The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-01-01

ALTERATIONS. L. lie uoids an Office given
him liz the Republicans and wants 10
keen if. .. He wants an office and is
promised ono by the Republicans. 3. lie
has been bought aud paid for 4. He is
NOT n populist, but Republican Mt heart
npasquerading as "a Populist TO better
serve the Republican party. 1t could not
be possible FOR Populist to vote for
pritchard. after his speeches in tlte cam
pnien. unless influenced by one OF thcge
reasons. But" / was asked, do you
think the POpulsts elected can be 10
influenced? Are they wholly cwruptY
/ was bound to answer That in my 0pin
ION those / knew would moi vote for
Pritchnrd, but that I did not know them
all, and could not tell what sort Of men
they all were. but that hoped they were
all like Those who lind declared they
would vote for no gold-bug or topper.
Inc silver Senators who hage cut
loose from party are deeply interested ia
thc contest, ond hopeful that silver man
will I've chosen who win put the money
question paramount to Oh others, aud
batllc FOR II ia that high forum FOR the
coming six years There is nothing ihat
Is proper for HE silver Senators to do
That they would not do. but they cannot
take part If they bad the money 10
buy mp legislators, they do not practise
such politics The silver men are look
ing hopefully to the Democrats and
popuIists TO prevent The Republicans
capturing the chief prize won by silver
ia North Carolina. And they have much
confidence that IIanuas money win not
buy the North Carolina Legislature q
condolences, ] may add, that is not I'M
mixed with anxiety. The Republican sill
yer men Il mean those who cut loose
from Mckinley there are no other silver
Republicans ask if there are no silver
Republicans in the Legislature who will
repudiate the attempt TO send a gold-bug
to the Senate They are themselves true
TO silver and cannot understand the
North Carolina Republicans attitude on
silver, having in mind that in 1894 the
North Carolina Republicans talked silver
as earnestly as anybody. They now begin
to see that pie can carry a Republican to
silver or gold, no matter what his past
notions or convictions, and accordingly
hope but little for him in the great strug-
gle for silver which has just begun.
4 gentleman who has known Senator
Pritchard a long time said to me yester-
day: Il see that there il talk that Mr..
Pritchard will sign a silver pledge or
agree to silver resolutions. He will never
do it. He has not told me what he win
do, but feel positive that he viii not thus
humiliate and stultify himself. Pritchard
has become a national man. He stands
in Republican circles like Bradley, Of
Kentucky; Evans, of Tennessee; Yelling
ton, Of Maryland, and Filley, Of Missouri.
His position as an opponent Of independ-
ent free coinage is known, and he would
lose his standing in his party if he should
.1sv.r- -e~a--t- makes Ills light
straight on the st. Louis platform, he will
have all the money and Offices he wants
These viii elect him without any pledges
If they fail, then Mckinley will give him
Ransom's job or something equally as
good, and he viii continue to be a leading
factor in the Republican councils" This
gentleman is usually well informed, and
his opinion on any subject is worth weigh
ing. 1t is in striking contrast to the
interview Of Senator Thurston, who in
Dictated that Prichard would take the
pledge or let it be understood that he
was for silver. This seemed to be sup
ported by Hezekiah Gudger's statement
that Pritchard is silver man and the
Legislature would pass resolutions in
structing its Senators to vote for silver.
Put these statements side by side, and
guess what Senator Pritchard will do.
The whole thing is guess work, anyhow,
and one mans guess is as apt to strike
it as another's.
II there are those who believe that the
silver question is dead, they would soon
be undeceived if they would talk to the
leaders of the silver movement in Con
gress. They regard the contest as but
just begun, and they have heard from
their constituents. A prominent Demo
cratic Senator, a consistent silver man,
told me that he had been astonished at
the news that he received from all parts
of the country. At first, he said, the
silver mea thought they had been de-
feated, and begun to prepare for the fight,
but now nine out Of ten are confident
they won this victory and were denied |
the fruits by bribed election officers. There
hasn't been a break in the ranks, and |
there have been many conversions to sill |
yer as the result of the broken promises |