The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-02-02
Gives tbs Reason For the
Faith in Him.
SOME CAMPAIGN SECRETS
HOW BUTLER HELPED TO ELECT
POPULIST FREEMAN.
RINGING REVIEW UP-To-OATE
Skinner Accuses Butler of inconsist-
encies and Double-Dealing, and
Resents as Slanderous All
Buffers tnaputations.

Buffers tnaputations.
Col Harry Skinner was seen last
night at the Park Hotel by a News and
Observer reporter, and, in answer to en-
suiries as to what would be his defence
against the address of Senator Butler,
he gave out the following reply:
The public is entitled TO truthful
review of the facts preceding and sur
rounding the recent Senatorial eiectlon
In North Carolina. l will undertake TO
make this without unnecessary prejudice
or passien, and as far as possible, with
out retaliation. | am willing personally
to bear any cross my enemies may choose
to fix upon me If out of the present con-
.ditions / can still further serve silver as
/ have ever heretofore done at greater
sacrifice than any man in the State.
AS initiatory to the great reforms con-
templated by the Alliance as an educator
to the Populist party as the moving po-
litical party to secure them.
The North Carolina Senatorial election
has been unduly magnifed. This has
been done on lines that are deceiying to
the plain, honest voter, whether he be
Democrat, Republican or Populist, and
for the potent purpose of making the
leading factor Senator Butler attain his
ultimate selfish ends in wrecking or
causing to be absorbed or dissolved the
Populist party. Let US lift the veil and
let the truth in. A silver Senator is
not necessary at this hour to save either
the cause of financial reform or the
Populist party, and it is so great a
yublic injury to so grossly deceive the
people as almost to constitute public
crime.
If honorably we could have elected a
Populist Senator he could not have been
potent or effective during the next four
years in advancing the cause OF the
Populist party, or the cause Of financial
reform, of which silver is only initiatory.
challenge any Populist in the nation to
demonstrate wherein. When the public
fully realizes this TRUTH then the ma
tural inquiry arises why magnify this
North Carolina Senatorial contest? The
answer is irresistible that it is done either
for the purpose of serving the ambition
of Senator Butler or else to serve his
ends in showing to the country that he
absolutely owns and controls the POpulist
party in North Carolina and on failure
his ultimate purpose to disintegrate it.
We must presume that Senator Butler
is possessed of ordinary intelligence, and
knows the consequence of certain actions
notwithstanding his talk in caucus or pri-
rate to the contrary.
In the election OF Senator Pritchard
we have secured free silver and financi-
al reform Senator One who can and
will be more potent and effective than
any Populist could possibly be in the
next four years, and we have secured
this result upon the high plane Of main
tanning principle with the respect OF all
parties and classes of people by preserv-
ing our integrity and good faith. Be
hind this action we have the leading
Populists Of the nation, nine-tenths Of the
reform press, a large portion of the
Knights Of Labor, and in North Caro-
lima nearly all of the original prominent
Populists. / could mention and give
list Of several hundred names but for
space The reader can find them in every
county. Senator Butler has at
his back not the State Execu-
tive committee, because he feared
their respective Congressional districts
and know the obligations resting between
the representatives of the people and
their constituents. He has only behind
him bare majority Of his Central COM
nittee and this bare majority is com
posed Of new friends to the Populist
cause, some of whom, including his re-
Gently appointed chairman, never voted
a straight PopuIist ticket
] will recall that at the State conven-
tion I advised against the naming of
committee that would be dominated by
the influence of Mr.. Butler, and the re-
tirement from the committee of the
prominent Populists Of the State.
A brief reorganization OF cooperation
between Populists and Republicans in
North Carolina viii exemplify the fol-
lowing:
In 1892. the middle-of- the-road fight
with Republican encouragement and
local support resulted in seven members
Of the Legislature and about 10000
votes.
In 1894 cooperation was perfected un-
der a contract that Populist should
succeed Senator Ransom and a Republi-
can Senator Vance and his successor;
fair election laws and non-partisan ju-
dietary and practical distribution Of
local patronage resulted in an over
whelming defeat OF Democracy, nom
partisan judiciary, and through the Leg
Bature the election of Senator Butler
70 the long term Senatorship and Sena-
tor Pritchard to the short term Senator
ship with the understanding that he
should be his own successor and after
wards the establishment Of our present
election law. The contract was reaf-
frmed by Senator Butler In his speech
Of acceptance. He has done so repeated
~ in public and private since. If Sena-
Tor Butler had had the short term he