The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-10-02

THE NEWS AND 0BSE r
tions of the Populists and Republi-
cans. in this State has been Il dismal
and disastrous failure. Only the con
temptible pie-hunters see any good in
it."
These were the utterances of the two
leading Populists papers of the State.
made deliberately while the Legislature
was in session and Immediately after its
close They were made .iearly two years
before any political campaign, and by
men who had the best opportunities foI
knowine the, character of the legislators
and of the legislation. The men who
composed the Legislature were the po-
litical friends and associates of the edi-
tors of the Progressive Farmer and the
Caucasian. 1t was natural for them to
seek to make their actions appear in the
most favorable light, and II the Legisll'
fire of 1897 had been even passablC
these papers would have given the Legis-
lature credit for all the good it did
The fact that these papers call il
"damnahle." with their naturally friend
IL disposition. is proof positive. that it
was the most disgraceful body thar has
assembled in North Carolina since the
drunken orgies of the carpet-baggers and
negroes Of 1869.
TUE ELECTION OF PRlTCHARD
The corruption Of the Legislature
eliminated in the methods employed to
sacurc the election of Senator Prilchard.
In 1891 and in 1890 h was
"a lord in advocacy Of pOpuliSn
that many populists believed he WIS. ~
nne sad. almost ROpulist-in fact
a PopuliSt in everything except name.
Hefore showing up the corrupt methods
,mployed to secure his election, let us tx
ANNE for minute Senator Irltchard' :
utterances prior to 1896 and trace his
wiring in and wiring out until from be-
inc n llatant advocate of silver. he he
comes the hulwark Of the gold forces in
North Carolina The pr tchard of 1894,
Judging him by his public utterances, i
MS much unlike the Pritchard of 1898 rs
the Carlyle Of 1878 is unlikc the Carlyle
of 1894. About the time he was trim
ming his sails to get ,PopuliSt support
senator .rr.tchard thus declared him
self:
RAMPANT FOR SILVER.
II consider that free trade and
gold monumetalism are Twin broth
ers. and he who courts gold mono
metal SIN invites the disaster which
must follow in the wake OF free
trade"
In Il speech at Henderson, lie. Senator
pritthard went even further and de-
clared:
II will say for the benefit of my
Republican friends that | am Il free
silver man. rs to /. from the sole
of my feet to the crown of my head.
so h In me God. and have been all
my life and always will be. If there
* any sin that | am afraid of it is
the freeman's hate of Grover Cleve-
land and ALL OTHER GOLD
BUGS, Wall street thrown in. If
the Good Lord will fdrgiye me for
that. il 1T he sin. then | am right
MS Christian d. th "
If any Of my friends hear OF my
. advocating the gold standard | want
K them to send me TO the asylum be-
fore | do any other Crime.afor there
is nothing IN my Judgment that
would be greater crime'than toiad-
afvocate the gold standard. ~
in speaking Of the bin to forbid bond
issues. on May Goth. 1895. Senator Prit
chard said: tfst"E1
IF tae. Republican. Iarty, either di-
reetly or Indirectly, sanctions the I'M
warranted exercise Ct discretion by
the Secretary Of the TrensuFy we
will lia cstopped in the, approaching
,lr,, tha
oeratic party for its r. ndnct.
The Pcpublchn Horse killed the bill
proposed to prevent bond issues. and Sc
some Populists, who joined Senator Prit
hard in 1894 in denounfng Mr.. Cleye
lands bond issues. supported him afte
his party had done exactly what bDti
denounced Mr.. Cleveland for dnin''
Even after his election in 1871
he continued TO talk si.veE
and said in the Senate :
am y friend to silver. and believe
should be restored To its dignity ms
precious metal" and he signed wit
I Teller and others Il paper declaring tina
| the unlimited coinage OF silver at II
to / by the independent action of tn
| United States is the only method pnssihl
Of Securing the people of the Unite'
St.ltcs from the impending danger or IN
difference in exchange between gol'
| standard Countries"
IIRACULOTSIY CONVERTED.
When did Senator Pritcharl mike
public confession of his miraculous con
version. and what was the precise inc
ment when the scales fell from his eyes
When did he discover that he VII
wrong. that tho gold standard was right
and that free coinage would never bfin
prosperity? His conversion was as sud
| den as that Of st. Paul on the road t
| Damascus. if we accept his own brie
| accornt of il. Here ara his words:
II went into the Republican M
ti9nal Convention. and after care
fully studying thesstuation | became
| convinced that free silver will not
give the country prosperity.
1t would he interesting if the Senate
had told the text books he used, mt tn
| feet of what Gamaliel he sat. and hoy
long he was carefully studying the Sit
uati0n before he was converted. Blu
that would he asking too much of the col
| vert. He is II bright convert. and sine
| his conversion has been one of Mar