Evening star., 1898-07-29
Republicans and Populists to Unitein
North Carolina.
SENATOR BUTLER !. IN. OPPOSITION
Advises PopuIists TO Keep in Mid
die of the Road.
DEMO RATIO PROG RAM
Special Correspondence of The E1ening Star.

RALEIGH, N. c., July 30 1898.
The three parties-republican democratic
| and populist--have held their conventions.
and the political outlook is now pretty
clear There will be fusion of republicans
| and popuists as there was in 1885, and as
| there was again in the legislature in 1897
| in the reelection of Senator Pritchard This
is agreed on between all the republicans
and enough popuists to make it operative.
Senator Butler opposed fusion in the cleo
ton of Senator Pritchard. He controlled
a majority of the populsts, but twenty
two refused to obey him, and it is known
that had more populist votes been neces-
sary to elect Senator Pritchard they would
have been forthcoming.
Senator Pritchard has not been to Raj
eigh in several months. His supporters
here say there is no sort of doubt of fusion
with populists being effected on the basis
Of division of offices. Ohio Wilson, a
populist who is inimical to Senator Butler,
says any onc not an idiot knows that long
before the populists who follow Senator
Buffers lead made their proposition to the
democrats last May for cooperation on
the basis of division of offices and a vote
for free silver candidates the republicans
and popuists had agreed on fusion
The proposition referred to was unani-
nlously declired by 1.-The democrats. To
have accepted it would have meant the
disruption of their party as the most pow
erfu democrats would not submit to 1t.
They were we'll advised that had they ac-
cepted it Senator Butler could not have
made the delivery of all the populis: vote,
great is his power with his party. Mem
berS of the populiSt state committee who
are anti-Butler, or, they are termed,
minority populists," have said. and yet
say, openly that Senator Butler could not
hind them, and that they were and are de-
termired to affiliate with the republicans,
| whom they term their natural allies. Nearly
all the populist office holders share the
view of these committeeman.
Senator Butler here this week. He
said in an interview that "all arrange
| n,ents for fusion with the republicans are
things of the past" So far as this matter
is concerned, it all depends upon the pro-
portion of the populist vote which Senator
Butler actually controls.
Senator ButIer's Advice
In the paper which he publishes here
Senator Butler yesterday made the follow
ing editorial declaration:
THE Caucasian has received a large
number of letters from every quarter of
the state asking what is the best course
for the peoples party to pursue in this
campaign, since the gold bugs and railroad
attorneys captured the democratic state
convention and refused our fair PROPOSE
ton for a cooperation against GOLD and
monopoly as advised by Bryan. To all of
these questions the Caucasian unhes. tat
lNgiy answers, the pest course for the
pies party (Which is the only party in the
state that is honestly for silver and against
monopoly domination of the legislatureS)
Is to make straight fight against both of
the old monopoly-ridden parties, which
have proven that they are now no better
than they were in 1892.
Democrats to Make Hot Fight,
The democratic campaign opens all over
the state August g. That party will make
the chief issue white supremacy" in other
words, will draw the color line more tightly
than at any time since the notable cam
paign of 1876, which resulted in the election
of Vance as governor. Ex-United States
Senator Thomas j. Jarvis says: This
question of government by the white man
is for eastern North Carolina question of
civilization" The democrats will form
white clubs and will bring powerful social
agencies to bear. 1t is clear now that the
campaign is to be bitter and personal. The
chief end and aim of the democrats will be
to secure a majority in the legislature. As
the governor has no veto power in North
Carolina control of the legislature means
control of the state
The republicans and populists locally
speaker of as the "fusionists,'' will not
only try to retain their large majority in
the legislature, but also to elect county Off
GERS, judges, solicitors and representatives
in Congress. The republicans say they
have the negro vote solid. That vote con-
stitutes so per cent of their party. Not
over 2R per cent of it has ever failed to
vote the republican ticket. They say they
will defeat the democrats even worse than
they did two years ago. Their state chair
man, A. e. Hatton, is confident of this
Populists who are doing any talking make
the same assertion. The republicans will
tell the negro voters that If the democrats
get IN control again they will take steps
to secure the adoption of a constitutional
amendment disfranchisng the negro by i'm
posing an educational qualification for
C
could have passed in the legislature bill
providing for the submission to the people
OF such constitutional amendment. There
are not few people who now regret it was
not done. The feeling among democrats is
against the negro as a voter and office
nolder and 1t is certainly high and increas-
ing yearly. If strong among the older
voters, 1t is yet more powerful among the
younger ones. republican of prominence
SAID recently that the passage of an cleo
ton law like those in Louisiana and Missis-
sippi is merely a question of time, SO far as
North Carolina is concerned.
The Several Districts.
Many of the congressional nominations
have been made
In the first district republicans and popu-
lists will renominate Harry Skinner. This
was promised last year. The democrats
nave not as yet made a nomination.
In the second district the denomination
or George II. White, colored, by the repub-
llcans is assured. The populists will nomi-
nate man of their own party, but merely
for forms sake and to quiet those populists
who cannot get the consent of their minds
10 vote for negro. The democrats have so
far made no nomina ton
In the third district the democrats have
non1nated Charles r. Thomas, and the
popullsts have renomiuated John E. Fowl
er 1t has been said that the republicans,
whose dislike for Fowler is open and in
te,'se, will put up man of their own.
oscar j. Spears, who has been talked of as
their possible candidate, says:
You can say for me that]I will not be a
candidate; that our party will not support
fcwler, and that we will nominate a re-
publican"
This means that Fowler may be quickly
taken down, as it is essential to the sue
cess or all populist nominees that they be
satisfactory to the republicans. Senator
Butler is devoted to Fowler, and will do
ms pest TO save him. 07
In the fourth district none of the parties
has as yet made a nomination. Senator
Butier in his newspaper today makes an
editorial appeal for the denomination of
ana support for Representative w. F.
stroud. The latter is, however, quite un-