The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1898-05-12


like cowardly spaniels, try to lick our
selves back into their favor Conven-
tons can not bind and parties can not
pledge it's members to such humilia-
ton. If Democratic leaders succeed
in the coming convention In their at
tempt to effect fusion between Dem
ocrats and .Populists, each holding itself
out as distinct organization, they are
opening the doors for future revolts in
our ranks-they are putting premium
upon future treachery to democracy
and future betrayal to the white forces
in the State. For treachery and revolts
we cannot pay so high a price. To
these we must attach penalty and not
a reward. He holds his hand but
lightly upon the pulse of the demo-
cratic masses, who fails to catch the
stern, strong beat OF determination to
redeem this State from Butlerism as
we'll as Republicanism-equal partners,
contracting alike and responsible alike
for all the public wrongs and scandals
and corruption of the last four years.
There is nothing to gain by such
| fusion, except defeat and humiliation.
Fuse and we will lose, OF course, the
5000 gold Democrats who stand and
have ever stood with us on State issues.
But this is not the difficulty. We
would lose more good silver Democrats
1-Oemocrats who were standing with
Vance and Bryan and silver when some
of these fusion Democratic leaders
stood with Cleveland, Wall Street and
the gold standard) than the whole Pop
ulist party in the State has member
ship. Unless truth is myth and
reason deception, silver Democrats
can never and will never have faith in
the Butterflies. They know that their
conduct for the last six years units
them to be intrusted with the cause OF
silver. They know that Butler and his
co-leaders ale silver men like Judas
Iscarlot. They know that they are
anything and for anything for Office
that to get Office they would sell out
the protested principles of their own
party, ignore and scorn the racial SEN
timents and instincts of the white men
betray any friendship, violate any
pledge, with anxious and willing readi-
ness. For Office they have done this
once. For Office they will do this again.
| Our papers, leaders, candidates and
stump speakers haYe taught the hon.
est, manly democratic masses that the
Butterflies were Office hunters, Repub-
licans and gold-bugs in sleeps clothing
that they were traitors to the white
men and allies OF the traitors
to silver and allies of the gold standard.
The persistent course of the Butterflies
through three campaigns CONVINCED
them OF the truth of this lesson. Can
we now In one short campaign unteach
them what we have hammered into
their hearts and consciences as firm
convictions for six years? Can we ask
them to stultify themselves by shout
ing in one campaign "Butler, the
Traitor" and in the next "Butler, the
Patriot" Can we thus play handy
with their consciences by continually
knocking them from one conviction to
another, at the simple dictates OF party
leadership? Can we treat the intelli-
gent, manly masses of our party as so
much putty to be twisted about at the
Will of a few leaders? Let it be re-
membered that the Democrats-the
people-of this State are no longer
rubber toys to be handled and played
With by the leaders. The crack of the
party lash is not so potent as formerly.
! Butler and has co-leaders, mho qcil.
fully, deliberately and maaliciously pul
the gold-bug Republican party in con,
troll Of this State, con- not be ranan,eo
dowa the throats of the silver Democrats
under the cry of "silver and Bryan
Butler and his co-leaders who wilfuHy
deliberately and maaliciously kicked
good white men out and put negroes IN
poaUer all over the State cannot anc
wiU not be SWALLOWED by the qchite Dem,
ocrotic voters undcr the cry Of "Whit,
Supremacy" So strong silver men art
they, so strong white men are they
that, in fight for silver and white su
premacy, they will never vote Tor the
very men acho sold an open market thu!
State to the gold-bugs and negroes:
There is not negro-nota Republican
lin office to-day in North Carolin.
who was not put there by the work ant
vote of the Butterflies. There Is not .
Butlerite in Office to-day in North Car
DINA who was not put there by tn,
work and vote of the Republicans an6
negroes.
And yet Democrats tell u:
that the way to redeem the State from
negroism and Republicanism is to "gt
In" with these open allies of the Re
pnblicans and negroes. They adml
to us that the very evils under which
we suffer are the direct results of thu
wilful and deliberate conduct of thu
Butterflies and yet they tell us that the
best way to destroy the evil effects O
Butlerlsm is to put into power by ou1
own work and vote the Butterflies
They tell US that the paramount issue,
against which be it remembered tht
Butterflies have waged a united war az
allies of the Republicans, demand.
that we should fuse with them. TIC
this the people may we'll reply thai
there is paramount condition." fol
which the Butterflies are wllfully and
directly responsible, which demands
that they fight Butlerism to the bitter
end. The people know that Butte,
and his co-leaders as political factors
were birthed in negroism and from the
hour Of their birth have drawn every
drop of their life blood from negro SUP.
port. Not day could the Butterflies
live without the support of the negro
and not day could the negro party