The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-08-11
ANOTHER NEW PARTY
Butler and Russell Want a
New Alignment,
MONPOLIES THE ISSUE
THE POPULISTS TO DROP THEIR
ORGANIZATION.
AND THE LEASE WILL Be THE TEST
But Some Of the Committee Do Not Favor This
Plan, Prefering to Follow the Old
Beaten Path of Fusion With

Plan, Prefering to Follow the Old
Beaten Path of Fusion With
Republicans.
The Populist State executive commit
tee is called to meet in Raleigh to-day
at the Park Hotel at o'clock.
Object of the meeting: To find out
where the POpulist party is at.
Senator Butler is on hand and most
of the members Of the committee will
be here. And something of startling na-
ture is expected to take place.
The condition of the party in
all sections of the State will
be carefully reviewed, soundings
on all the to-be issues taken, and a gen.
eral plan of preliminary campaigning
mapped out
In other words the question of fusion.
which is so dear to the Populist heart.
is to be considered in all its phases. It
is to be decided whether the Populist
ship is to trim its sails Republican-par-
ty-ward again, or Democratic-party-
ward or offer itself as a nucleus for bolt
ers from both Of the old parties on the
railroad question.
The latter is the policy favored By
Senator Butler and Gov. Russell. Az
both the Democratic and Republican mar
ties are split on the lease question, and
the Populists alone are solid-save for A
few Pritchardites they hold the opin-
ion that a new party alignment
can be formed for next campaign
on single issue. This issue is to be op-
position to mOnOpOlies, meaning specif-
cally the Southern Railway and its domi-
nation of politics in North Carolina.
1t is not expected, am told, that such
new political factor, if formed, shall be
called Populists. The name, they say, il
a matter of indifference and OF no impor-
tance; but that the throwing off Of rail-
road domination is all-impOrtant.
What the committee will do no man
can forecast, not even Senator Butler.
At any rate he says he can't, though
am fully pursuaded that he thinks the
latter policy will be adopted.
He has his own party solid on the lease
question. He believes that majority of
the Democratic voters of the State are
against the lease and that a great part
OF them will be willing to join in a nom
partisan fight against it at the polls.
Gov. Russell is equally sure that a good
contingent will come over from his party
to join such a movement And there YOU
have it, without the objections that can
be brought.
But what will the committee say to itS
Will it look as rosy-hued to them as to
Senator Butler and Gov. Russell? Or
will they prefer the beaten track of
fusion with the Republicans? The Repub-
licans are betting that they will do the
latter.
Mr.. J, c.. L. Harris said yesterday
that they would be compelled to do so.
All the Populist leaders, he said, hold
their positions by virtue of Republican
fusion and they are now and will be next
year in favor OF maintaining it to secure
places for themselves and their friends.
'As to the lease the probability is that
the Republican State convention will say
nothing about it. They will leave it
alone like an old shoe to be slipped on
and off in the different localities accord
ing to the eXigencies Of the situation.
Where the lease is popular the Republi-
cans will favor it and where it is unpop-
ular they will be against it.
"As to the money question, the Ding
ley bill, with the help OF the Lord in the
shape of good crops, will in great meas
ure remove the money question next year,
and if Congress legislates upon the mon
ey question according to the views Of
the President and Mr.. Gage, the Secreta-
ry Of the Treasury, they will settle the
financial question and eliminate it from
politics."
"Do you think it would be possible to
carry out Buffers and Russell's pro-
gramme for new party on the railroad
question:
"Under certain circumstances, think
it would. Both the Democratic and Re-
publican conventions will be dominated
by Col. Andrews, and there will be a.
revolt, either from the conventions or at
the polls. There are many men in the
State who hope that this will be done.
This win do away with fusion and with
the Populist party as a distinctive force
in politics. think it possible to have a
large enough bolt from the two old par
ties on the lease question, with the aid
of the POpulists, to control the State"
The Populist State executive commit
tee is composed of the following persons:
w. p. Fountain, chairman; Hal w.
Aver, DIR. Cyrus Thompson. Capt A. S.
Peace, Capt. J. B. Lloyd, S. Otho Will
son, w. X. Pigford, COL Harry Skin
ner, J. T. B. Hoover, V. J. Macarthur,
w. o. Stratford. Y. G. Morton, Cant.
J. III. Sheriff., r. A. Cobb, Geo. ID.
Boggs, Theo White, w. G. Wilcox.
James Amos, S. A. Edmunds, John A.
Sims, A. D. X. Wallace. i9t