The Louisiana populist., 1897-02-19
The North Carolina
SenatOrship.

| There has been an unusual in.
terest manifested in the election OF
United States Senator in North
Carolina this winter. The Non
conformist, not wishing to express
an opinion until fully informed in
the premises, has until now "kep,
still and sawed wood" We have
been panied to see populists divi.
ded III that state, and it gives us
much uncasiness to see a gold-re.
publican elected by popuIist votes,
that is, by men who were elected
rs populists. If we have a cor.
rect understanding now of the sit,
uation, it is as follows:
Two years ago tho populists and
the republicans fused on a state
and legislative ticket with the TN.
derstanding that the populists
should have the long term senator
ship and the republicans the short
term. The fusion ticket won, and
the agreement was carried out to
the letter. Mr.. Butler was made
senator for the full term, and Mr..
Prichard was elected for the short
term. At that time Mr.. Prichard
was a silver man and made the
fight in that way. He has served
the short term and was candidate
for reelection. In this campaign
he SAW fit to 60 back on his former
position and stand with Mckinley
gold bugs. Mr.. Butler, therefore,
opposed bis reelection to the sena-
torship. The populists had votes
enough to control the situation, but
seventeen of them under the lead
crship of Harry Skinner, boltcd
the caucus and supported Mr..
Pritchard, who was elected by their
votes. Mr.. Butler has for years
been an acknowledged leader in
North Carolina. Last year at St.
Louis, he and Mr.. Skinner work
ed together in forcing the conven-
tion to nominate vice presidential
candidate first. Here Mr.. Skinner
displayed some talent for leader
ship. 1t seems to have necessita-
ted an increase in the length of his
hat band.
He was reelected to congress at
the recent election, and this calls
for another size larger hat. 1t
seems to be the opinion in that
state that he wanted to 60 to the
senate himself and gathered a band
of populist assembly members
about him, whom he could control.
and not being able to gain the de-
sired prize, he turned it over to the
enemy instead of magnanimously
submitting to the rule of the ma
jority of the party. Mr.. Skinner
has done much good for the party.
hut has made a grave mistake this
time. II we may judge by the
tone OF the populist press of the
state land we get all or mostly all
Of them on exchange) they are a
unit in denouncing this action of
Mr.. Skinner. The populist eau
Gus has promptly expelled from
its membership all the seventeen
members who voted for u gold
bug senator. In this respect the
populists have shown themselves
more loyal to principle than either
republicans or democrats, who not
only fellowship with, but promote
to leadership, men who opposed
the principles of their party, flor
instance the vote for Hill, of New
York, and Voorhees, of Indiana. J
The North Carolina papers are
filled with resolutions Of county
and LEGAL meetings, concerning the
action of Mr.. Skinner and his
seventeen followers, and support
ing MIR. Butler in a fight he made
for a populist senator.
The strangest and most surpris-
ing result of the fight, was the an
nouncement that Mr.. Watson tele-
graphed bis congratulations to Mr..
Skinner, when Mr.. Pritchard was
elected. This can only be account
ed for on the theory that Mr..
Watson considered himself mis-.
treated by Mr.. Butler in the cam
paisn last fall, and took this way
OF expressing his satisfaction at
his discontinue. In this action
MIR. Watson was unwise. He
could have secretly have chuckled
over Buffers defeat without losing
the good opinion Of many good
and true followers in all parts of
the country, but when he tele-
graphs congratulations" at the
otnotsnr of - Ill