The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-04-20
CONFERENCES PREVIOUS TO STATE
CONVENTION.
THE SUFFRAGE AMENDMENT
A Cause of Much Anxiety-The Plat
form Prepared by Senator Butler
Proposes a StraddIe on the Measure.
Fusion with the Republicans Opposed
Because of the Latter's Fight Against
the Amendment - Division in h
Caucus as to Fusion.
Especial TO The Messenger.)

Especial to The Messenger.)
Raleigh. n. c., April 1.-THE pop
ulists this afternoon held an informal
conference at Auditor Ayers office. 1t
was filled. The platform was discuss
ed, also the constitutional amendment.
There was strong sentiment, Auditor
Aver says, against making the amend
ment a party issue, but favoring call
ing attention to its unadvisable fea-
lures, and then leaving the whole mat
ter to the individual judgment of the
voters. Fusion was not discussed at the
conference.
Tonight's meeting OF populists was
originally called as a conference. Then
when it was expected that Allen and
Pettigrew would speak it was said it
would be public. Today it was decided
to make it a caucus and a secret one.
Senators Allen and Pettigrew arrived
late tonight and are Governor RusSell's
guests at the executive mansion.
1t is limited that the populists will
try to put a plank in their platform
declaring for a ~dispensary in every
county. They are extremely anxious
to side-track the constitutional amend
ment.
]. c. L. Harriss, who is so close to
Governor Russell, said today: Last
Friday at Washington Senator Butler
and Chairman Cy. Thompson old Sem
ator Pritchard THEN party could not
shoulder the 6 n make the
franchise amendment an issue. They
told Pritchard he could do as he chose.
Pritchard said he would think over the
matter. Next day he again met them
and said he had thought of the matter
all night and concluded that he o
not drop the amendment as that would
be dropping the negro vote in North
Carolina, and if the negro vote were
dropped here it would cause the loss of
the negro vote in North Carolina, Ohio,
Indiana and other states, and thus
greatly injure the national ticket. In
other words Senator Pritchard was
willing to let the party go to pieces in
this state and look out only for ma
tional matters. When the republican
convention meets every voice will be
raised against this sacrifice"
Attorney General Walser, who was
asked to go to the conference at Wash
ington, but did not go, said the repup-
licans will positively not let the popu-
lists name the fusion nominee for gov
ernor, but that there might be fusion
on the rest of the ticket.
At the populist caucus tonight about
200 were present. Chairman Cy Thomp-
son presided. He called on persons
from each district to speak and report.
There were two ~views-that taken by
E. A Moye, who, while advocating a
straight ticket, declared he did not
believe that under the present cleo
ton law it was possible to carry a sim
gle county east of the Wilmington and
Weldon railroad; the other view being
that of Z. 7. Garrett, who expressed
the belief that there ought to be fu-
sion with rpnI1h1inanS and that the
state could be carried.
Ex-Congressman Harry Skinner,
former leader, was present. 1t is his
first appearance in two years.
The reticence of the populists is re-
markable. Chairman Thompson said
no tickle had been agreed on. He
stated that he would name H. F. Sea-
we'll temporary chairman of tomor-
rows
1t was learned from delegates that
while some speakers advocated Thomp-
son as the nominee for governor, 9TH
ers favored Senator Butler, saying he
could best meet Aycock, the democrat
ticket. Delegates say their party is not
in high spirits.
(By Associated Press.)
Raleigh, N. c., April 1.-THE Popu-
list state convention will meet here at
IL o'clock tomorrow morning. About
200 delegates are already here to attend
it, among them Senator Butler and
ex-Congreesmen Skinner, Fowler and
Shuford. Senator Allen, of Nebraska,
and enato Pettigrew, of South Da-
kota, are expected tonight. They come
to deliver speeches against the propos
ed constitutional amendment in this
state.
PopuliSt leaders say tonight that
though good feeling still prevails be-
tween them and the republican party
they will tomorrow nominate a full
state ticket, probably headed by State
Chairman Cyrus Thompson for govern
or.
The republicans, they add, can en-
dorSe this ticket or nominate one OF
their OWL as they like. They claim
that in the campaign in which the ne
gro is the ISSUE, populiStS will not sup
port a ticket having republicans on it
The platform drawn up this after
noon by Senator Butler for adoption by
h convention tomorrow points out
is regarded as the inadvisable
and dangerous features of the consti-
tutional amendment, but recommends
that it be not made a party issue, every
voter being left to his independent
opinion and action.
In order to remove as far as possible
all rae prejudice in the campaign,
many delegates favor, as a substitute
for the amendment, one that debars
the negro from holdiaS office in the
state. Also h legislature which
meets in Jun will be asked to make
some important amendments to the
present election Jaw.
The national platform of 1896 will be
re-affirmed.
CT-TCTDE vvTrrT rxynT nCTy-EC