The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-10-05

| fly? There can be but one reason n
that is that he dared not let it be een
that he was using the organ OF But
Ter for the purpose Of injuring TIE in
| fuence and the of tae Chair
man of the democratic party.
When the editorial in Websters
| Weekly was first called to h atten-
| ton of Mr.. Simmons, he sent a teie-
gram to Mr.. Webster, Editor of Web
ster's Weekly, which, with the reply,
September 24th, 1900.
Hon. John r. Webster, ReidsviHe,
N. c.:
please wire me my expense the
paper, with date of issue, from which
you quote in Websters Weekly of
September both, alleged debate be-
tween Butler and myself.
IF. NJ. SIMMONS.
"Reidsville, N. c., September 20.
Hon. F. VI. Simmons, Raleigh, ". c.
The Goldsboro Caucasian, October
24th, 1894.
-. r. WEBSTER"
The Caucasian was then published in
Goldsboro and then edited by Marion
| Butler. and the u~tteranceS credited to
Mr.. Simmons cannot be found in any
other paper. There was a debate be-
tween Mr.. Simmons and Butler in
Wayne county, but the account Of the
debate given by Butler and The eau
casian was distorted and untrue. Mr..
Simmons did % say what was at
tributed TO him. Butler wrote up an
imaginary debate, which he published
in his own PAPER and in which he
falsely puts in the mouth of his OPP
ponent Mr.. Simmons. statements and
arguments, which he could easily re-
flute. The falsity of this report, both
as to what Mr.. Simmons and Butler
said was fully known and exploited by
the democrats in that section of the
state. at the time of it's publication.
This ~disposes of charges made in the
editorial in Webster's Weekly. but if
the editor thinks that the people like
such authority and will accept ii, he
need not go back as far as 1894 or 1896.
because Butler is today indulging in
the same abuse and misrepresentation
of Mr.. Simmons. And, indeed, if any
democrat Will examine The Caucasian
of September 9th, 1900, and compare
it with Webster's Weekly of September
Goth, 1900, he will find that there is
much similarity in their method of dis
cuSSing Mr.. and his achieve
ments. Mr.. Butler simply goes a little
further and. in addition to using his
newspaper, he devOtes most of his time
to the abuse of Mr.. Simmons in the
speeches which he is delivering at his
indignation meetings. We quote from
The News and Observer of September
23rd, 1900:
"BUTLER DELIGHTS CUFFY."
Especial to The News and Observer
Dunn. n. c., September 22.-Marior
Butler spoke here today to about 30(
populists. mostly from Sampson coun-
ty. His speech was principally de-
nunciation of Chairman Simmons
Quite a number of negroes were pres
ent, and they and their populist allies
seemed to enjoy Buffers eXpletetives
hugely"
The abuse of Mr.. Simmons by But.
Ter is delightful to Cuffy. Can it be
that democrats will also take pleasure
in ii? We do not believe it. If thu
editor of Webster's Weekly has doubt,
ed the fidelity of Mr.. Simmons to tn
principles of his party, why is it tina
he has remained silent during all til,
years that he has sat with him as {
member of the state committee in thu
cOuncils of the party.
The attention OF Mr. Jas. H. Pou ha:
been called to that portion of the ar
ticle above referred to in Webster
Weekly concerning the Stevens anti
trust bill and he makes the folowin:
signed statement in regard thereto:
My connection with the "Steven
Antitrust Bill" was as follows:
When the bill was before the nous
judiciary committee 1 was before tn
committee on another matter an
heard it read. 1 thought it Sc ia
reaching that porbably cotton mill!
selling their porducts through a
agency. would be embraced within il
inhibition. I suggested this danger I
the committee and to MI. Stevens. NJ
Stevens said he had no desire to effeC
: the cotton mill business and he readil
consented to an amendment eXcludin
them from the operation Of his bill.
made this suggestion to the commit
=
any one. NO one ever asked me TO d
: 1t. L received no fee, nor thought of
} fee. This was my entire connection wit
the bill in the house. 1 had no objeC
5 tfon to it whatever, and SO stated
MI. stevens. After the bill reached tt
: senate Mr.. Stevenson, of Wilmington
representing the wholesale grocers, tol
l me that the bill would injure the grt
t GERS, because they might be held to /
l agents of a trust, when they handle
goods made by a trust, and If the
= sold these goods on a credit, the
= might not be able to collect-while l
= favored the principle Of the bill, /
s thought this would embarrass the me
chants without injuring the trust,
S the trust would sell for cash On1y.
c Y I called the attention of some Of IL
senators to the danger, and pTopos
t an amendment. The amendment W.
o adopted unanimously and it Pr"
> that the OIL SnOulO nave HO SUCH SlIcS
e Mr.. Stevenson paid me a fee for m
: assistance. Both Of these amendmen
appear in the act. These we're the on
e amndments to the bill which / sugges
ed, and this was my connection Wi
the bill. 1 did not consult with NJ
t Sin mons. He knew nothing about
: and he had no part of this fee, nor
am other fee paid me for appeariI
d before committees.
d JAMES H. POU.
Il Friends Of Mr.. Simmons intend mer
ly to present his claims to the Peep
: of the state without abuse, and reco
nizing that any worthy democrat
T. entitled to aspire to the United Stat
senatorship. They say that he is
. man of high character and great abb
. ty; that he can render valuable servi
L to the state In the senate; and that.
addition to this. he has rendered gre
8 service to his party. They do not e
, pect populists and republicans and t
x 49, ~~,o M ~ 70 e