Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-15
CONFUSION COMPOUNDED
North Carolina Politics in Strangely Mud
died State.
The Three Parties Are Still Hax1HnR
Over Terms of Proposed
Coalitions.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
RALEIGH. N. c., October IL. 1885.
1t Is stating the plain truth to say that
both the democratic and populist parties in
this state are disorganized. AS the former
has far more at stake than the latter, and
as the populists hold the balance Of power
it Is quite easy to see that the democrats
are the ones who are always making prop
osittons. Some Of these propositions are
considered as very humiliating by many of
the democrats. The democratic committee
insists that its good judgment as well as its
authority ought not to be questioned. 1t Is
this which makes the committee SO sensitive
to newspaper CRITICISM which is frequent,
The populists are ready to make a deal
with republicans or democrats or with both;
a committeeman says: I'VE have nothing to
lose; the party has been in the position of
the balance OF power SO long that 1t is not
asking for anything. Don't you see the
democrats are doing all the entreating?"
The democratic state committees session
thursday night was marked by profound
secrecy. But enough has been found out to
make it certain that committeeman intro
duced resolution providing for a PROPOSE
ton to the populists for complete fusion.
That was Withdrawn without a vote, it be-
ing decided that all this matter of PROPOSE
lions should be committed to the campaign
committee, which was thus clothed with
power never before held.
The campaign committee made a PROPOSE
ton, II such 1t can be termed, after long
session Friday. Its members refused to
speak about It, But populist committeeman
say it was absurd trifling, nothing more
than an inquiry whether forces could not be
united to surely elect nine free silver Con-
gressmen. r.. B. Davis, populist-demo
cratic nominee for elector-at-large, said the
only thing to propose was absolute FUSION
from constable to United States Senator,
and declared that the whole effort Of the
democrats so far was to save few Con-
greSSmen.
Republicans state that Senators Butler
and Faulkner arranged this deal be-
tween populists and democrats, and that
they gave writing to that effect to Ma
tional Committeeman Josephus Daniels to
be delivered. Republicans assert that this
called for the Endorsement of w. A. Guthrie
Tor governor, the giving of five Congress
men to the populists, and the taking down
of nominees for the legislature wherever
they have been put up against the popuA
lists.
Maneuvering for Position.
But as made by the democratic CAM
paign committee there Is 40 direct proffer
of congressman; merely an attempt to
ascertain what kind of arrangement can
be made. 1t is rumored that other propo-
sitions will follow.
Senator Buffers position in all this bust
ness is masterful, but strange. A republi
can state committeeman tells US he has
heard Butler laugh at the way he was
playing with the democrats. Butler made
the democrats a proposition for total flu
sion, and this republican says Butler told
him he feared perhaps the democrats might
have political shrewdneSs enough to ac-
cept 1t, as in such a case he would be put
to his trumps 10 get out of the difficulty.
The republicans confess that they watch
Senator Butler all the while.
The principal assistance the republicans
get from populist leaders comes from Ohio
Wilson. Cyrus Thompson, w. H. Worth
and Harry Skinner. They count on these
men as allies. Wilson is perhaps the most.
useful of the four.
Republican Committeeman Patterson says
that his committee is determined to COM
plete the state ticket with the populists
There Is now hitch governor, lieu
tenant governor, attorney general, auditor
and one associate justice OF the supreme
court. The popuist and republican COM
mittees agreed on attorney general and
associate justice, giving both places to re-
puLlicans. but yet Senator Buffers paper.
the official organ of the populists, does not
pat up their names OH its ticket. This ex-
CITES much remark and is giving the re-
publicans some worry. Committeeman Pat
terson, who is the special representative
or Senator Prtchard on the state commit
tee says that an ARRANGEMENT will be eff
1ected. He hints that the republicans will
take the lieutenant governor and give the
populists the auditor. 1t is said the Senao
tor Is willing to let the democrats have the
lieutenant governor, provided the pcpulsts
get the governor. This Information comes
from republican sources, and is, of course
based on the supposition that the populists
and democrats really make deal on the
state ticket.
There are yet several bitches as to con-
sressional fusion between the republicans
ana popmiists. contract" was signed
by populist and republican special COM
mittees, and the same day ratified, giving
| the populists five districts and republicans
four. But in this district, where the re-
punicans are pledged to support Stroud,
populist; Pat Massey, republican, is cam.
palgning. Today Republican Chairman
Hatton was asked to explain this for The
Star He replied: Massey is really not
eGs nnr,s,sin1 He 10 helping his party.
TO our agreement with the popuIists and
the democrats will not elect a single Cen
gresham in North Carolina"
The democrats declare they will cleo.
| Adams. their nominee for Congress In the
ninth district, and say reports are extreme.
| ly favorable to the success of Doughton in
the eighth. They contend that in the sixth
aistrlct Lockhart Is on an even footing with
Martin The populist state chairman said
last week. most positively, that the demo.
Gratis could not elect so much as one Con.
gresham. But that was before the las,
deal was proposed by democrats.
Senator Pritchard's Sent,
The populist leaders are trying to defea
Senator Pritchard. Senator Butler inspire.
this fight. Yet one fact alone shows he ha.
| lost that absolute control of his party which
up to, say, year ago, was SO wonderful
for In some counties the populist nominee!
to the legislature are pedging themselves t.
vote for Senator Pritchard.
| The populist state chairman issued a Sc
| cret circular in August, saying: "Our re
| publican friends are making unusual effort
to completely control the legislature. I
they should do this, a gold bug Unite,
States Senator will be elected. If the popu
| lists should help the republicans to get thi
control then the populists will be RESPONSE
BILE for the gold bug Senator. Just think 0
it! Populists electing gold bug!" In thi
circular the chairman urges that Pritchar,
be defeated. and Pearson, too, the republi
can Congressman in the ninth district an
also urges that the control Of the legisla
ture be secured by the populists as guar
against the domineering of the democrat
and the extravaganza of the republicans
The populists are urged to defeat the dem
| ocrats.
1t is the solidity Of the negro vote whic
is having so powerful an effect on the dem
ocrats. The exceedingly heavy Registration
of this vote under the new election law
attracting much attention. Republica
| Chairman Holton, when asked TODAY I