The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-24
DOCTOR CY IS HOT
He Will Not Vote In the Ma
tiona| Election.
but Will Sit on the Fence and Calmly Watch
The Dog Fight" as He Calls The
National Campaign.

Dr. Cy Thompson solemnly told all
his friends that he never would "come
down" as Populist candidate for Gov
ernor.
He did eome-did Cy-what's the
reason why?
AS a result of his coming down,
there was a secret trade by which he
and Butler agreed to try to induce
the Populists to vote against Bryan
and Stevenson. The particulars of
the deal are not yet fully known.
But they will come out later. DR.. Cy
has written a letter to a friend IN
Georgia-his name is not given, deny
ing the report that he would vote Tor
Mckinley, abusing all the Democrats
in North Carolina and showing that
he will do all he can for Mckinney
We give below few extracts from
the letter:
Eight wears ago | would not choose
between the two parties that sham
battled every four years over the tar,
iff: and | see no reason why | should
choose now between the two parties
that four years hence, if not sooner,
will be sham-battling over something
else. | am not ready to return to the
Democratic party, either in the ma
ton or in the State. When | can find
no ticket to vote but a Democratic
and a Republican ticket, | shall ease
myself on the top of the fence ana
calmly watch the dog fight, sympa-
thizing always with the under dog,
provided he is reasonably honest.
"In 1892. | refused to vote for Stew
enson for Vice President. | shall not
vote for him in 1900. If l were ready
to return to the Democratic party |
should vote for him; and doing so,
| should offer some apologies for my
stroll from the ranks of the Demo-
cratic party eight years ago. have
no apology to make, and no vote to
cast for Stevenson.
IF the Democratic party desired
Populist help, and not Populist eXter-
mination, Mr.. Stevenson would not
have been nominated at Kansas City,
but Towne would have been accepted
as the Nice-Presidential candidate OF
three parties whose vote it was deslr-
able to concentrate on Mr.. Bryan.
But the Democratic convention refus-
ed 10 nominate or endorse Mr.. IOWne,
and now Mr.. Towne declines the Pop
plist nominatiOn-suff himself TO
be persuaded, they say. Of course
for himself. he can do as he will. but
without necessarily leading the Popu-
lists into the Democratic party with
him.
THE Populists went outside of their
own party for both the Presidential
and the Vice Presidential candidate
They ought not to be expected to GO
to the Democratic party for both.
When they do go to the Democratic
party for both, | shall begin to brush
the seat of my trousers, and lock-
around for ce fence. my purpose be-
ing to calmly view the dog fight
Il believe that the vast majority OF
Populists in North Carolina. feel
about as | have expressed myself.
have no doubt that many of them Will
now vote for Barker and Donnelly
and remain forever hereafter in the
middle of the road. Many of them,
| am sure, will vote directly for Nc
Kinley. as protest against the con-
duet of the Bryan Democrats IN the
recent State campaign.
"On a fair registration and quiet
election such as we had in North
Carolina in 1896. l believe that the
State of North Carolina is honesty
against BRYAN and Stevenson, but
that in the round up may count for
nothing