The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-04-27

these 1fleHQS now III OEutI W toIiShi"'S
gold Democrats? If the returning Dem
ocrats have been converted and are now
in sympathy with the Chicago plat
form they will favor such cooperation
as will give success to that platform;
if they are only acting with the party
now in order TO make a future deser-
ton more hurtful TO the party they
ought not to be permitted to ALLEVIATE
our real friends.
While the votes of the gold men and
all other men will be welcomed, the
Democratic masses will not heed the de-
mand of the gold men that the silver
men. in other parties must be*.repnlsedl
as condition of their return to the.
party.
1t will be said--indeed it has been said
by the gold organs-that Mr.. Bryan is
assuming the right TO dictate to the
voters Of North Carolina in expressing
the hope that the silver men here
should act together. His letter fully
meets this suggestion, for he says, III
the action Of your State concerned the
people of your State only | would not
venture an opinion, but the action of
your State will have its influence on the
national policies and will help or hinder
that cooperation which will ultimately
win the fight for bi-metalsm.'
The conditions in North Carolina are
peculiar in that it is the only State, ex
cept. perhaps, Alabama, where the
Populists have heretofore acted with the
Republicans. Until recently it has seem
ed to us that. in spite of the illogical
and inconsistent fusion. they would
again unite to fasten bad government
upon us. The fight going on in the Pop
nlist party by large element in that
party against such degrading and de-
moralizing action is a healthy sign. IL
the element, avowedly in favor of action
looking to co-oneration with the silver
forces. wins in the POpulist convention,
the door will be open for an honorable
cooperation which will not only insure
the white metal but also the supremacy
Of the white man i'm State and county
governments. So far as this paper is
concerned, we are earnestly in favor of
meeting the Populists as honorable al
lies just as soon as they show by their
action that they are done with Repub-
lcanism, negroism and goldstandard-
ism. The Democratic party would not
cooperate with them or with any other
party on the basis of offices, or upon
any other basis than securing the en-
actment of right principles into stat
utes. IF the Populist State Convention
cuts loose from the Republican party
throws off the leadership of the Pritch-
ard PoDulists, and rings clear and true
for the white man and the white
metal" it would be a blunder equal to
crime for the Democratic State Con
vention to repulse them Gin order to con
cilate gold Democrats"
If the Pritchard Populists, or any 9th
er Populists, shall put their party up for
| trading purposes, the Democratic party
| would suffer defeat n thousand times
before il would treat with them. 1t is
honorable TO cooperate to carry out a
common purpose; it is dishonorable for
men, holding antagonistic views on the
paramount questions of the day, to unite
to secure offices. The political in
tegrity and the manhood of Mr.. BRYAN
and Mr.. Jones are too well established
for them to be injured by the statement
that they would advise cooperation
! with men who support Pritchard and