The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-03-14

I ~ tho Garth. That it was improved, was
not dine to them at all but to few
Republicans, the real Populists, and the
Democrats. They were ready TO heip
Grant annihilate the party to which they
professed to belong.
There are but three phases OF the reg
| islatiye proceedings that can be ernpna-
| sized in the compass of this artrcle' J.
| The election of Pritchard; z. The scram-
hle for office; 3. The lease fight. Ihey
illustrate the spirit that entered into the
wholet legislation, and are illustrative OF
the motives that influenced legislators
| even i'm smaller matters.
1n The Prichard fight tested men and
/ tried them as in a cruc5ble. lie stood
for exactly what Mark Hanna repre-
| SCENTS in politics. He was the candidate
| of the Goldbugs, the Trusts, and the
Southern Railway, the trinity or poiln-
cal corruption in North Carolina Be
hind him was every advocate of speclal
privilege. every apologist for and defen-
der of trusts, and every man who belieV-
ad tha Southern Railway ought to dom
inate the politics of the State. he had
no chance of reelection unless men
elected as Populists and pledged to the
FREQ coinage of silver would beTay tneT
,,lo5ces and vote for him. In this emer-
cepcy. Mr.. Pr5tchard found an ally ID
Col Harry Skinner, who calls hlnlseii
ponul;st who manipulated enough fop-
,,Bs+ votes to secure Pritchard's election.
It is in evidence that Federal and state
offices were offered for the purchase OF
votes and the atmosphere that surronho-
Oh the entire dickering with the boitng
Populists was so full of the reesang shine
Of corruption as to leave no doubt 7hat
bribery played a large share IN the eiec-
tion of Mr.. Pritchard. Later on we
will sum up the vote of the boltlng Top
ulists for Pritchard, and still later ON
we will show how certain boFters were
maid for their treachery. 1t would not
be Just to denounce only the boiling Pop-
ulists for their betrayal of principle.
There was one man, elected as bofung
| Democrat, Jones, of Allegheny, who
lodged voting at all. On the Sunday
afternoon previous to the vote he went
driving with Senator Pritchards brother
and another Pritchard 'fheeler," and 1t
was generally believed that his Tote
would have been cast for Pritchard if it
had been needed 1t must also be OBJ
served that every Republican 'fheeler" IN
the State whose presence in Raleigh was
desired by Pritchard's workers was sup
piled with passes by the Southern Rail
way. Lit may not be too much to say
that without the active help of that poll
teal railroad, the peoples will for free
silver and against government by anJunc-
ton. would not have been overturned
.. The scramble for Office began before
the Legislature met, ran at high speed
during the entire session, and is still
this, dominating passion of the Repubf-
cans and their boiling Populist colleagues.
It was emphasized by the removal Of
Swinson because he refused to appoint
unnecessary negro clerks in the Enroll
ing office, and it eliminated in the revolu-
tionary repeal of the charter of the IN
sane asylums with declared purpose that
the insane were thus injured in order TO
make places for political camp followers
1t is going ON now. The people shall be
fully advised from time to- time Of the
disgraceful ends to which the revolution
lists resort to put their henchmen In
place.
3. The lease fight brought back the
same evil influences that operated TO
elect Pritchard The Avery bill passed
the House in spite of the biggest and
most influential lobby ever seen in Raj
eigh Tt had a clear and undisputed ma
jority of two or three in the Senate.
Again, the agent who had, working with
the railroads and the trusts and the
money mower. elected PrItchard, was
summoned to Raleigh. Col. Harry Skin
ner, who had declared everywhere that
his wing of the Populists were solid to
annul the lease, came on the scene of ac-
ton He had secret interview with
Vice-President Andrews. The next hour
he began to talk compromise" His
henchmen took up the tune. On the very
day the vote was taken in the Senate,
three boiling POpulists had interviews
with Vice-President Andrews, two of
them going to his Office through the dark
meanderings that led to his back door,
and, with blinds pulled down, had con-
ference. In one hour thereafter, they
voted with the Railroad; comment is I'M
necessary.
These things show the character OF the
Late disgraceful mob of bribe-takers, self
seekers, and corruptionists called the
Legislature.
If the people of North Carolina do not
utterly repudiate those responsible for the
disgraees brought upon the State, they
will not be true sons OF their fathers,
but unworthy and degenerate descen-
dants of a noble people who have always
risen in a great emergency, as In 1870,
and destroyed the men who betrayed
| their confidence.
| DEMOCRATIC MEMBERS OF THE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY.