People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1897-02-25
ner's part in Pritchard's contest,
Senator Butler said:

htl pdIU III III6CuaTu COulosl,
Senator Butler said:
"Mr. Skinner is probably the most
despised and contemplate character
10 North Carolina. He could not to
day be elected even delegate of the
Peoples party from any township in
his own county to county cUnven-
ton. He has no future except in the
Republican party, and he will have
no future in that party, for the
reason that that party has nc
future in the STATE. The treacherOuS
and despicable methods and conduct
of the Republican party in breaking
their cooperative contract with the
Peoples party, and in corrupting
small faction OF our party in the
legislature, to secure Pritchard's
election, and to control and divide
out the state patronage to the unEoly
combine, makes it In the future the
party Of perady and dishonor 10 North
Carolina.
Senator Pritchard's election is the
dearest bought position ever secured
by him or any man. 1t not only de-
stroys any possible future for his
party In the state, but it taints him
with the questionable, not to say in.
famuos, methods employed by
Hanna's agents, Skinner & Co., to
secure the same. In addition TO this,
his backsliding, waddling and Topping
on the financial question has lost TO
him the respect Of even a large part
Of his own party"
What" the senator was asked, "do
you think Of ex- Vice-Presidential
Candidate Watson's course in the
contest?"
''Mr. Watson's course" he replied,
"1Oes not surprise me in the least.
1t is perfectly natural for a man who
preferred the election of Mckinley to
that Of Bryan, and so proved his pref
erence by failing to vote for Bryan,
to favor the election of Mark Hanna's
man, Pritchard, to the United States
senate in preference to the election of
a straight PUpulist senator, especially
when the vote OF that senator deter
mines whether the gold men shall
have majority Of the senate or the
Peoples party shall have the balance
of power in that body to protect the
interests and welfare Of the people.
1t is very noticeable that nearly
every fellow who posed as middle-of.
the-rOad Populist in the last campaign
every fellow that was such a straight
and conscientious POpulist that he
could not afford TO vote the joint cleo
toral tickets, when enough such votes
would have meantime election of Bryan
instead OF McKinley-has been bowl
ing and working for the election OF
Pritchard and against the election of
straight POpulist for senator from
North Carolina. This is true Of near.
ly every one of the few middle-Of. the
road POpuliSts in North Carolina; and
even Of certain prominent so called
mddle-of-the -rOad Populists in other
states, who were anxious for the cleo
ton of Pritchard that they wrote let
tiers and sent kilograms to Raleigh 10
Pritchard'S interests, endorsing the
action of the boilers, and advising
them to vote for Hanna's candidate
instead of for a straight Populist for
United States senator. And chief
among these was one Thomas E. Wat
son. Developments 10 the nearfuture
may throw some light on this med
ding and strange procedure on Mr..
Watson's part. But suffice it to say,
that these facts throw some light on
Mr.. WatsOn.s character and the
motives that prompted him to pursue
the strange and foolish course that he
did in the last campaign.