The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-02-02

III ti1 uldlIGrS OF cooperation couFlnSto
us that Senator Butler il standing for re
election under the terms of cooperation
would have been elected without any OPP
position.
Some facts concerning the election of
Senator Butler should be known. Sena-
tor Pritchard could have made combi-
nation and have secured the long term,
but he was too honorable to do so and
rejected the proposition. Mr.. Skinner
was invited into combination whereby
he could have been defeated both Sena-
tor Pritchard and Senator Butler. He
refused to do so, having been elected to
Congress- believing that the people ex-
pected that Senator Butler should be
returned to the Senate. Everybody
knows that Senator Butler will not dare
deny that if the Republicans had named
the strongest gold-bug in North Carolina
as caucus nominee --e would have caus
ed and advised under the terms of CO.
operation for the Populists TO have voted
for the Republican named, in doing so
thereby securing his own election. This
is too plain when it is known that Sena-
tor Butler so managed as to cause the
election of Mr. Settle in the Fifth Dis
trict over true silver man, such as
Judge Graham, and tried to secure the
election of Cheatham, a colored gold-bug
over Or. Freeman, the Populist nominee.
From the best information that | can
obtain the differences between Senator
Butler and Senator Pritchard arose on
the reorganization of the Senate. Major
Grant, the warm personal and political
confidant of Senator Butler, by the infiu-
ence of Senator Pritchard, was nominat-
ed Sergeant-at-Arms In the Senate.
For some reason Senator Butler refused
to vote for Major Grant. No satisfac-
tory explanation has been given to the
public for Senator Buffers breaking
faith with both his friend Grant and
Senator pritchard on this occasion. Ihe
outside facts are that Senator Butler re-
ceived some patronage at the hands or
| the present organization. In this dlstrl-
| hutton he is accused by many of bad
| faith. Soon after this, in April, at a
meeting of the State Executive commit
| tee. Senator Butler proposed as a con
diton precedent to cooperation that the
Rapublicans should vote the Popuiist
National ticket. thompson ana aat
skinner led the fight against any such
unreasonable and unconscionable CO
ercion. contending that If cooperation OF
| the Republicans were to be continued
that a fusion was fairer and more prac-
ticabIe. AT that time 1t was Thought Dy
Mr. Rrtler that of the two parties the
Republican both in Platforms ana thelr
nominees. would be more favorable 10
| silver than the Democrats VINO IL was
supposed would adopt the CieVelano
policy. This fight was carried into the
| primaries and fully developed IN the
| State convention. The people OF lhe
| Stafe know the result of that dellbera-
! tinn wherein Senator Butler was compeI-
I ed to disclose his hand and acknowledge
/ that he was attempting to get gold-Dugs
| in dispuise upon the ticket. Ii we nave
not a ponnlist Governor, no one is re-
I snonsible therefor except Senator Bul-
lar lean state positively that Judge
Russell would have given away TO Dr.
Thomson if he could have been nomlna-
ted for Governor, but / knew he would
not give away to Major Guthrie. | be-
lieye that Senator Butler knew this
and this accounts for his indirect method
of electing Russell. 1T is known that
Senator Pritchard and other Republicans
used their good offices in order to bring
harmony and secure success TO have the
Republican nominee Henderson, the Au-
difor. retired so that Populist State
Chairman Hal Aver might be elected
Auditor In the campaign Senator But
Ter cannot disguise that he knew of these
conditions in North Carolina, and that
he was overruled by his committee with
his consent, and that the Populist party
through his direction was made TO try
to secure the election OF Tom Settle. a
single gold standard man over w. w.
Kitchin, true and acknowledged free
silver man.
Without Republican assistance no
Populist could have been elected to any
/ State office, Congress or local office save
and excepting two counties. Every man
elected to the Legislature by Republican
assistance was charged that II elected
that he would vote for Pritchard. Few
denials of this charge were made, a great
many openly admitted. So far as the
First District is concerned, cooperation
between the Republicans and Populists
was perfected upon this basis by resoIu
tion passed by the Republican and Popu-
list Congressional convention. Mr.. Skin
ner had met at his appointments this
open charge, and as far as that District
is concerned, both as to himself and to
members of the Legislature, the matter
was regarded as closed on the 3rd day Of
November.
During the campaign, and since, Sena-
tor Butler has admitted privately, pub
hcly, through the press and otherwise,
that this Sepatorship under the contract
OF cooperation and under obligations
radsed for navors received belonged TO a
Republican, but he contended that 1t
should be some other Republican than
Senator Pritchard Opposition TO Sen
ator Prltchard so far as the world knows
was based entirely on personal grounds.
I'm the caucus held at Raleigh about the
time that the Legislature convened, Sena-
tor Butler took the position THAT a Re
publican should be nominated. He was
asked if Senator Pritchard declared for
silver did he believe that he would keep
faith. He replied THAT he thought SEN
ator Pritchard would do whatever he