The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1896-02-13
LETTER FROM
SBN. PRIrCHARD.
ne MAKES A PEA FoR CONTINUED
Fusion-REsARplEsS OF TINE
FINANCIAL ISSUE.

OF nc S8DC8s1ool
WASHINGTON. Il. G.. Feb. a-You
asked editoriAily in the CArcAsiAS Of
las, week, why senator Pritchard IA |
vors cooperation It all IL the Republi- |
can party il in the majority in the
state and can therefore elect . Repub-
lican ticket" | beg to make brief re
favor cooperation on National and
State tickets IS . matter OF policy and
principle. Policy, because il 10 one
certain way to defeat the Democratic
party in the next State election. Prin-
ciple, because the election this year in
wolves the question Of self-preserya-
ton and the establishment Of local self
government in the State in accordance
with the prov isions Of the laws enacted
BY the last Legislature. This is . ques-
ton of transcendent importance To
every Republican and Populist alike
throughout the State. The election OF
q straight Republican State and Leg
islative ticket would effectuate this re-
suit, but IL has been my understandin
since the election of the State fusion
ticket in 1894 and is still my under
standing, that the great body Of the
rank and file Of both parties TO coop
crate in that election desire its con-
tinuance in 1896. Certainly that was
Senator Buffers Interpretation at the
time Of his nomination by the joint
caucus in Raleigh. In accepting the
nomination Senator Butler said that
to show that he and his party were not
selfish in taking the long term, that
they intended to cooperate in 1896
with the Republican party, thereby
giving US eight years in the Senate
while they only got six year term. l
understood that cooperation WAS en-
tered into in 1894 with the express un-
Outstanding that each party was to
maintain its identity that neither par
ty was required to abandon its organ
ization, in a word it WAS to be an hon
Orable cooperation; this is as far as
agreed to 20 then, and l wish 1t dis
tinctly understood once for all that
this is as far as l am willing to 60
now. l favor such q cooperation on
the Electoral ticket as will secure the
division of the Electoral ticket between
the POpulists and Republicans, that is
the naming Of 50 many Republican
electors unequivOcally pledged to the
nominee of the st. Louis Republican
convention. and SO many pledged to
vote for the nominee of the POpuiist
convention. The Republican party Of
North Carolina will never consent to
abandon its organization and vote for
Free Silver Independent Electoral
| ticket. 1t seems that Senator Butler
has changed his opinion since he was
elected, but not until the publication
of the Wood circular, did know that
q Systematic effort was being made to
create an anti-fusion sentiment in the
Peoples party. If that has succeeded
l am misinfOrmed. My correspondence
on that subject which is vOluminous
and daily increasing and open to the
inspection of those interested in the
matter, cOnvinces me that the dOmi-
| nant sentiment in the State, among
Republicans and PODulists is Demo
cratic defeat in lS96-nOt the injection
into the campaign of a new issue,
which must necessarily cause friction,
bad feeling and possible disaster. To
avoid this great peril in the coming
election l have advocated openly and
honestly q 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 conviction nor my de.
termination to maintain the political
alliance which is invincible against
Democratic opposition, provided we
can have such an alliance 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 generally conceded and
established fact. Reference was not
made to it in any spirit of Boosting, OF
l q n q of I'm dc
POpulist friends and allies, who had
hitherto voted the Democratic ticket
l have never any where intimated tina,
the great bulk of the Democratic
voters participated in the election
frauds which have been so skillfully
perpetrated by Democratic ringsters
and bosses in certain sections of North
Carolina. On the other hand | am
clearly of the opinion that thousands OF
Populists who temporarily left the
Democratic party in 1872 were complete
ly alienated from the Democratic party
by the outrageous treatment which
the POpulist party received at the
hands af the Democratic officials in
1892. 1t was this feeling of utter help
lessness 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 ad-
mlnistered, that first gave rise to the
sentiment of cooperation which re-
suited in the overthrow of the Demo-
cracy in 1894. honor the brave men
who compose the Peoples party in
North CaIolina for their courage and
patriotism in separating themselves
from the Democratic party. The r.
publican party owes them q debt of
lasting gratitude for their services
rendered in. securing to the people of
our State local self government and
the enactment of an honest election
law. But is the expression that North
Carolina is . Republican State and
has been since the war my one offence
to the Editor of the CAUCASIAN? Dem
ocratic confession would justify the
strongest declaration that might be
made in support of the assertion. The
files of the CAUCASIAN for 1924 are a
complete confederation of my state
ment. When elected to the Senate no
obligation was imposed upon me to
abandon the Republican party, or to
stultify myself in the reputation of
my political convictions. 1 am now
and always have been an outspoken
Republican and IN ardent protection
list, and have now an abiding faith in
the principles of Republication and
until the Republican party shall de-
sert the cause of protection and its
principles Of Ameficanism, /. shall
claim the honor of being q member of
| it's organization. On the other hand
do not question the motive of those
who adhere to the Populist party, but
cOnceed to them the right to entertain
thsir views in regard to national
questions. have proved my loyalty
to the cause Of silver by my votes in
the Senate. Ny record will parallel
Senator Buffers on that great and vi
tai question. They not only reflect
the sentiment of the people that rep
resent. but they express my honest
cOnYicti0na and INV earnosf nnexnaa