The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-07-22

make this declarations: 1--WE favor
an amendment to the State Consti-
tuition embodying the provisions of
our present election law which Will
guarantee to every citizen of the
State the right to cast one free bal
lot and have that ballot counted as
cast"
Elsewhere in the platform this
sentence occurs: I'VE believe that
the men who broke the chains OF
Democracy in 1894 and who restor-
ed to the people the right of local
self-government and of honest cleo
tons will stand together in the COM
ing contest for the preservation OF
those rights which assure to our be-
loved State in fact rs well as i'll
name truly Republican FORM of
government"
The only basis of fusion offered to
the POpulists by the Republicans is
in the platform. In 1895, when the
Populsts and Republicans first con-
trolled the Legislature, an election
law in many particulars like that de-
manded by the Populist State con-
vention was enacted At the SEES
sion in 1897, after the Republicans
and Pritchard Populists obtained
full control of the Legislature, the
Republicans drafted an election law
which gave to that party such con-
troll of the election machinery as
would have forever made fair cleo
ton impossible in North Carolina.
1t was drawn to give Harry Skinner
and .Jeter Pritchard power to carry
the elections in North Carolina, no
matter how the voters might deposit
their ballots. 1t was the most infa-
nous and transparency dishonest
election law that ever crossed the
threshold of an American LeGisla-
ture, giving as it did two-thirds OF
the election machinery at every pre-
cinct to Republicans. 1t would be
the law of the State to-day II the
Democrats and Silver Populists had
not Joined forces to expose its villain
Gus features. They could not enact
such law as both parties now de-
mand in their platforms. The pres
cnt election law, which the Republl-
cans threaten to embody in the Con
stitution is miserable makeshlft
and the Democratic and Popullst
parties are both committed to its re-
peal. And yet, in the face of the
Populist platform pledge to repeal
the law. the Republicans offer fusion
TO the Populist party on the basis OF
"embodying the provisions of our
present election law i'll the State Con
stitution'' That is the very thing
the Populists have declared they do
not want NE DicS'ht NieS''Oh '''
gives to the Clerk of the Court, the
Register of Deeds, and the Chairman
If the Board of Commissioners of
each county the right to appoint cleo
tion officers. thus denying to leach
political party the right of being rep
resented on all election boards by
representatives of its own selection
the very thing that the Populists
insist upon as essential to any CO.
operation, and to insure fair elec
tons. If they could agree upon
other measures, the threat of the he
publicans ito embody the present
election law in the Constitution,
would make it impossible for the
Populists to cooperate with the Re
publicans.
TO-.
The Populists want Legislature
in favor of Il system of local self
government. and which will enact
UNDER PROPER SAFEGUARDS
sufficient legislation to guarantee to
the counties the right to elect local
officials"
The Democrats declared, 1--WE de-
nounce all enactments of the last two
Legislatures by which cities and
towns i'm the State have been turned
over to negro domination, and we
pledge ourselves to enact such laws
as will give security and protection
to the property and people of every
town and community in the State"
The Republicans favor "the preser-
walton of the right of local self-gov-
ernment," which means that they ia
yor corrupt and incompetent negro
rule in Eastern towns, cities and
counties. The Republicans invite the
cooperation of the Populists on the
assumption that the Populists want
to continue the present system that
is working evil to the white people.
AS IA matter of fact, in their plat
form, the Populists declare for such
a change in the present system as
will put proper safeguards" around
the local governmental very thing
tbo+ tho nanocrutS stand for Though