The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-04-26
SHOWS THE WHITE FEATHER
SIMMONS AFRAID OF TINE VOTERS

AFRAID OF TINE Sorths
u r.fu... to vest halter and Pepuiists
IN. s,ump-Is Afraid of the Truth
and M. P.rty's Records Afraid Of Ed
uca,ion.
RALEIGH, y. C., April 20, 1900
Hon. r. VI. simmons, Chairman oil
the Democratic State Executive
Committee, Raleigh, y. C.:
SIR: The candidates of the Peo-
piles Party for Governor, and the
for other state ofnces,
and the candidate OF the Peoples
Party for United States Senator,
desire a joint discussion with the
candidates OF the Democratic party
for said position respectively, In
order that the voters OF the state,
who must, In next August, cast
their ballots In approval or disap-
prevail OF the proposed Constitu-
tional Amendment, the Election
Law and other issues I'm the State,
NAV hear the facts and arguments
that can be presented by both sides
and render their verdict according
ly. II your committee and the can
didates OF your party will agree To
such joint discussion, will be glad
to confer with you at once, with a
view to arranging a series of APP
pointments to begin Immediately
after the close OF the list OF appoint
ments for your candidates already
announced, extending TO, and in
Guiding May Sth, 1900.
Very respectfully,
(Signed) MARION BUTLER,
Chairman Peoples Party State Ex-
ecutive Committee.
RALEIGH, n. C., April 81, 1900.
Hon. Marion Butler, Chairman OF
Peoples Party State Executive
Committee, Raleigh, NC,
| SIR: / received this morning
your letter Of the Goth instant, in
which you suggest a joint debate
between the candidates Of the Dem
ocratic party for State offices, and
the candidates Of the Peoples Par
ty for like positions.
The question to be presented &c
the people for their approval in Au
gust, and around which all Other
questions center, is the adoption o.
the Constitutional Amendment
The Peoples Party in its late Stat.
Convention, while urging objec
lions to the amendment, declared
concerning it 1--WE do not make Ii /;
party question and expressly saic
that it must be determined by the
judgment and conscience of each il
dividual voter" In your letter yol
ask for a joint debate upon tn,
amendment, thereby disclosing /,
purpose on the part of the organi
cation Of your party to commit
your party which Ii has expressly
refused to take in its State Conven
ton. This attempt to raise an is
sue not made by your Convention
is manifestly the result Of a secre
understanding with the Republican
party and i'm line with the actor
OF your party organization sine.
1894, which has been employed t,
foster schemes Of CO operation will
the Republican party and to pre-
vent the individual voter OF tn,
Peoples Party from participatin,
in the naming Of candidates or die
ftating its policy. 1t is a matter O
common knowledge in North Caro-
lima that there is perfect under
standing between the leaders OF tn
Federal Office holding element O
the Peoples Party and the Repub
lican party, and in pursuance O
this understanding they have Sc
cured the nomination of a stat
ticket and asked for a joint debat
In order to divide and divert the al
2 tention Of the white people Will
their Republican allies are engage
In their scheme Of attempting (
again fasten negro rule on the Stat,
Later on, by these same tactics, tn
: Peoples Party will undoubtedly b
= led into fusion with the Republ
can party upon the legislativ,
county and Congressional ticket
in all counties and districts wher
S it is thought that fusion will d
4 any good towards the defeat OF tn
5 amendment and the perpstuatio
Of negro suffrage in North Carolins
Under these circumstances it
impossible to consider the organ
( cation OF the Peoples Party, as no,
constituted and controlled in Mort
Carolina, as having any existenc
separate and Independent from tia
OF the Republican party. Until tn
organization of the Peoples Part
in this State proves its right to b
treated as a.political entity, seps
rate and distinct from the Reput
lican party, by refusing to fus
I with that party upon State, count,
legislative and Congressional car
didates, the Democratic party car
not consider your proposition.
Concerning the suggestion cor
l tanned in your letter as to a Join
debate between you and the Demt
cratic candidates for the Senat
you are informed that the Demr
cratic party has no candidate fe
the Senate and that 1t does not Or
pose to discuss or consider the Sci
ator1al question until after th
;. question Of whether North Carolin
= is to be governed by the white ma
or by the negro has been settled
the August election. From thu
\ paramount and all-absorbing Que
ton the Democratic party does nc
> propose to be diverted, either o
: Senatorial contest, sham tickets, c