The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-04-16
SOME FOR, SOME AGAINS I
DISCUSSING IT AS A QUESTION
OF PARTY POLICY.
THE EFFECT OF ELIMINATING THE NEGRO
Pritchard the Favorite for the Gubarnatoria
Nomination. Mr.. Mason, of Chatham,
Says North Carolina win Vote for
Him for Vice President.
Him for Vice President

The Republicans are a little at sea
on the Constitutional Amendment.
What position shall we take in regard
to it in the coming campaign? is the
question they are asking themselves.
Suppose we make a fight against it:
1T will then become the issue,
the only issue of the campaign. White
man and Negro will again be the cry.
"On this we must fall. as we fell
in 1S9S-only more so. We ourselves
will have selected the issue, and having
chosen as our allies the worst possible
element of the State, we need rot com
plain If for many years we are branded
with the odium of the cause and of he
association. Such Il result would XIII
the Republican party in this State for
many years to come.
Take the other horn of the dilemma.
Suppose we oppose the amendment and
win, which no sensible man now hopes
to do. Why We'll be the same old Mig
ser party. The News and Observer
will again raise the cry of White SUI
premacy and we'll be swept from pow
err"
This is the way several Republicans
talked to me yesterday. Clearly they
are badly scattered and the anti
Amendment clucking of Mother-Bird
Pritchard has not done much toward get
ting them together.
WHO will be your candidate for Gov
emory asked one prominent Republi-
can.
"Pritchard, l suppose. That seems to
be the program of our party now. He's
certainly the logical candidate. He's
thrown down the gauntlet on the
Amendment question, by his recent let
ter, and he'll probably be asked to
lead the fight
Are there any other probable candi-
dates?"
''None that l know off,
"How about Boyd?''
He would have been United States
Judge if Ewart had not been again APP
pointed"
DO you favor your party'S fighting
out the campaign on an anti-Amendment
PLATFORM
NO, don't think it wise. The Amend
canvass on the record of the last Leg
islature and ON the general cussedness
of the Democratic party
AuOtucT Sstlu ludL IL the ItepuDllcalfS
would let the Amendment question sew
erly alone, attack the record of the
last Legislature, put an antitrust plank
in its platform and nominate Pritchard
for Governor, they would carry the
State.
''The Amendment, however, would be
adopted he continued, "and that is
just what we'd want. Take the Negro
out of politics and North Carolina at
once becomes Republican State. 1t
is naturally high protection State now.
with it's many mills and growing manu-
featuring interests. But if we join in
with the negroes, it'll take the party
and the individual members of it ten
years to recover from the effects Of The
bitter campaign that is going to be wag-
ed in North Carolina ON the question
of limited suffrage
Yet another man. high in Republican
councils, argued that the adoption of
the Amendment would be the best
thing that could happen to the Repub-
lican party.
Just take ont the negro, and do you
know what would happen? Why, we'd
combine with the gold Democrats and
control the State
"A very obseryant Radical from the
Piedmont section was not so sure of car
rying the Amendment. He thought n
strong opposition to it could be worked
up among the white people.
AS to Governor said Hiram u. Ma
son, a prominent Chatham county Re-
publican, I'm in favor of Attorney-G ZEN
eral Walser. Pritchard is too big n
man for the place. He's our next can
date for VicePresident Certainly
North Carolina will give him her solid
support for that position