The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-04-20
OFFICE HOLDERS
CRACKED THE WHIP
Hannacrats Through Butler
Dominated Popu|ist
Convention.
PlE-EATERS NUMEROUS
Husbands of Federal Postmasters
Much in Evidence.
FllSI0M FOR IFCicl ATlVE TICKET
PIE-EATERS NUMEROUS
FUSION FOR LEGISLATIVE TICKET
Butler and Pritchard Ready if Necessary to
Sacrifice Cy. Thompson and Others
to Garry the Legislature.
The lightning bug is brilliant,
But it hasn't any mind,
II SIuIHUItS tHlUuSH eAIottiICe
With it's headlight on behind.

But it hasn't any mind,
1t stumbles through existence
With it's headlight on behind.
These words apply well to the Populist
party in North Carolina. Declaring
against Republican principles, it accepts
dictation from Republican bosses, and
thinks it can fool the people now that
tlaav. see it's crookedness.
ESpeaking yesterday about the Populst
Convention held in Raleigh on Wednes-
day, a prominent gentleman who keeps
up with political movements, said
1.-The Pcpulist Convention which met
here yesterday, compared with former
State conventions of that party, was a
small and spiritless affair There were
not over two hundred and fifty delegates
present and a large majority OF these
came from counties near Raleigh. 1t IS
said there were between thirty-five and
forty counties not represented at all, and
the Ninth Congressional district, COM
prisng fifteen counties, had, it is said,
but one delegate and he a Republican.
A large number of the delegates were
Federal office Observation-Disclosures Cen
sus Supervisors, Deputy MarshalS, Deputy
Revenue Collectors, Brandy Gaugers and
Store Keepers and Gaugers. The conven-
tion was completely dominated by Sena-
tor Butler, and his chief lieutenants in
manipulating the convention were
Mckinley office holders, many of
them the very persons that Butler de-
nounced as traitors to the cause of silver
and the Populist party in 1897. The Pop
uist Federal office holders are standing
by Butler now, because they know that
Butler has made his peace with Pritchard,
and that Pritchard in this convention was
speaking and acting through Butler.
Some of the delegates in the conven-
ton did not wish to be put on record as
opposing the amendment. They wanted
that question left to individual con-
science and judgment. To satisfy these,
a platform was prepared. which declared
that the amendment is not party ques-
ton and then proceeds to denounce the
amendment with all the bitterness and
Misrepresentation which prejudice and
malignity could devise. 1t is safe to say
that the convention did substantially
what had been agreed upon between But
Ter and Prtchard at Washington
Butler and Pritchard know they can
not defeat the Democratic State ticket.
They know they cannot defeat the
amendment. Their fight will be to cap
ture the Legislature. Upon the legisla-
tive and county tickets there will be flu
sion. The State Populist ticket will be
kept in the field in order to hold the
Populists together and keep them from
going to the Democrats, and the amend
ment will be used to excite the fears and
farcuse the prejudice of the uneducated
whites by all sorts of Misrepresentation
of it's object and effect. The, method of
campaigning which will be resorted to
will be the most despicable ever employ
ed in American politics.; cunning, deceit
and braZen- face falsehood. These people
have learned nothing from the fate which
befell them in 1898
I'VE must and will teach them lesson
in August which they will not soon for
get In the meantime, there will be the
necessity for some plain talking in North
Carolina, and the sooner the good work
begins, the better"
CONGRESSMAN Switzerland, who comes
from a State where a Populist would mo
more think of acting with Republicans
than with committing any other treach-
cry, said to a reporter of this paper that
he did not understand local conditions
here and did not desire to be interviewed.
Yesterdays Times-Visitor contained the
following:
Representative Switzerland, of Ne
braska. who spoke before the convention
yesterday, and who was brought here by
Senator Butler, expressed the greatest
surprise at the action taken by the con-
vention. To a representative of the
Times Visitor he stated that it was the
most peculiar proceeding that he had ever
seen. Mr.. Switzerland preferred not be-