; You asked edi-
torially in the Caucasian of last week,
why Senator Pritchard favors CO.
operation at all if the Republican party
is in the majority in the State, and can
therefore elect a Republican ticket"
] beg to make brief reply
favor cooperation on National and
State tickets as matter of policy and
principle. Policy, because it is one
certain way to defeat the Democratic
party in the next State election.
Principle, because the election this
year involves the question of self pres
ervation and the establishment of local
self-government in the State in ac-
cordance with the provisions OF the
laws enacted by the last legislature.
This is question of transcendent inn
portance to every Republican and
Populist alike throughout the State.
The election of a straight Republican
State and Legislative ticket would eff
fectuate this result, but it has been my
understanding since the election of
the State Fusion ticket in 1894, and is
still my understanding, that the great
body of the rank and file of both par
ties TO cooperation in that the great
body of the rank and file of both
parties to cooperation in that election
desire its continuance in 1896. Ger
tainly that was Senator Buffers in
depreciation at the time of his nomi-
nation by the joint caucus in Raleigh.
In accepting the nomination Senator
Butler said that to show that he and
his party We're not selfish in taking the
long term that they intended 10 CO.
operate in 1896 with the Republican
party thereby giving us eight years in
the Senate while they only got six
year term. ] understood that coop
GRAFTON was entered into in 1894 with
the express understanding that each
party was to maintain its identity,
that neither party was required 10
abandon its organization, in word it
was to be an honorable cooperation,
this is as far as | agreed 70 go then, and
/ wish it distinctly understood once
and for all that this is as far as |
am willing to go now. / favor such
cooperation on the electoral tick
ct between the Populists and Re-
publicans, that is, the naming of so
many Republican electors unequivocal-
Nv pledged to the nominee of the st.
Louis Republican convention, and so
many pledged to vote for the nominee
of the Populist convention. The Re-
publican party of North Carolina will
never consent to abandon it's organi-
cation and vote for a free silver indie
pendent electoral ticket. It seems
that Senator Butler has changed his
opinion since he was elected, but not
until the publication of the Wood cir
cular. did j know that systematic
effort was being made TO create an
anti-fusion sentiment in the Peoples
party If that has succeeded, ! am
misinformed. Ny correspondence on
that subject, which is voluminons and
daily increasing and open to the in
spection of those interested in the mat
ter, convinces me that the dominant SEN
tinent in the State among Republicans
and Populists is Democratic defeat in
1S96-not the injection into the cam
paign of new issue, which must nee
essarilv cause friction, bad feeling and
possible disaster. To avoid this great
peril In the coming election, / have adj
vocated openly and honestly division
of the electoral ticket. This position
has subjected me to persistent censure
and criticism by some members OF my
party 1t has not changed my conVIc-
ton nor my determination 10 main
tain the political alliance which is in
yincible against Democratic OPPOSE
ton, provided we can have such an al
lance on honorable terms.
The statement made by me in the
Senate. that the State is Republican
and has been since the war, is no new
statement of a generally conceded and
established fact Reference was not
made to it in any spirit Of boast
ing. or any feeling of resentment
towards our Populist friends and
allies. who had hitherto voted the
Democratic ticket. | have never any
where minated that the great bulk oi
the Democratic voters participated III
the election frauds which have been
so skillfully perpetrated by Demo
cratic ringsters and bosses III certain
sections of North Carolina. Tn the
other hand / am clearly of the opinion
that thousands of Populists who had
temporarily left the Democratic party
in 1892 were completely alienated from
the Democratic party by the out
rageous treatment which the PoPuilst
party received at the hands of Demo
cratic election officials in 1892. IT was
this feeling of utter helplessness ON
the part of all those who were opposed
to the Democratic party owing to the
unjust election laws and the manner
in which they were administered that
first gave rise to the sentiment OF co
operation which resulted in the over
throw of the Democracy in 1894.
honor the brave men who compose the
Peoples party in North Carolina Tor
their courage and patriotism in sepa
rating themselves from the Demo-