The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-01-19
THE POPUL|STS
WILL Be AGAINST
THE AMENDMENT
The State Committee so De-
Cided Last Night.
BUTLER CONTROLLED IT
STATE CONVENTION TO MELT
on APRIL 1S.
A GENERAL CONFERENCE ON APRIL nth
The Committee Was in Session Until After
Midnight. Nearly Every Man Present
Made Speech. Buffers
Plea For Fusion.

The PopuliSt State convention will be
held in Raleigh on Wednesday, April
18th.
The Populist party will oppose the Con-
stitutional Amendment in the coming
campaign.
This was decided last by the State
executive committee which was in ses
sion here to fix the date for the conven
tion.
The POpulist party will again fuse with
the Republicans on the State ticket and
an effort will be made to effect fusion
again ON the county and Congressional
tickets.
The committee met at 7:30 O'clock in
the Senate Chamber at the capitol and
was in session until after II o'clock.
DIR. Cyrus Thompson, chairman of the
committee, presided and Hal w Aver
was secretary. The roll call showed
eleven of the twenty-five members of the
committee present. Several other mem
bers We're represented by proxy.
After discussion of the situation by
those present, it was practically decided
to adopt Senator Buffers suggestion of
another fusion with the Republicans on
the Offices and i'll opposition to the amend
ment and the new Election Law.
This decision was announced TO the
public in the following resolutions:
Resolved That the letter recently
written by Hon. Marion Butler to Capt.
Geo. Wilcox concerning the election law
enacted by the General Assembly of
1899 and the franchise amendment to
the Constitution submitted by the same
body, is entitled to the most careful and
fullest consideration of all voters and
citizens who favor political liberty and
popular government, and that said letter
is unQualiiedly commended and endorsed
by this committee and that the chair
nlan of the committee take immediate
steps to effect the publication and dis
tnbGtion of fifty thousand copies Of the
same."
This done the committee proceeded to
name the date of the convention.
As, under the fusion arrangement un-
folded to the committee by Senator But
Ter in his speech printed below, the Popr-
lists are to furnish the candidates and
the Republicans do the voting it was
decided that the Populist convention
should be held before that Of the Repub-
hcans. Hence the following resolution
was adopted fixing the 18th of April as
the time
Resolved, That the chairman Of the
Peoples party State committee be arl-
thorized and directed to call a State con-
yention of the Peoples party to assemble
i'll Raleigh on Wednesday, April the
18th. 1900: and in connection with such
call he invites the assembling of gen
eral conference of members of the Peo-
Hes party ON Tuesday night, April 18th,
1900: and that he be authorized to ex-
tend cordial invitation on behalf of the
State committee, to such citizens of the
State to address said conference as NAV
be deemed proper and advisable bv him
Resolved, That while it does not come
within the official prerogatives of the
State committee to SO direct, it is recon-
mended that county conventions. called
for electing delegates to the State CON
vention, defer the nomination of county
and legislative tickets until after the
meeting of the State convention"
This latter means that an effort will
be made TO again effect fusion of Pop
ulists and Republicans on county and
Congressional offices.
Not only was the meeting slimly at
tended, but it lacked its old time en-
thuSiaSm.
Things wagged along very tamely un-
til shortly after 10 O'Clock when Chair
man Thompson said: Il see we have
Senator Butler, the National chairman.
with us tonight. We'd be glad to hear
from him"
Senator Butler began by compliment
ing the meeting, its personnel and bust
ness-like methods. He had listened, he
said, with great deal of interest to
the reports that different members ana
others had brought up from their sec
tions These reports, he had observed
with satisfaction. corresporded closely
with the reports he had been receiving
from all parts of the State 10y letter.
Except" he added. ''the letters give
even a more hopeful outlook than you