The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-03-01
WA FER HENRY nERE
Going to- Charlotte to Practice Law--He
Talks of Populism and Fusion, and
Other Things.

Talks of Populism and Fusion, and
Other Things.
Walter r. Henry is in the city. He,
with his family, arrived here yesterday
afternoon from Henderson. Tuesday
they 90 TO Charlotte, where Mr.. Hen
nv has located to practice his profess
sion.
Mr.. Henry has exchanged his sleek
silk hat and black soft head-coyer for a
sombrero that reioices in color OF
pearly white. This gives him much
more rustic look, and inclines the cas-
nal observer to think him the Colonel
from Texas.
He saws he vii primarily devote him
self to the practice of his profession,
but when the time comes viii make
himself heard i'm the field of politics.
Asked about the political situation,
he said: "As for myself | am a silver
man from top to bottom, and will go TO
any consistent and honorable extent to
restore silver to its proper place
But he added with significant
smile, Il can't say I'll go into any
movement to secure it.
But what about the situation?
"WeT, my friend, so many things
have been written and prophesied and
nublisbed. about politics within the
last few days, that | really don't know
what to say, or rather, ! don't care 10
say anything about it.
As If reconsidering the matter he
said: but / will say this. | shall
stand unqualifedly and intensely on
the Populist platform, and shall fight
every organization that antagonizes
the main planks of the Omaha plat
FORM
The planks he named We're: free
coinage Of silver, abolition of national
banks. a graduated income tax, the
issue of sufficient money direct by the
government.
q think beyond all doubt" he con
tinued. that the restoration OF silver
to the place it occupied previous to 1873
is the paramount issue.
Gro come back from planks and the
abstract. to the talk of the hour, do
YOU think fusion between the Demo
Gratis and Populists probable or pos
sible 2"
II think there has been no attempt
by any man or set of men belonging
to the Peoples party to play the role
of dictator / see no evidence OF any
such thing. And | think if it were at
tempted that the rank and file OF the
Peoples party would repudiate It.
That party will, / think, be heard only
through its State convention.
.'As to this reported attempt at
fusion, ] think it in the least degree
improbable that there will be any
fusion between the Populists and the
Democrats touching State matters.
And there is less likelihood of fusion
on the national ticket; every indication
points to the nomination of a single
standard candidate for President by
both the Democratic and the Republic
can national convention, and the Popu-
lists will not vote for a gold-bug, |
don't care what ticket he is on. Fusion
or no fusion, they won't vote for gold
bug electors on any ticket"
"Now that you have shut out the
probability of fusion between the
Democrats and Populists, and the
possibility of fusion with the Repub-
leans on the electoral ticket, you leave
the populist party 70 one OF the two
things in State affairs: either they las
YOU understand it) are to run o
straight ticket or to fuse with the Re
publicans. Now, will the arrange
ment between the Populists and Re
publicans continue?"
Il don't know what they'll do" he
responded, cautiously, Il have my own
ideas about those things, but ] can't
give them out just now. 1t wouldn't
be WISE
Anyhow" he continued in jocular
way, II think all this talk about fusion
Of Populists with Democrats is quite
inconsistent amusing, and considering
the source from which it springs, and
the present standing in their party Of
the gentlemen who recently went on
10 Washington to Save the State"