The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-08-23
THE EVOLUTION or SKINNER. 1892 1899.


first State Convention of the POpulist
party ever held in North Carolina COM
menced in Raleigh. The men who left
the Democratic party proclaimed that
the State administration was clean,
honest and capable, but that they had
been forced to organize the new party
to secure financial legislation through
national legislation. Colonel Harry
Skinner was nominated for Governor,
and when he was called to the platform
to accept the nomination, he said:
Il know | have taken Il part in edu-
eating and trying to get you to think
upon economic lines as | do. And |
have thought. and my earnest conviction
was that the best way to accomplish
this was through the organization of
the Democratic party. | made the
fight upon the same, and | made the
issue that the Democratic party was
the peoples party, and that under its
wing of patriotism was the place for
the great mass of the people instead Of
being bound by chains of gold to Wall
street.
But, my friends. | want to make Il
plain statement. | am in the battle for
financial reform through veal or through
woe. (Applause.D | do not want any
office. | want to make the fight with
out having TO be charged with the as
persiOn of aspiration: and before | ac-
cept this nomination. it must be upon
known and weIl-defned terms. And
what are those terms? they are these:
That if at any hour there appears such
Il division wrought among the white
people of this country that the Repub!i-
can machine, the common enemy of us
all and of our country, and the cause of
all our evils. has and is SurrepttiouSly
taking advantage of our division and
white supremacy is endangered. |,
want to advise You of it. | shall be a
patriot to North Carolina and advise
you of the dangers in which you are
And unless you give me that power, I'M
less you are willing to entrust me with
that confidence, unless YOU are willing
of yourselves, while fighting nationally
the battles of reform in the case of
North Carolina, you see that your peO-
pie are divided and the Republicans
have the advantage of you and are go
you then. gentlemen, | cannot he your
candidate for governor, but with this
position, taking the banner of financial
reform is my hand, making that the
chief tenor of my argument wherever
stand. only under this condition will
accept. and | do not want this unless
it is done in acquiescence and perfect
order
This qualified acceptance caused n
great deal of dissatisfaction in the con-
yention, and many wished Mr.. Skinner
to explain himself more fully. He was
therefore recalled, when he said:
Il understand that some misconcep-
ton of a certain statement of mine has
occurred. AS | told you, | do not want
any mistake about it. There is another
sense of patriotic duty; it is to preserve
home government to the people of North
Carolina Now, there is no financial re-
form in the State Offices While it is
necessary to organize for great battles
and form great parties for great work.
yet | state this and nothing more: III
it became apparent that the Republicans
were trying to take advantage of our
Il +,
Carolina | ought to be able to tell You
so. do not mean, my countrymen
that | shall notice q Republican ticket
hired by the Democratic party / do
mean an opposition from the Republican
party. which is a big enemy to financial
reform. | mean 10 say that if the clouds
become so close and dark for us, and it
is apparent to every sensible man that
in the division among the white people.
and the Republicans are in earnest |
ought to tell you so. While | will go to
the front with Mr.. Weaver and financial
reform and support every Congressman
that you have in every district for
financial reform, yet | do not believe /
ought to act in such a way as to turn
your government over to the Republi-
cans. But | want to be just to the ban
ner. If | accept the position. of course
your Executive Committee will have me
under their control" Voice from the
crowd" Would You turn it over to the
Democratic partyD" No, sir; | would
vote for Mr.. Weaver" "a voice, How
about the State goyernmentF0
Skinner (hesitatingly), Il want this
thing understood: If the contest is be
tween Mr.. caves and Mr.. Carr, | would
vote for Mr.. Carr"
These words seemed to deepen the
dissatisfaction that had already been so
plainly shown by Mr.. SINNERS auditors
He was again recalled and said:
1T seems that | create some trouble
every time | speak. | know it is not
my purpose to create trouble.
Il had the courage of my convictions
and stand for financial reform. | have
the courage now TO stand and say what
may be possible danger which will
enter our State matters. | expect to
support Weaver and Field; to advocat
financial reform; to never swerve in myl
energy TO accomplish the revolution tina
must come. | will support your Congress
sional nominee; / will support your tick
eft as long as it is in the field, but my
friends | want to say to you that | am
not going to allow my name any long
er to be an incumbrance or embarrass
ment to you. | will support the tickle
you nominate here"
Mr.. Butler announced that Mr.. Skin