The news & observer., 1898-07-26
TIL CIGARETTE TRUST PROPOSES TO
FUSE Wild THE POPULISTS.

Cigarette Trust and the negroes of Dur
ham county which called itself Re
publican county convention. Mr.. Brodie
l.. Duke presided. With the regular
proceedings of that motley gathering
our readers have no concern, except as
il shows that the negro and the Trust
employees crowded out the old time Re-
puhlcans in Durham rs the negroes have
The interesting fact brought out by
the Recorder is that the representatives
of the Cigarette Trust. an illegal con
spiracy against the laws Of North Caro-
lima, appointed II committee to try to ar
range fusion with the Populsts of Dun
ham county. Think of it. The Populist
party, in every platform and in every
speech made by its leaders :, has de-
nounccd the Trusts in no uncertain
notes. They have shown that the Cigar
cite Trust robs the farmers of North
Carolina day by day and year by year.
And yet, in the face of the exposure of
the methods employed by the Cigarette
Trust. it's henchmen in the Republican
county convention appoint a commit
tee to seek fusion with the Populists.
Who is the agent selected to confer
with the Populists with view to secur-
ing fusion? w. T. O'Brien, superinten-
dent of the Durham branch of the Cigar
cite Trust. Isn't he a nice emissary
to bring about a union between the
worst trust in existence Except possibly
the Sugar and Oil Trusts, of which it
is the third member of the worst trusts
of the family of trusts and the Populist
party of Durham county. If so mon
strous and unnatural a fusion could be
arranged, does anybody suppose that the
Trust would let any Populist it did not
own soul and body go on the ticket?
1t would be Il whole circus to hear
the candidate of the Trust-Populist
combine on the campaign. Here is about
the sort of speech he would make:
"Felow Citizens: l appear before you
as a candidate Of the Cigarette Trust,
the negroes and the Populists to repre-
sent Durham county in the Legislature.
If elected, like Senator Pritchard, ''by
votes representing conflicting views" |
will act 80 as to command the respect
of all honorable men-never failing in
my duty to the Republican party and at
the same time meeting the reasonable
expectations of my Populist supporters"
and always being true to the Cigar
cite Trust
'As FopuIist will introduce bill
to uproot the Cigarette Trust because
my party is committed to destroy all
trusts and to elect '.an ant-monopoiy
legislature as representing my negro
constituents / will move to refer my bill
to the committee on "Never Touch a
Trust" and as the representative of the
Cigarette Trust, / will move in that COM
mittee that the bill edo not pass" thus
will command the respect of all honor
able men by faithfully representing the
three agencies that have secured my
election.
''To please the Populists / will intro
duce bill against gold contracts and
gold notes. and resolution for fre.
coinage. To suit the negroes l will
have it referred, and then to win the ia
vor of the Trust / will have the bill
smothered in the committee. In all
other matters | will pursue the same
policy. and if my course does not please
all my supporters, l will not be as for
tunate as the Republican State Conven-
ton thinks Senator Pritchard has been
in representing conflicting views" For
myself | endorse his policy of riding two
horses going in opposite directions at the
same time, and if l fail to be as dex-
trous as our ilustrious Senator the fail
ure will not be due to any lack of de-
sire to be on every side of every ques-
tion.'
That is the only sort of speech can
didate of the kind Superintendent
O'Brien is trying to secure could truth
fully make.
But there will be no fusion in Dur
ham county between the Cigarette Trust
the negroes and the Populists for the
reason that, while the Populists have
done many inconsistent things, they have
too many honest members to permit the
leaders to make them go in with the
Cigarette Trust. A few office seekers may
arrange with Superintendent O'Brien to
deliver the votes of the Populists in
Durham county to the Cigarette Trust.
but the goods cannot be delivered. There
are too many Populists in that county
who have been robbed by the Cigarette
Trust to enable any gang of office
seekers to lead them into an alliance
with the Trust and the negroes.
The Royal is the highest grade boxing powder
-