New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-02

THE SITUATION IN THAT STATE ARGUS
ING MUCH INTEREST IN
WASHINGTON.

prp1.R1rCANs AND PoPULIsTs AND DEMO
GRATIS ON THE SILVER IssUE-THE
FORMER COMBINATION VETOED
MKINIEY MIsREPREsENTEp.
fny TELEGRAPH TO iE TRIBuNE.l
Washington. March 1.-The political sitoa''o" "
North Carolina excites an unusually lively in'eIes'
=, ,h,s t,ms among politicians In Washington
,as,.c,,v. of marty on account OF the Interesting
possibilities that II suggests. There mas pee" ~
general election held In the state since NoFe
1884 and yet lively political campaign mas
IN progress for nearly a year, ana hea'S WV
county has been repeatedly visited by campa's'
sneakers representing various KINDS ana s""
poitical opinion. and hundreds OF puohc '''e' 10
have beon held and addressed by Populist anu H'
nublican orators Including both OF the Cni'eu "'a
Senators and several of the Representatives III wv
gress. , ,s n
Republican Populist fusion on the electorai "e"
which was strongly advocated By senator ii''o"'N
and some other leading Republicans. as well as o'
Senator Butler and other leading Populists pu'
which strongly opposed ny f'eP''
tive Settle and many other prominent anu
Influential Republicans including the chairman ana
n ma torty OF the members OF the Republican S'a''
Committee. They favored cooperation win ''e
Popuists so far State and local matters "''c
concerned. but there they drew the hhe' ana COZ"
tended that fusion National issues would be mex
pedent and most unNise because II would inevitany
impair H. indeed 1t di destroy the efficiency OF
the Republican party organization In the state ny
deriving IT Of the sympathy and support II the Re
publican National organization. which could not and
would not recognize such compact
FREE SILVER REPUBLICANS DISAPPOINTED
This bono Of contention among the Republicans
Of North Carolina was removed however. when the
Popullst State Committee unanimously refused las'
fall to approve the fusion scheme" Senator fri'ch-
ard and the Republicans who had sided with MN
were naturally disappointed and chagrined at THIS
turn Of affairs. which caused them considerable
loss Of prestige Senator Bu'ler considers himself
as sound a Irotectionst as Senator ffichard ani
tho latter considers himsel. a. firm. sincere and
radical a free silver man a. his fopulist colleague
but IT is barely possible that both arc mistake7
When the vote taken last Tuesday on Senator
Morr,ll's motion to proceed with the consideration
~ ths revenue bill. Mr.. Prtchard was paired IN
the Affirmative and Mr. Butler voted IN the mega
tive.
Since the proposition for fusion electoral ticket
composed OF Republicans and Populists was ap-
rar.ntl,. aha rdoncd by It's advocates ne" schefn"
has hecn hroached and discussed IT is. IN brief TO
mi An electoral ticket In the field composed OF men
pledged not to vote for any man for PRESIDENT VINO
is no, sound the silver question -that ~
pledged 10 exert all his influence and authority. II
elected IN favor OF the free and unlimited coinage
Of silver by tho United States. regardless Of the
action Of other nations Senator Butler is ardently
I'm favor Of this scheme. and II IS asserted that he
would be willing to cooperate with the free SILVER
Democrats OF North Carolina IN an cNort TO carry
II out What Senator Prtchard thinks about put
ting free silver electoral ticket In te held has not
been asccrtaincd.
II IL the opinion OF most OF the North Carolina
polltlc,ans with whom the Tribune correspondent
has recently talked on the suSjec; that such
fusion would be impracticable. Democrats say that
while a large majority Of the members OF their
party are frec-slycr men. few OF them could w
induced TO coalesce with the Popul.sts. one OF
them A man OF National reputation and much IN
nuence in his party said: III such plan IL tried II
Will fall The Democratic State convention VIII
undoubtedly be controlled by the free-silver element
and will send freesilvcr delegates TO the Chicago
convention. or course II Senator Butter ana MS
Popullsi followers. most OF whom were formerly
Democrats. choose to come back into the party
fold well ard good. but Will not enter into any
coalition With them party organization In"
Democrats would lose many more votes In the
State than they would gain 10y such action.
REPRESENTATIVE SETTLES VIEWS.
North Carolina Republicans IN Washington do not
generally regard the scheme OF Democratic-Popu-
list fusion free-silver basis as IA feasible one
In conversation with Tribune correspondent yes
terday Representative Settle. who is exceedingly
well Informed in regard to the state OF political
sentiment in North Carolina. said: II do not re-
gard all probable that the free-sllver Demo
Gratis and the Populists Will enter into alliance
for the coming Presidential campaign nor do con
slider IT probable that there will be a rupture OF
the existing political alliance of RepuSlcans ana
Popusts State and local issues. That alliance
tons which it would be exceedingly dincult to
sever. and 1t will probably last for some Tine 70
more ways than ard can he prohtab.y con
,nued is; believe. gegeraily recognized by mem
however. cannot be widened so as TO embrace al
- ~ Nnrf
ment Our only safety IS in preserving and man,
sanng ma strong ana cb i me Kepubean
party OF the Nation We are not In position to
lad on our own account. Recent events. II seems
to me. must have convinced every Intelligent man
who is not wilfully blind and deaf that THE The Re-
unaterably opposed to free and unlimited coinage
OF silver on the terms proposed and advocated by
most OF the free-silver men. | am as strong 81;
meaiist In theory as any man but must S'A"'
DECLINE OF FREE-sILvER SENTIMENT.
rs free-sIver sentiment gaining ground among
the Republicans OF North Carolina" asked the cor
respondent.
Il do not think /, is. In some portions OF the
State 1t is yet strong. but. in my opinion. II has
greater strength now than it will have after the ST.
Louis Convention has been held. The Republicans
with the National organization on National cues
require them do do not by any means
underra,e the strength Of free-sver sentiment
among the Republicans N NORM CdrO,lna, WHeTc
some OF the Republican leaders have done every
thing In their power to encourage It. AS soon as
the rank and nie begin L, realize. however. that
they have been led astray and brought into antag-
onsm with overwhelming majority OF their
party IL other States. they will ! believe desert
their present leaders or comp-i the latter to re-
trace their steps II will be difficult but think not
Impossible. for of those leaders, do so. AL
though they have gone far astray. in my judg-
ment. Why. some Of the representations that have
been made by them actually amazing. For
ample II has recently been asserted over and over
az ain that Major Mckinley Is In favor OF throwing
he m int of TO he III
Beecham's pills for consti-
..;oo ,oS md ,-e Cot th>