The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-07-08
HIS PREDICTIONS IN 1891
Unlike Isaiah He Lives to See Their
Fulfillment.
HE ADMITTED 1T EOITORIAlLY IN 1897
Had Said Populist Ticket Elected by RepubIi'
can Sufferance Would Place State Man
agement in Unworthy Hands and
be Heavy Blow 10 Reform.


On July 2, 1892, there appeared in the
Caucasian, then published at Clinton,
North Carolina. an editorial entitled,
Pure Democracy and White Supremacy,
which read as follows:
Let our friends of the PEOPLES Par
ty Danish every idea of nominating State
ticket, but rally to the support of Elias
Carr and elect him by 10000 majority.
From the present outlook We very much
fear that the Peoples Party will put
State ticket in the field and possibly tick
cts in every county Such action If taken
would be greatly to be regretted, and
should be prevented, if possible. What
ever differences may exist among North
Carolinians over a question of National
policy, there should be none in the State
where Anglo-Saxon rule and good govern
ment is the paramount issue.
What is there to be gained for reform
by defeating the Democratic State ticket?
Nothing, but much to lose, let the result
be what it may. If you elect your ticket,
you do it at the sufferance Of the Repub-
lican party, and you are at their mercy
now and in the future. If you are the
cause of the Republican party capturing
the State you have given heavy blow to
the cause of reform and put the manage
ment of your State in unworthy and inoh-
pable hands. Let not those who want Of
flee more than they do reform precipitate
you into taking such unwise action
At that time. Mr.. Marion Butler was the
editor Of the Caucasian. He was looked
upon as a young man of some ability and
had been honored by the Democratic par
ty with a seat in the State Senate in
which he served during the session of 1891,
having been elected by the white voters
of the district of which Sampson was
part He had not then become dependent
for official position upon the negro vote
of the State, nor had his ambition be-
come SO overweening as to blind him TO
the real conditions in North Carolina We
have to assume that at that time, with
no motive to bias his judgment, associated
as he was with the party of good govern
ment in the State, and having before him
the recollection of the horrors Of RepubH-
can rule as it existed in 1868 and 1859,
his editorial represented his honest con-
victions. This supposition is strengthened
by the fact that the same opinion was en-
tertained by ninety nine out of every hun
dred good white men in North Carolina
There is no doubt that when Mr.. Butley
wrote in 1892 Whatever differences may
exist among North Carolinians over
question of National policy, there should
be none in the State where Anglo Saxon
rule and good government is the para
mount ISSUE, his pen was that of ready
and truthful writer. 1t was the statement
of a truth so obvious that it came natur'
ally to his pen as it came naturally to the
lips of every North Carolinian who loved
his State and who had not been blinded
to her highest interests by prejudiceS
growing out of war issues or by an insa-
table longing for the flesh pots" which
could only be enjoyed by an abandonment
of principle and by joining hands with
the enemies of good government and white
supremacy 1t must be noted that this
statement was made after sixteen years
Of good government under which all the
departments of government in the State
were in the hands of the Democratic
party and when we were removed by %
years from the horrors and dis
grace and reconstruction and the disaster
of Republican State administration. 1t
must be observed too, that this state
ment was made prior to the Legislatures
of 1895 and 1897, and prior to the negroiz-
ing of Wilmington, Newbern and Green
vile. But the editorial is more than the
statement of self-evident proposition.
1t is also an earnest plea to the white men
of North Carolina to stand together for
the election of the ticket which had just
then been nominated by the representa-
tives of the white people of the State.
1t is also a prophecy. Moved by his great
regard for the best Interests of the State
and his fear that something might be done
which would imperl the good government
under which we had lived and prosperel
the spirit of prophecy seems to have
come upon the young editor of the eau
casian' and he writes down the proph-
ecies which were borne in upon him, and
he sends them forth to the people in
words of warning, which but for their
modern form of expression, might hnd
a parallel in the book of Jeremiah lie
asks, What is there to BE gained for re-
form by defeating the Democratic State
ticket?" and he answered as every honest
and unprejudiced man must answer at
that time as well as at this, Nothing,
but much to lose, let the result be what il
may. If you elect your ticket, you do i
at the sufferance of the Republican party,
and you are at their mercy now and in
the future. If you are the cause of the
Republican party capturing the State
you have given heavy blow to the cause
OF reform and put the management OF The
State in unworthy ard incapable hands,
and he adds these significant words OF