The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-05-17


lie has been State Auditor a number
of years. and was so capable and
efficient and popular that at the last
State Convention he was nominated
for Governor. He is a business man
of capacity and will make business
Governor, He comes from the white
section of the State. In his parish
there are 1900 white men and 1.2O0
negro men. When the Populst party
was first organized, the white vote
divided in his parish and it gave a
Fusion majority of -. Since the
adoption of the amendment, the Dem
Ocratic or white ticket had 4 votes to
for the opposition, said GOV. Heard.
There was no complaint of the
amendment by any white people. In
1894 and in 1896 the white vote in
my parish was about equally divided
between the Democrats and PopulistS.
In my section of the State there are
eight white parishes which the Pop
ulists carried in 1896. In the election
held in April of this year the Dem
Ocrats carried every one of them. \
majority of the Populist politicians
in these parishes stuck to fusion.
Notwithstanding this fact, the rank
and file of the PopuIsts voted the
Democratic ticket. Continuing Gov
elect Heard S3id:
"All illiterates in the white section
of the State vote under section five
who registered and most of them
registered. The operations Of the
amendment have given perfect salts
faction. The rank and file OF the
Populist party are so we'll pleased
that they have returned to the Dem
ocratic party. and in the white coun-
ties the white people are once more
united"
Just before | called the Governor
elect had been employed in the pre-
paration of his inaugural address.
and he read me that portion in which
he briefly summed up the good effects
of the amendment | asked him to
give me an advance copy for publica7
ton. but he said he preferred TO
wait until its delivery before giving
it out. 1t will be printed when de-
livered in these columns.
:: :: :;
One of the best posted men in poll
ties | have met in Louisiana is Hon
John L. Michel. Secretary of State.
He is a citizen of New Orleans. a
model officer and as bright man
as you will find in a years travel.
He gave me access to the records of
his office. and much information
about the workings of the amend
ment in various sections of the State
Speaking of the false charge that it
DISTINGUISHES illterate white men he
said:
in New Orleans, the iliiterates vot-
ed. The only complaint | heard of
the election came from those oppO-
nents of Democracy who desire a
perfect Australian ballot so that no
ilIiterates can vote. The Democrats
oppose the straight Australian bal
lot because it would disfranchise Hit
crate white men.
THE Populists nearly all voted the
Democratic ticket in April" he said.
why? Because their leaders had
agreed on fusion ticket that made
them support an avowed gold-bug for
Governor. and gold men for other po-
Sitions on the ticket. They wouldn't
do it. Some voted what they called
a straight Populist ticket. but more
still voted the Democratic ticket for
two reasons. |. Because they would
not support boiling gold Democrat
| and a mongrel ticket. and >. Because,
now that the negro is eliminated.
they see that it is wisest for all white
men to come together and settle ev-
erything in the white primaries.
There were eight POpulist counties
| in Louisiana before the amendment
was adopted. Now there are none.
They are in the Democratic ranks
and there to stay. too. Take the
Populist parishes of Lincoln. Vernon.
Sabine. Jackson. Union, Clairborn
and Wym-they are all now Demo-
cratic. Wynn county. in the hull
country. is the home of the Popullst
party. The Populists have controlled
il for eight years. They had a regu-
lar Populst ticket for State. district
and county offices. The Democrats
endorsed the Populist candidates for
Judge. District Attorney and Legis-
lature The Populist nominee was
elected to the Legislature from that
county and he was likewise the Dem
ocratc nominee and elected because
he was nominated by the Democrats.
Some former Populists. who did not
like the Democratic or Fusion ticket,
made up another ticket and voted UNI
der the emblem of the silver dollar.
Mr. Tanneyhill, who was the Populist
nominee for Governor in 1892. and
Sheriff Crawford came out openly
and supported the Democratic ticket,
and the parish went for the Demo
Gratis.
Speaking further of the reasons
why the Populists have returned to
the Democratic party, Mr.. Michel
said: THE fusion ticket was one that
no Populist could support. The NOM
inee for Governor was Donaldson CAT
ferry. Jr.. who bolted Bryan, and sup
ported Palmer and Buckner in 1896.
He was the leading gold bolter in the
State and his father, Senator Catfery
was president of the convention that
nominated Palmer and Buckner. The
candidate for Secretary of State was
gold Democrat as was the candidate
for State Treasurer while the Attor-
ney General candidate was gold
Republican. Now wasn't that dish