The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-01-24
BUTLER'S PROGRAM
Severely Criticized by M. L.
Wood, a PopuIist.
NO MINCING OF WORDS
Buffers Confidential Letter"
and the Reply Thereto
NON PARTISAN ELECTION TICKET
Is Buffers Solution---m Am Not Willing
to Turn Over the State to the Care
Of the Republican Party"
Says Wood.

Of the Republican Party"
Says Wood.
A week ago news came to this Daper
that two letters were being circulated
among the Grand Sachems of the
Populists party-"one of them giving
Buffers plan and the other sl1inning
him from head to foot" Yesterday
these letters came into our possession.
They are both printed, and addressed
in the handwriting of Mr.. M. i. Wood
to a gentleman who shall be nameless
here. 1t seems that limited number
were circulated with n view to elicit
ing the opinion of prominent Populists
upon the Butler policy, and the Wood
objection
The correspondence is as follows.
Lewiston, n. c.. Jan. II, 1896.
Mr.........,....., \. &.
Dear Sir: have received a circular
letter fromSenator Marion Butler, OF
which the following is a copy:
Washington, ID. c., Dec. 30, 1S0A5
Mr. NJ j.. Wood
Dear Sir:-A great deal is being said
about cooperation for the next cam
paigII and the lines on which it should
be made. One wing of the Republican
party is understood 10 claim that they
want cooperation on the State ticket,
provided they can have the candidate
for Governor, but that they want three
electoral tickets. Another wing of the
party is understood to want fusion on
the electoral that is that one half of
the electoral ticket shall be Republi-
cans, and pledged to vote for the nomi-
nee of the Republican party, whoever
he may be. and the other half Popu-
lists. This wing is also understood to
claim that they want the nominee for
Governor.
Your State Committee is not ready
to concede the nominee for Governor,
But there is not so much principle in
volved in who shall be the nominee for
Governor, as there is with reference to
the electoral ticket. Your committee
is of the opinion that both of these
plans as to the electoral ticket will at
least cause friction if not cause worse
results TO our party. To carry out
either Of the above plans, every popu-
list in the State would have to cooper
ate with and vote for men who were
tryiRg@to elect a goldbug for Presi-
dents1or vote for electors who would
vote for a gold man for President. This
we cannot consistently do, In our
opinion, if such line of fight were at
tempted, our party not only would not
grow, but our present party ranks
would be demoralized to some extent,
while on the other hand it would have
the effect of solidifying the Demo
cratic party as nothing else could.
Your State Committee held a meet
ing recently to discuss the question. 1t
was the unanimous opinion of the COM
mittee that the only way to obviate the
difficulties mentioned above, in the
way of cooperation, would be to have
a non-paItisan electoral ticket, like
our Supreme Court ticket in our last
campaign. and that each man on the
electoral ticket should be pledged not
to vote for gold man for President.
This would not only be consistent,
but would put us in the position of
cooperating for great and funda-
mental principle. and avoid being sue
cessfully charged with cooperating
for spoils. Certainly our friends who
claim to be against the gold standard
cannot object to such line of battle
against the common enemy, or other
wise they would be helping the gold
bugs, instead of fighting them Our
dorse this plan for a non-partisan cleo
toral ticket. pledged against any gold
bug candidate for President. The
committee would also be glad of any
suggestion you can make for better
plan.
Since l have been in Washington l
have learned that there is more divis-
ion in the old parties on the financial
question than / had supposed, and l
believe that there will be large acces-
siols to the peoples party from both
of the old parties. Besides, 1 think
that the various silver organizations
will endorse our candidate for Presi-
dent Before arriving here / had not
hoped that we could elect Peoples
party President for 1900, but the situa-
tion grows more encouraging each
day, and if the decentralization of the
two old parties continues as it is going
on now, we will have a chance to elect
our candidate for President i'm the next
contest.
Please consider this communication
cofidential and give no public an
nouncement Of our position ON this
matter till the time comes for ms to
take official action
Please write your answer on this
sheet of paper and return it to me here.
Very truly,
MARION BUTLER,
Chm p. p. State Elk. Com.
TO the above letter have replied as
follows:
Senator Marion Butler, Chairman Peo-
ules' Party State Executive Com
mittee, United States Senate, WASH
ington, d. c.:
Dear Sir:-I have the honor to ac-
knowledge the receipt of your letter OF
the 30th ult, in which YOU inform me