The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-10-30
LET SENATOR PRITCHARD ANSWER,

| The Democratic press and Democrat
| IL sneakers have asserted that negro
| ruls EXISTS in this State. They have
| giyen the data upon which the asser-
tion was based. Senator Pritchard is
understood to have denied the truth OF
this assertion in his letter to the Presi-
dent of the United States.
Today the Democratic party, speaking
through the chairman of its State com
mittee. officially and formally joins is
enc with Senator Pritchard. He is in
yited to deny and to refute before the
neople of this State the direct and spc-
cific charge. the facts and figures upon
which it is based being given, that negro
rule exists in this State and that the
marty of Senator Pritchard is respon-
sible for IT.
Senator Pritchard has put the State of
North Carolina in an unenviable hight
before the people of this country. lie mas
virtually declared that the white people
of the State he represents III the Unteu
States Senate stand ready to shed blood
on trnmped-up charge and to use vio-
lcnce TO thwart the wishes of Il ma
iority of qualified voters. He has given
If as his oninion TO the chief executive OF
the nation that troops will be necessary
70 prevent such disorders. lie has, Ill
effect. acting in his official capacity,
impeached the veracity of more than
10000 of his fellow citizens III TINS
State and has imputed to them an IN
tention to commit what'the law of their
State declares is infamous and felony.
He now has an opportunity to make good
this charge.
No hedging and no equivocation will
do. The question is specific. Let his
answer be the same. He must make
good his assertion to the President of
the nation or be branded as defamer of
his State and his own people. The arts
of the politician can not save him. He
has declared as Senator Pritchard Of
North Carolina, not as Mr.. Pritchard
of Madison county, that North Carolln-
ians are incapable of self-government
and unworthy to be believed as truthful
and honest citizens. They have right
to demand from him as their represen-
tative that he establish the truth of this
charge or retract it. They have right
to know the grounds upon which he
bases it.
If he shall decline to answer then he
admits his inability to answer and also
admits the guilt of his party. He CON
fesses that he has been willing to cast
odum upon the majority of the white
voters of his State in an attempt TO
gain a partisan advantage and that he
is. therefore, unfit for seat in the Sen
ate of the United States and beneath
the respect of upright men.
Let Mr.. Pritchard not deceive himself
Let him not underestimate the serious
ness of the action he has taken. If he
imaeines that North Carolinians will
forgive or forget reckless assertions
from him in his official capacity reflect
ing upon them, he is mistaken. He has
gone beyond the bounds of decency, if
he is wrong. He has transcribed the
latitude permissible in respectable
public man, unless he is right in the po-
sition he has taken.
Let him answer. The Democratic
party challenges him as a Republican
to answer and his white constituents
demand of him as their representative
that he answer. Answer he must or
stand as a self-confessed traducer of the
people whose good name he should be
jealous to defend.