The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-04-24
Especial to the Messeneer1

Raleigh, y. c., April 21-Today
Chairman Simmons received the fol-
lowing letter from Populist State
Chairman Marion Butler, dated yes
terday:
Candidates of the peoples party for
governor, candidates for either state
offices, and the candidate for United
States senator desire a joint discussion
with the candidates of the democratic
party for said positions respectively,
in order that the voters of the state,
who must in next August cast their
ballots in approval or disapproval of
the proposed constitutional amendment
the election law, and other issues in
the state, may hear the facts and ar
guments which can be presented by
both sides, and render their verdict
accordingly. If your committee and
the candidates of your party will
agree to such joint discussion, / will
be glad to confer with you at once,
with a view to arranging series of
appointments to begin Immediately
after the close of a list of appoint
mentS for your candidates already
announced, extending to and including
May Sth''
To this Chairman Simmons replied:
Il received today your letter of yes
terday, in which you suggest q joint
debate between candidates of the dem
ocratic party for state offices and can
didates of the peoples party for like
positions. The questions to be present
ed to the people for their approval in
August and around which all
other questions center is the adoption
of the constitutional amendment. The
peoples party in its late state conven-
ton, while urging objections to the
amendment, declared concerning it:
We do not make it party question:
and expressly said it must be deter
mined by the judgment and conscience
of each individual voter In your let
ter you ask for joint debate upon
the amendment, thereby disclosing the
purpose on the part of the organiza-
ton of your party to commit your
party to a position which it has eX
pressly refused to take in it's state con-
ventiOn. This attempt to raise an is
sue not made by your convention is
manifeStly a result of a secret un-
derstanding with the republican party
and in line with the action of your
party organization since 1894, which
has been employed to foster schemes
of cooperation with the republican
party and to prevent individual voters
of the peoples party from participat-
ing in the naming of candidates or dc
tating its policy. 1t is matter of COM
mon knowledge in North Carolina that
there is perfect understanding between
the leaders and federal office-holding
element of the peoples party and the
republican party, and in pursuance of
this understanding they have secured
the nomination of a state ticket, and
asked for joint debate in order to di-
| vide and divert the attention of the
white people while their republican
allies are engaged in their schemes
of attmpting to again fasten negro
rule on the state. Later on, by these
| same tactics, the peoples party will
undoubtedly be led into fusion with
the republican party upon legislative,
county and congressional tickets in
all counties and districts where it is
thought fusion will do any good to-
wards defeat of the amendment and
| perpetuation Of negro suffrage in
| North Carolina.
Under these circumstances it is i'm
| possible to consider the organization
of the peoples party, as now constitu-
! ted and controlled in North Carolina,
| as having any existence separate and
! independent from the republican par
! ty. Until the organization of the peo-
| pies party in this state proves its
| right to be treated as a political en-
! tity, separate and distinct from the
| republican party by refusing to fuse
! with that party upon state, county,
! legislative and congressional candi-
| dates, the democratic party cannot
/ slider your proposition.
! concerning the suggestion contain
/ ed u your letter as 10 a joint debate
! between YOU and the democratic can
/ dldates for the senate. you are in
/ formed that the democratic party has
/ no candidate for the senate and that
/ II does not propose to discuss or con-
/ slider the senatorial question until af-
/ ter the question of whether North
! Carolina IS to be governed by a white
| man or by negroes has been settled
! in the August election. From that
| paramount and ali absorbing question
! the democratic party does not propose
| to be diverted, either by the senatorial
| contest, sham tickets, or cunningly
! devised schemes 10 play politics.
| APPLETON GOODMAN MARRIAGE.