The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-08-12
DECIDE ON THE ISSUES
y,JyrJ.DR'S VIEWS ARE UNANl-
MOUsLY ENDORSED.
IT WAS A REGULAR LOVE FEAST
A Committee of Fve..'Appointed to Draft a
Sort of Temporary Platform on Which
All Good Populists Can

CYRUS THOMPSON, Of Raleigh.
HAL w. AVER, of Raleigh.
JAS. III. SHERRILL, of Concord
VI. NARTHUR, of Clinton
Tbe above-named gentlemen were ap-
nointed last night at 2 o'clock by Char
man Fountain, in accordance with in
.structions from the State committee, TO
aaclare to the world where the Popul'st
party in North Carolina rs at.
This committee is to report the result
of it's labors to the full committee Wneh
if meets in the court house this morning
ar O'clock. The resolutions they VIII
draft will be sort of platform, as II
uere. to guide all good and faithful Pop
ul;sts until the meeting OF the next
State convention, when a new fuii-sfo"h
platform will be adopted.
In pursuance of Chairman FOUNTAIN
call two weeks ago, the Populist state
executive committee met yesterday a1ter-
noon at 5 o'clock at the 1ar0orough
House. Resides the fourteen committee
mon nresent. there were thirty-hve prom
inent Populists in attendance. On account
of this large attendance it was decided to
adjourn until 7:30 o'clock to meet in the
court house.
1t was however, s o'clock before the
committee again met. The first business
in order was the calling OF the districts,
40 that the committeeman repre-
senting it and other Populists from that
section might state the conditions ana
sentiments prevailing among their people.
As speech making is dear to the Popu-
list heart this misunderstanding natur-
aIly consumed much time. Indeed, 1t last
ed for FIVE houns, and it was / o'clock
when the meeting adjourned and the
State committee went into executive SEES
sion.
The spee<hes were all very much along
tho came Ene-in favor of the Popullst
party, at present, taking stand by IT.
self and inviting all who agree with lts
declaration of principles Ito be made To-
day) to come out and join them. This, 1t
was urged, was the only consistent tmng
now to do. in view of former declarations,
the bolt of the Pritchardites and the gen
oral bad record of the Legislature.
There were those who in their speeches.
betrayed leaning toward the Democrats
when the question Of fusion was men
TONED: while there were others who
commended that they must not cut them
selves off from all possibility of continued
cooperation with the Republicans.
Senator Butler and other wise heads
ytnselled that this bridge ought not to
be crossed until they get to it; that no
man can tell what the future may nave
in store and that the only safe ground Is
a clear-cut declaration Of principles now
and an effort to rally the party to its Old
time enthusiasm and unfaltering support
of its professions of faith.
Senator Butler was the last speaker
and his ideas prevailed. He said he was
this week going into the western part OF
the State to open campaign OF educa-
tion for Populists, that he would make
number of speeches, that he expected,
with the permission of the committee, to
advocate a reduction of freight and pas
senger rates on the railroads OF the
s+ate. election of the Railroad Commits
sioners by the people; annulment OF the
,,rosent lease of the North Carolina Rail-
road To the Southern Railway; opposi-
t;on IN all forms of monopoEes and cor
norat;ons: prohibition of mortgages and
notes made payable in gold; advocacy OF
free silver and financial reform.
Those. Mr.. Butler said, would be the
issues next time in this State and nc
wanted his party to be found on the rign'
side of these questions.
He referred to the negro question, but
did not think it would cut much of tig
ure, il that were all that could be ar
rayed against these issues. The negroes
he intimated, were Republicans and that
party must care for its own.
At the conclusion of this speech s
Ohio Wilson moved that Senator Butler
be instructed to advocate, in his speech
es. the issues above set forth. This motor
was carried unanimously and the commit
tee then went into executive session.
The executive session lasted only fif
teen minutes. After u brief discussion i
was decided to appoint committee Of
five. to be named by Chairman Fountain
to draft resolutions embodying the views
and sentiments expressed by Populist: