The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-09-01
HONEST POPULIST TALKS
WANTS WHITE SUPREMACY TO
BE MAINTAINED.
CHIEF CLERK JOHN A SIMS POSITION
Saws It Is the Office Seekers in His Part,
That Are Trying to Keep Down the
Negro Question--His County
Endorses Him.

The suggestion made in the News and
Observer Sunday morning that there be
a great political camp meeting. COM
posed of delegates from all parts of
the State, to form white mans party,
is meeting with endorsement everywhere
by people of all parties.
Speaking of it yesterday Mr.. John A.
Sims, ex-Sheriff of Cabarrus county
and now member of the Populist
State executive committee, said:
..Since. my position before the Execu-
tive committee of the Populist party
,held at Raleigh a few weeks since has
been commented upon so freely, l have
taken it upon myself to write to quite
a number of our Populist friends in diff
ferent parts of the State, more especial
~ to the Populists Of my county (Ca-
barrus), to find out whether or not
represented them fairly, upon this ques-
ton of white supremacy. Before the
committee | claimed only to represent
what l fully believed to be the wishes
of my county, and what believed to be
to the interest not only of the party, but
of the State as well.) And | am glad to
to state that so far as l have
been able to learn from my own county,
every man says that l was right. A few
friends from other sections take issue
with me on this question, but believe
can, in each particular case, see that
these expect TO become candidates before
the people, and hence, it might not, ac-
cording to their ideas, be good policy; in
other words, it makes no difference
,x,h OF hor tho esnod N,a that North Carn-
lima has had in the past be maintained
or not just so they be elected to some
office, relief for one, and let the interest
of the many suffer.
Il say these things fully aware that,
to some extent, at least, | am responsible
for the state of affairs that exist in
North Carolina, and that I am one of the
few that have gotten relief, but yet
claim that as a party, we would have
been better off, if we had fought our
battles alone. even though we might not
have a single Offce-hOlder in the State,
than TO have to shoulder such RESPONSE
biliites as are almost daily thrust upon
lis. / know that it is the policy of some
to refuse to admit that we have made
any mistake. IT'S not so with myself
l have made mistakes both in public and
private life. and in my humble judgment
all political parties do the same, and
believe that it would ever be to the
credit of every political party to open
~ acknowledge, and if possible, correct
their mistakes.
Nov fully agree with the suggestion
in the News and Observer. Let us have
county or township meetings throughout
North Carolina, and let those of us who
can agree upon the money question, and
all those in favor of the white people
controlling the affairs of this State get
together, and let questions of minor i'm
portance take care of themselves. have
that confidence in our people to believe
that in due time these matters will all
be adjusted.
The prime reason for the organiZa-
ton of the Populist party was to force
the money question to the front. This
has been accomplished, and now let us
so fOrtify ourselves that we may still
be able to keep up this good work; see
that other parties who have Joined with
us on this question do what they say they
believe, and above all see to it that the
fair name of the Old North State is
fully and forever restored
As Mr.. Sims is at present an office
holder-chief clerk in the Auditors Of
1ice-and has held an office, both as a
Democrat and Populist, for many
years. it can hardly be charged that he
is either disgruntled on the one hand or
trying to formulate some scheme by
which he can get an office on the other.
In common with others Of the best
men of the State, he is simply DESTROYS
OF maintaining the purity of Anglo
Saxon institutions and opposed to any,
thing that would seem to endanger
them.