The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-05-05
The Alleged Deal of Russell and
Butler.
POPuLIST ELECTORS.
Would Leave Dockery and
Hoiton in the Cold.
Chairman tioIton Says Fusion is Inn
possible the Russell Com
bine is "Busted" --RepubIicans
Not for Free Silver.

foot to secure fusion between the Re-
publicans and Populists again this
year?' said a well-known Republican
to a reporter yesterday The reporter
knew nothing of any plan and said as
much.
well you are behind the times he
said. 1T is a secret at present, but
will be developed later on. Russell
went to Washington last week to per-
feet it. The Russell men have re-
ceived tip from Butler or they think
they have. At any rate Russell and
his crowd are moving heaven and
earth, not only to get Russell nomi-
mated for Governor, but to control the
party machinery. After doing this,
1T is their plan to go to Butler and
agree to take down their electoral
ticket and vote for the Populist cleo
tcral ticket, if the Populists will sup
port Russell for Governor. Russell
las become convinced that if nomi-
mated he couldn't be elected Governor
without Populist help, and he is will
ing to trade off the electoral ticket to
Get in himself. do not know whether
Pritchard is in this scheme or not, but
he is expected to aid in it in order to
further his own election, and in this
way; Russell wants him to GO with
Kim to Mckinley and say: You do
not need the electors from North Car
olina. and if you can see to lit that
your Democratic opponent fails to get
them, you will help forward your own
election. Now if you will consent to
our voting for the Populist electors,
we can secure Populist support to
elect a Republican Governor and a
Republican Senator" They expect
Mckinley to yield TO this, and then to
trade off the electors to make sure of
their own election to the goverBorship
and the senatorship, This is the
scheme already fixed up, and If Butler
is in the secret, and is helping to carry
it forward, at is the deepest laid and
most gigantic political scheme going.
1t is believed that Settle and Holton
can be whipped into line by securing
the return of Settle to the Senate and
the promise of the Collectorship to
Holton."
There is enough confirmation of this
scheme to make it worth thinking
about in this day when people are talk
A well-Inown Populist, who some
times knows the secrets and some
times does not, without knowing of
the remarks OF the Republicans quoted
above, said to member of the Raj
eigh bar that Russell was not really
running for Governor with the expec-
tation of being elected; that he was
anxious 10 secure the control of the
party machinery SO that he could give
the Populists the Governor and the
electoral ticket as the basis of such
fusion as would make him the master
CT his party, and that he expects Nc
Einley to consent to this trade and
give him big mission in return for
his self-sacrifice for the party. Butler
las told Grant that he can get his vote
only by surrendering these things, and
Grant is helping Russell's plan, and
Butler is operating in conjunction with
both. "You don't believe it, he added,
WELL wait and see. Butler made his
demands big after conference with
Russell, Grant, Jim Young and others.
They are willing to give him anything
he wants to get control of the State,
end some of them openly say SO. IT,
as a result OF the trade, Butler gets ali
he demanded, fusion goes on, you see.
Of course these Republicans have made
il condition that the Populist nomi-
zee for Governor shall be accountable
to the Republicans, sen3 shall pledge
to give them control of the chief pl1ms
of patronage
The above plan, If these two inter
views are based upon any foundation
in fact, leave Holton and Dockery out
in the cold. II may be that they are
10 be sent TO Congress. Holton is evil
IDENTIFY in the dark, for in an interview
with the Raleigh correspondent of the
Wilmington Messenger, he says in re-
ply to tihesquestion: What do you think
% Russelfs statement that everybody
il for free silver2
Il know the Republicans are not.
The extreme fusion element in the
party is claiming that 90 per cent. of
the people of the Stae are for free sill
yer, and insist that they want TO get
free silver inside the Republican party.
when they know they cannot do so.
They are simply Populists, and time
viii prove, sooner or later, that they
are indeed Populists. They viii be
compelled to throw off their sleeps
clothing. How can an honest man
hope to get free silver inside the Re-
publican party, according to the Pop
ulist demands, when the party for the
last twenty years has boosted of its
record for maintaining sound cur
rency. If Judge Russell should be
nominated and canvass the State on the
line of interview which you had with
him, and succeed in convincing the
people that free coinage is right, and
then undertake to endorse our Repub-
lican ticket, he would be beaten $4,000
in the State, for the man who is sincere
~ in favor of free coinage would look
To the party which fayofs silver"
VIII there be fusion on State mat
tiers? was asked. Chairman Holbon
replied:
1T is impossible; yet / see the
friends of Judge Russell and Senator
Pritchard are still passing resolutions
for fusion on the State ticket. Yet
they ought 10 know, and they do know.