The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-01-05
Yankee People Apparently MIS-
taking Him For Leader.
TO WORK FOR PRITCHARD
Buffers Fears Measured BY
SINNERS Hopes.
TOM SETTLE WON'T GETACRusT
Something About a Church and State
Order, Whatever That disclaimers
Alleged Plan For Control
ling Hss District.

Washington, Jan. 4.-(Special)-Sena-
tor Butler did not go to North Carolina
during the holidays. When seen at his
home here last night he seemed as serene
as ever. He declines to discuss the SEN
atorial situation at Raleigh, further than
to say that If the Republicans will put up
& candidate who stands where Senator
pritchard stood two years ago the Popu-
lists would cheerfully support him; but
he intimates that Senator Pritchard has
no satisfactory standing among the sill
yer men Of any party. The report now
current here that Hon. Harry Skinner
has gone into the combine with view
to gain the support OF the Republicans for
Senator Buffers seat four years hence
does not disturb the latter in the least.
Buffers position is that while he repre-
sents his State in the Senate he viii not
allow any personal favoritism or enmity
to swerye him from his duty, and that
those who do allow such motives to gov
ern their public conduct will hardly sur
yiye long enough to affect his political
fortunes to any appreciable extent.
Bearing upon the Senatorial situation
in North Carolina, the Philadelphia
North American, which is said to have
inside information from the Pritchard
camp, contains in its Washington cores
pondenee the following, supposed to be
inspired by brother-in-law Hyams:
Senator Marion Butler, National
chairman of the Populist party, is going
to have the livelest sort of opposition
four years hence. His opponent will be
Representative Harry Skinner, Of the
First North Carolina district. Senator
Pritchard's term expires on March 3 next
While he is a Republican Representative
Skinner is said to favor his reelection,
provided he agrees TO vote for silver,
which Pritchard is said to be willing to
do in case it comes up as a separate meas
ure, and not attached to a tariff bill
as rider"
Pritchard is a protecti0nist, having at
one time been the president of the North
Carolina Protective Tariff League. If
Skinner sticks to Pritchard and helps him
to pull through, it will be with the under
standing that Pritchard will back Skin
ler four years from now with
Republican aid, thus jeopardizing the
chances Of Butler, who has incurred the
ill-will Of the Republicans by arraying
himself strongly against them in the re
cent Presidential campaign. Skinner has
been the only Populist in the Tar Heel
State to defy the leadership of Butler,
and for this reason Butler mistrusts him.
If he loses this time with an under
standing between Pritchard and Skinner,
he will probably lose his seat in the Sen
ate. II he succeeds in defeating Pritch-
ard, his hold on North Carolina poll
tics will be strengthened, and he will be
able to succeed himself. Senator Butler
is pretty shrewd politician, and it will
take a very strong combination to knock
him out. He is one OF the youngest men
In the Senate, being now only SO years
of age. Pritchard is 80, and Skinner is
Al years DID,"
This was shown to a prominent North
Carolina politician from the Western
part Of the State this evening, whereupon
he remarked that such stories would do
Pritchard no good.
II have just received a letter from one
of the most influential men in the State"
says he, asking HON Senator Pritchard
stood in relation to certain religio-po-
litical machine here; and this letter was
evidently the effect of the Skinner ritch-
ard combine. Everybody knows how Mr..
Skinner stands in that respect, and the
SdSENotAoA VI pAhSilE hAAAA AZ AiiC y AAtCd
States Senate as the result Of q com
sbination with Pritchard brings suspl-
cion upon the letter. | am told that there
are one hundred members of the Legis-
lature OF our State who will not vote for
any man whose record in respect to
church and State is not satisfactory. l
replied to my friends letter by saying pos
itiyely that Mr.. Pritchard's record on
that subject was not satisfactory to the
class he represents. / think the next Sen
ator from my State will be d. L. Russell,
r. u. Linney or VIM. A. Guthrie. /
think that the Combine" organized on
the 9th of December, at the Ebbitt House
will be annihilated. 1t contains all the
elements of evil and nothing that is good.
No man can be elected to the United
States Senate in North Carolina, Ken
lucky or Pennsylvania who is not accep-
table to the patriotic orders and their al
lies''
It is known that Mark Hanna desires
the reelection of Pritchard, and that
he is willing to go to any length to Sc
cure this result. 1t was common talk to-
day that the Hon. Harry Skinner could
have the distribution OF the Federal
patronage in North Carolina if he can
but secure the necessary votes from the
populists to elect Pritchard.
Rumor has it that Skinner hopes to
control the Populist vote in the Legisla-
ture from his district, and il they follow
his advice the Populists in the Legislature
from his district will demand the loaFes
and fishes between themselves.
Here is a tip that comes from head
quarters. The Southern Republicans
who did their best to turn down Mark
Hanna and Mckinley in the hunt for
delegates for the st. Louis convention
viii have no say in the distribution Of
spoils until the original Mckinley men
have been provided for. This will be sad
news to some prominent Tar Heel states
men, who championed the cause Of ToIs-
my Reed.
BOARD REFUSED LICENSES.