The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-09-29
SWIMMERS PAST RECORD
SMALL CALLS ATTENTION TO
HIS INCONSISTENCIES.
SKINNER SEEMS A MAN WI rH0uT PARTY
Says he is PopuIist, but Does not Seem Very
s-ss@Sure of It, and the Popuists Them>
selves Seem Even Less Sure
than He.


Sunbury, n. c., Sept 2S.-(SpeciaI.;--
The second ioint discussion took place
here today between John Ii. Small and
Col Harry Skinner Each spoke one
hour and twenty minutes Mr. Small
made the first speech, in which he clear
~ demonstrated the position and action
of the Democratic party in national
politics. and plead with the people to
remember the great issues that were pro-
claimed throughout the State and coun-
try in 1896.
He denounced. Cleveland and Cleye-
landism and spoke of how soon the Dem
ocratic party repudiated him after he
proved false to the principles of his par
ty. He declared the free and unliIn-
tied coinage of silver to be the para
mount issue in national politics today
and the restoration of silver among the
metals of the world the great remedy
for the working classes of this coun-
try.
He then spoke of the inconsistency of
Go. Skinner. how he had declared for
free silver in 1896 from every stump
i'll the First Congressional district. and
in less than three months was eXerting
all his influence among the members of
the Legislature to elect Il Republican
gold-hug to the United States Senate.
lie then. scored the colonel on his past
record, quoting from his speech when
nominated for Governor in 1892 by the
Fusion convention in Raleigh. In sub
stance it was as follows
IF | d~aby accepting this nominal
ton that it will put the State back into
the hands of the Republican party, our
common enemy, then / reserve the right
TO withdraw; and now he is going
= around soliciting the SuffrageS of the
Republican party. He showed how Skin
ner was catering to two factions. rep
resenting TO one that the great issue was
protective tariff" to the other free
silver" and then when the DingIey bill
came uD to be voted on the Colonel
lodged
Mr.. Small then called the attention of
the. people to the great promises Skin
nef had made to them in 1894 and 1896
asserting at that time that the Demo
cratic party was responsible for five
cent cotton and cent and half peanuts
Who is responsible today. Colonel?
Have you fulfilled your promises to the
people of this district? The only bin
that you have introduced which passed
the House of Congress was one to ex-
tend the time ON some patented car
couplers.
Mr.. Small then asked the Colonel
what party he belonged to. after a long
while the Colonel said he was Il Popu-
list) But it seemed as if Philip Nolan
was without country, so the Colonel
is without a party. Mr. Small read from
the Caucasian that Skinner was not per-
mitted TO attend the populist caucus in
Washington: that he was denounced by
the Middle-of-the-road Populists in this
State
There are two colored nominees
of the Republican party in this township
for the offices Of constable and justice
of the peace. Tell the people of Gates
Colonel. whether you would vote for
them or not if you lived here. THE
Colonel WINGED and said: Il don't live
here.')
Mr.. Small spoke of the disgraceful ad-
ministration in the State, from the Elk
ecutive office down to county affairs
Col. SINNERS effort in reply was the
poorest | ever heard him make He
seemed to quake under the facts that
Mr.. Small had emphatically presented
to the people. He consumed over half
OF his time talking about mon0poles and
trusts and reading to the people the bills
he had introduced in Congress, making
excuses for himself and his party. His
great reason why he should retain his
seat in Congress was that it takes a
man a term or two to. become accus-
toned to Congressional life. and learn
when to take hold to better the condi-
tTon Of his constituents.
lie then tried to explain his position
in regard TO electing Pritchard to the
Senate He said it was a party contract
and then asked why the Democrats in
the legislature did not fuse with the
Populists and elect Thompson to the
Senate. The Colonel doubtless did not
think until Small told him that the Pop
ulists and Democrats in joint session
did not have enough to elect without
the aid of the minority Populists.
The Colonel admitted that John X.
Smith couldn't run the penitentiary, but
that ii man was sometimes incapacitated
10 fill one place and filled another sue
cessfully He declared that the present
State administration was clean, ana
in support of his assertion quoted large
~ from the Populist Hand Book.
Mr. Small in his rejoiner attacked
the Colonel on every side and so com
pletely hedged him in that the Colonel
did not recover before his time was
up.
Mr.. Small asked the Colonel several
questions which he failed TO answer, and
asked his position on certain matters,
which the Colonel invariably evaded.
Mr.. Small is more than match for
the Colonel in debate and it was evil
dent today, even to SINNERS friends
that the Colonel was "A defeated man.
Rev. i. w. Babb was here today and