The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-02-26
A WARNING TO POPULIsTs
Thinks the New Political Babe
Can't Live.
cRlTlcisEs PROPOSED SLATE
SAYS the Populist Party is 10000
Strong, Holds the Balance of Power
and Can Afford to be
Independent.

inst. from Washington City, that cer-
tain Democrats and Populists are
there in conference TO 'Saye the
State" and that it seems to be agreed
that there shall he cooperation in the
coming campaign between these two
political parties, and that certain gen
tlemen are to have certain offices. What
a picture this is for the free, indepen-
dent and hberty-loving people OF our
State to look upon! According to this
dispatch ten or dozen self-constltu-
ted leaders meet together at the Fed
eral capital. consult and determine
who shall occupy the great offices of
our State. is this a Republican, Dem
ocratic or Populist government in
which the people-the great common
people-are the soyereigns, or is it
monarchial or autocratic government
in which few dictate to the people
who shall rule over them? Has il
come to pass that the people of North
Carolina are not free to choose their
own public servants, but must wait IN
suspense tia the great and self-consti-
IuIGu 1GdtEIS CttlL lIlt4 II AC1ifNAAASA0 ~
confer together at the Federal capital
and then in their own good time an
nounce to the political parties to which
they belong on what line OF policy
the next campaign shall be fought, and
what persons shall be voted for to
serve the people in the next two, four
or six years2
Is it of any consequence to us, the
I. ha-
less. thanks TO the blood and treasure
of our forefathers, the soFereigns and
masters of North Carolina, what Chair
man. Honorable and Colonel So-and-
so, as they slipped their sparkling wine
and smoked their fragrant cigars had
determined as to the policies OF the
great parties of which they had the
honor to be members, and whom the
people should have the privilege of en-
dorsing as our public servants?
/, who have the honor to be one OF
the people, one of the many thousand
sovereigns of this State, loving liberty
and equality, and honestly and sin
cereIy believing in the great immortal
watchword of the Peoples Party,
Equal rights to all. special privileges
to no4e,n take the liberty of sounding
the alarm rs loudly and as emphati-
cally ms know how against this fash
ion of going to the Federal capital TO
consult and determine upon the inter-
ests. aspirations, hopes and welfare or
the people OF North Carolina. Neither
all the political wisdom nor all the
patriotism of our State abides in the
marble halls and decorated walls Of
Fame's proud temple. There IS yet
enough here on North Cardinals pro-
life soil to direct, manage and control
the politics of the three political par
ties. ard inteIligently determine who
shall have the honor OF serving this
people. The fourth party is Of preJna-
ture and untimely birth, a sici<ly baby,
and cannot live in any event.
/ do not wish to be understood as
attempting to criticise, or detraet III
any way from the wisdom and patriot
ism OF the able gentlemen we have
sent TO serve us in the United states
Senate and House of Representatives
or those other gentlemen who, the dis
match says, have run to Washington 70
4sSave the State" for ! cannot beiieye
they or any Of them have the desire to
dictate to us as TO our state policies DN
fixing up states, or otherwise, ana
T am sure that even 1T they We're
possibly so inclined they would have
too much sense TO attempt it.. Ny
only purpose is TO ask you to pay no
attention to such sensational and sillF
telegrams of newspaper correspond
ents as the one referred to. News
paper correspondents need bread as
we do. They must have news 10 tell;
their living depends on It, and hence
it sometimes happens that then most
interesting accounts Of what they call
news come entirely from their fertile
imaginations. Let us all bear with
them as charitably and patiently as
possible and learn, If we can, to sift
the Imagination from the facts; for
after all they are entertaining Great
lures, and we must be entertained or
die OF ennui Fiction is often more
fascinating than current history.
BE not influenced by newspaper re-
ports of what the Honorable So-and-so
on Colonel So-and-so or Captain
So-and-so have agreed upon. Remem
Der that the Peoples Party in North
Carolina Is sixty Thousand strong, and
holds the balance of power: that 1t was
not organized to help the Republicans
or to keep the Democrats out of power,
nor to aid the Democrats to defeat the
Republicans; that its object and pur
pose is not simply to remonetize silver
as IL was prior to the year 1873, bat
TINT the free coinage Of silver at 1G to
is only one of the planks Of it's platform
of principles. Do not forget that it
is absolutely necessary 10 the success
Of the Peoples Party to preserve its
autonomy Cooperation with any
other party is dangerous, and unless
carefully and watchfully done, will
destroy the one or the other. To CO.
operate with either of the two old
parties by conceding TO them their own
terms is worse than folly, for at the
end Of four years there would be left
of the Peoples rarty only corporal's
guard.
When the next State convention Of
the party meets ut Raleigh, us IL will
Before very long, come; come all who
can, let nothing keep you away; let it
Ebe grand ontpouring of the people
from their farms, their offices and their
workshops; and when you have got
ten together and frankly and freely