The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-12-14
PRlTCHARD FOR JUDGE
TO SUCCEED JUDGE DICK OF
THE WESTERN DISTRICT.
ALL THE FACTIONS AND FRAC TONS
To be Gathered Into New Fusion Deal With
Russell, Butler, Skinner and the
Other RAIDS to do the Mani
pulating.

There is a political deal on and it is
one of right much magnitude. 1t is a
new slate, or nearly new. For some
folks, it means a good deal and for
others it means bad deal. 1t has fu-
sion for its object, and it proposes to
rake in factions and fractions of parties,
a-gwineand a-coming as the story goes:
Pritchard is in it-strictly in it; Rus
sell is in it-or to be in it; the Motifs
and the Dockerys are to be likewise In
it; Harry Skinner is to be taken into
it; Butler is to be driven into it, while
Ohio Wilson, Hal Aver and DR.. Thomp-
son are expected to fall into it. Judge
Whitaker is on the slate, if he dom t
get rubbed off; but Chas. Cook, Shorty"
Bernard and Oscar Spears will sit on
the fence and see the procession pass.
Col. Andrews and the Southern Rail
road are the button touchers, and if
their agitation of the communicates
can wake up the White House. the deal
will go through like a limited vestibuIe
on leased railroad
The whole thing starts with the South
ern, and it said to be part of the
Southern's fight against Cook for Dis
trict Attorney. Pritchard is bound to
Cook if he stays in the senate, and he
will stay in the senate, of course, I'M
less mighty rich piece of pie is offered.
This piece of pie has been set before
him, and he has been asked to cast one
eye upon it. He looked not with one
but with both eyes, and he likes it, in
deed yearns for it. 1t is the judgeship
to succeed Judge Dick, whose physicians
it is said, have advised him against hold
ing further courts. Pritchard for judge,
is the key to the deal; Russell is TO APP
point a man, perhaps Marsh Mott, who
will be content with a years senatorial
term, and the fusion nomination for
governor in 1900. Harry Skinner is to
name the Eastern District attorney, pro-
vided he viii name Judge Whitaker in
stead OF Shorty Bernard; and provided,
also that Judge Whitaker can pull NJ.
l.. Wood, Ohio Wilson, DR.. Thompson,
Capt. Buck Kitchin and a lot of others
into a fusion deal. III. G.. Dockery is
to take the marshalship and with that
pull all the Dockerys into the new fu-
sion deal.
With these all in it whar', oh whar'
will Butler be? Left out in the cold
unless he comes a-funn1nS, SAD one,
and so think they, all of them.
Tommie Settle is expected TO nurse his
ambition until it can do what he thinks
it can do-stand alone. Pearson, Lin
ney, Fowler and White are to be in the
deal, with Shuford, Father Stroud. and
Letter-writer Martin to take their
chances in the scramble in their re-
spective districts next year.
The Raleigh posoffice. and other like
plums are to go into the new fusion
push" and to be given to those who
can do most to push it along.
These are the main features of the
new deal with which the atmosphere
is beginning to vibrate. There is but
one breaker in the way of smooth sail
ing, and that is the man in the White
House. No telling yet what he is going
to say. Russell is an avowed silver man
(but he hollered for Mckinley in the
campaign and up to now has, for publi-
cation, been ''agin" the trusts and COM
binations. Marsh Mott helped Teller
and Dubois lead the silver forces at st.
Louis up to the walking out part of the
programme, then he hickered. Mark
Hanna and Mckinley are not silver
men, hardly, and they may not want
Mott for a year and Russell for four
years in Pritchard's place. Judge
Whitaker was a Bryan man, but as for
that so was Harry Skinner, while Cook
pulled his red whiskers for Mckinley,
and Bernard would have pulled his if
he'd had any. Colonel Andrews, how
ever, worked for and wagered on Nc
Kinley with all his might and money,
and il he can forgive Skinner (who help
ed him with railroad legislation and
Whitaker, why can't the President be
ais generous $50 think they, all of them.
The "coon," one hundred and twenty
thousand strong, is not in the deal. He
lis expected to "whoop" when "whoopin"
time comes, and of course he will
"Whoop'' on as usual