The news & observer., 1897-11-07
JUST p CHHT.
By W. {. CHRISTIAN.

over the said Giles, where the Dell, SAD
bath mornings, will chant of his life OF
self-denial, whittier pilgrimages journey
ing in the after-years may read upon a
wooden slab," if need be, of the Spencer
Blackburn variety these words: Here
lies a Judge who preferred to die from
ennui in Hendersonvil.e than, by the
wicked means of free pass, to seek the
world life of Wake"
Congratulating Senator Butler upon
his new son and heir, it seems to be
high time that he should be giving the
raison d. etre of himself politically. Can
anybody tell what political end Senator
Butler is serving just now? Would it not
be well for him to give what moments
he can spare this blithe morning to this
subject? Senator Butler politically ia
creature of arithmetic. He added the
votes Of his party to those Of the Re
publicans and went to the Senate. If the
Republicans help to send a man to the
Senate, he should have enough Republi-
can principles to help the Republicans
when he gets there. Well Senator But
ler, this time, at least did not vote g.
gainst the Tariff Bill. But all this aside,
what does he propose to do now? He
said in his Caucasian Of September 3Oth:
1.-The Caucasian repeats its oft made
statement that it is in favor OF white
supremacy, but with Judge Avery it is
in favor of a white supremacy untram-
melled by corruption and monopoly rule
and in this view it believes every good
citizen in the State will concur. What
does Senator Butler mean by this? How
many white Republicans and Populists
are there in the Statei Are there So
900? Are there 100000? Suppose there
were 100000, could Senator Butler get
white supremacy" with these 100000?
And this would be on the basis of his
uniting with the Republicans. But can he
consistently unite with the Republicans
after his senatorial fight against Pritch-
ard? Do not the same objections in here
in the Republican party as there did in
Pritchard? Lop off, to be full, 10000
for Republicans and leave him 10000
Populists, though the reasonable esti-
mate should be, say, Populists 10000,
white Republicans $4,000, can he have
white supremacy" with these 10000?
Then what is his "white supremacy"
programme? With whom does he intend
to unite that 60,000-not with Republi-
cans? With Democrats? This is the only
avenue left him now for white suprem-
dCy. lis IS iAC 1t$hONAdAS aiN
inviting the Populists to do-join them
for white supremacy" But, it seems
that Senator Butler does not want the
union to take place in this way. Would
he rather hold his Populists intact even
though there is to be no fusion with Re-
publicans, than to see them join with
the Democrats against negro domination?
If he take such a stand it may as well
be frankly stated that he will not be
able to hold the reasonable and sincere
men Of his party. But in
these remarks, which personally
are meant in no unkindly spirit,
the attempt will be made to be fair.
Therefore, his conditional clause must
J be added: sit is in favor of white su-
! premacy untrammelled by corruption
!: and monopoly" What thenT Does he
mean to take his Populists and add to
them enough "untrammelled' Democrats
and Republicans, the former or both, TO
secure a majority in favor of white SUI
premacy? His words, scanned logical
ly can, it would seem, leave no other al
tentative. But where will he get these
"untrammelled'" from, according to the
, charges he has made against both the
old parties, or does he think there are
just a few "untra ammelled'' left yet in
the old parties? And he wishes to get
enough of them to secure white supre-
. macy? If he does not, then what? Not
in favor of white supremacy? Many peo-
: pie would like to know how Senator
Butler stands as to these points. Then
:, to condense and formulate the whole into
! a dilemma, Senator Butler is either in
favor of forming new party for white
supremacy, or of allowing negro supre.
4c otfl 1,olrl
off separately, if possible, OF his Popu.
,, lists, or by joining them with the Re-
publicans as heretofore Senator But
. Ter should know-everybody should
: know-that he can form no new party;
the only thing he can do in the way of
, forming a new party is to add to the
Populists, and that does not look pos
sble not to say probable; he is surely
> too patriotic son of North Carolina 10
, try to hold the Populists in a separate
/ ticket from the cause of white suprema-
9 cy. If he be not then Populists, at this
, stage of the negro game, are in no mood
D to be thus held; he cannot go with the
) publicans, and be any better than the
: "bolting Populists," whom he so de-
' nounced. What is there left for him !
! Can anybody answer? 1t does seem that
I he is in pickle. For he must know
: that the only way for him to return to
: the Senate is by aid of the Republicans.
5 1t is the only way out Of all his troubles
but here comes the rub-he cannot
3 carry self-respecting Populists with him
, 1t will not do, these men know, to be
. corralled as straight Populists' in off.
. elections only to be fused with inimical
e principles in times of stress. If Senator
t Butler fuses his party to send gold bugs
to Congress, the 10 Boilers come later
o as logical result Of such gold-bue
: habits, and If he try now to fuse the
e "purged" remnant for negro domination
e he will find some boilers, but this time
9 not to the Republicans, and when the
). party shall have gone through the next
+ post-fusion "purging" there may be few
( left to purge. You can't touch pitch
s without being blackered. Two Populist
/ Senators voted for Grants Bill, and a
: Populist Railroad Commissioner was