The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-12-10

Senator Pritchard Cannot be Safely
Trusted il he Changes Now.
THE Cauoasian.l

1TuSIeu
THE Caucasianl
IL the comments and complications
which the Democratic papers are
seeking to throw around the
election of a United States
Senator from North Carolina could be
half believed, that election would be
quite a vexatious matter. For our part
we see nothing vexatious about it. 1t re-
solves itself into two alternatives. Either
a man favorable to silver and financial
reform will be elected, or there will be
no election at all.
We have every possible right to make
the above assertion. In the recent cam
paign the silver question was paramount
to everything else in North Carolina. The
people decided by majority. Of about
twenty thousand that they favored the
free coinage of silver at the ratio of
16 to /. After that decision, no man who
is opposed to that principle ought TO have
the effrontery to ask the people OF the
State to represent them in the Senate
majority OF people Of North Carolina de-
clared for the election of some Republi-
cans, when the National Republican par
ty declared for the gold standard, while
they declared against some Democrats,
when part Of the Democratic party pro-
fessed to favor silver, has no bearing
here beyond that Of declaring that the
Democratic party is liar. For many
years to come it will be difficult to make
the people Of the State believe that there
is any honesty in the Democratic organi-
cation and machine. 1t seems to us that
so far as the Democracy in the State is
concerned, the register sof the popular
will shows that there is more reliance and
trust to be put in the Republican party
declaring for gold, than in the Democrat
ic party declaring for silver; and this APP
pears in face OF the fact that a majority
Of the people went on record in favor
OF silver by voting for W. j. Bryan.
Now, if the expression of the popular
will shall have its proper influence on the
Legislature in the matter of electing the
II. s. Senator, and we doubt not that
such influence will prevail, the proprie-
ties will demand the election of silver
Republican as the next Senator from
North Carolina. Without having taken
the pain to make any inquiry, we are Of
the opinion that the Populist members
of the Legislature will be more than
willing to support such candidate.
1t may be properly observed that condi-
tons can change, and as they change
the opinions and general sentiment OF
men may change to correspond with the
changed conditions. Such change in
opinion and sentiment is commendable
and praiseworthy when not influenced
suddenly by the hope OF personal prefer
ment or gain. In this. day of suspicion,
often well based, but perhaps as often
totally without foundation, it is difficult
to make nice and proper distinctions; but
it is our firm conviction that man who
will maintain certain position on a
great question during campaign, and
then becomes spasmodically converted
SO that his position will correspond with
popular opinion when his personal politi-
cal interests are involved, is not man
who can safely be trusted with the in
terests Of the people. He might become
reconverted in case of an opportunity to
still further his personal interests.