The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-12-23
SENATOR BUTLER ON THE SENA
TORSHIP.

Marion Butler, Ihey are lhteioco w 6i'N
the position, plainly and unmlstakabiy'
Of the Senator upon the Senatorial con-
tost that is now being waged. Following
the course OF this paper in keeping lts
readers advised of the attitude OF the
leading influences that are shaping the
selection of our next Senator, we give
these editorials in full The first IS
headed THE Senatorship Not Included
in the Terms of Cooperation and is
as follows:
I'VE notice that the Winston Republi-
can charges that Sena1&.Butler was
elected to the Senate on tNE express con-
dition and obligation that Republican
should be elected in 1897. This charge
is wholly and absolutely incorrect. Neither
Mr. Butler nor his party made any pledge,
or agreed to any condition, either directly
of indirectly, to secure his election TOT
the long term.
1.-THE only shadow of ground on which
this charge can be made is the oft-hand
statement made by Senator Butler, after
he was elected, to the effect that he IA
yored a continuance Of the cooperation,
and such an arrangement of Its terms
as would secure the reelection OF Senator
Pritchard, or some one standlng as ne
stood then. When this statement was
made by Mr.. Butler, he not only had not
anade any agreement to that effect, but
there was not a single Populisst or Re
publican in North Carolina who had the
seast idea that he would make such
statement. He simply, on his .own ac-
count, expressed his indiviual opinion as
to what would be a desirable future
policy between the two parties. The Peo-
pies party, however, approved Of Sena-
tor Buffers suggestion in this respect,
and when the time came to make terms
for n cooperation campaign thss year,
they asked for the Governorship for
Popuiist, and offered in>return ito sup
port free silver Republican for the Uni
ted States Senate. The Republican
State committee refused this proposition,
and said that if the Populists took the
Governor they must agree to support the
caucus nominee of the Republicans party
for the Senate without asking any ques-
tions as to his financial views. The Re
publican committee frankly stated ito the
Peoples party committee that Senator
Pritchard or any other man that they
would put forward would be Sound
money man. The Populist State; COM
mittee refused to accept these terms;
and the two committees, therefore, being
unable to reach an agreement including
the Governorship and Senatorship, agreed
to leave them entirely out OF the terms
of cooperation, so that each party would
be free to follow it's own course about
them. The chairman OF the Republican
State committee and the chairman Of
the Populist State commfttee will both
testify to these facts.
If the Populist State committee lad
been willing to pledge or commit she
members of the party in the Legislature
to vote for Senator Pritchard, the Pho-
pies party could have gotten the Gov
ernorship. The Republicans to-day bage
the Governor because the Peoples party
State committee could not and would not
commit the party and its members of the
sLegislature TO do a thing that would lie
so suicidal. If Senator Pritchard had not
changed his position, and this had not
been generally understood and known, Il
would have been possible for the tive
committees to have reached an agreement
on this matter. But they did not for the
reason stated above Therefore, the Peo
pies party is not under obligations to
the Republicans or to any one else to
vote for any special man or for man of
any special party for the United States
Senate. The Peoples party has the clear
and unquestioned right to nominate
Populist for Senator, and to secure his
election, il possible. The Peoples party
is not even under obligation to vote for
a silver Republican, because their pro-
position to that effect was rejected and
the Republicans now have the Governor
8 Al I. n
decide to support a silver Republican,,
it will be entirely for considerations to
arise during the Legislature. These are
the plain, unqeustioned facts in the case,
and the quicker they are recognized and
this indecent and false twaddle about
the populists acting in bad faith is stop
ped, the better A word to the wise is
sufficient.
IN. b."
The second editorial deals with Sena-
tor Thurston's interview, and is head
ed: .'rhurston's Lame and Dodging
Apology For Pritchard," and is as fol-
lows:
in another column will be found an
article headed: ''Prltchard's aid and tar
iff'' which we copy in full, including
headlines, from the Washington Post.
This article as will be seen, is in the form
of an interview with Senator Thurston,
in which he undertakes to speak for Sen
ator Pritchard. The interview was evil
IDENTIFY prepared for North Carolina con-
sumption, and intended as a reply to the
article in the last issue of the Caucasian,
clipped from the Washington Post set
ting forth Mark Hanna's alleged plan
to capture the legislature of North Caro-
lima and others States. This interview is
more remarkable for what is not in it,
than for what is in it. 1t does not ex-
plain why Senator Pritchard spoke by
proxy in this important matter 1t does
not explain (even by proxy why Senator
Pritchard changed last summer from
straight, unqualified, free coinage of sill
yer TAT ratio of 16 to Il man, 10 an
other position to conform to the sound
money plank of the Republican platform,
nor does it explain why he is now ready
to change back again.
Senator Thurston, IN his interview