The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-04-18
RESPECTABLE REPUBLICAN
PARTY"

l
Capers as District Attorney in South
Carolina, because it is on a par with the
appointment of Tompkins as Industrial
Commissioner in North Carolina.
There is another reason why the people
of North Carolina are interested in the
matter For more than a year there
have been whispers about 1.-The organiza-
ton of respectable Republican party in
North Carolina" 1t would either have
to be bribed, seduced, converted or i'm
ported and North Carolinians think, that
by studying the method employed in South
Carolina they may learn of the methods
in contemplation in this State. To throw
light upon the situation, we give space to
the following editorial in yesterdays Col
umbia State:
"A Washington dispatch to the Charles
ton News and Courier, referring to the
appointment of Mr.. John G. Capers as
United States district attorney for South
Carolina, says that for some time past
he has been in frequent conferences with
Senator Pritchard of North Carolina,
Senator McLaurin, of South Carolina and
other well known Southern men who pro-
| TESS to be interested in the formation OF
a white mans Republican party. One or
| the most active and influential supporters
| of Mr. Capers is Senator McLaurin, who
recently declined to cooperate with his
| former Democratic associates in the SEN
ate and has since been classed among the
| independents or a new convert to Repub-
| lican principles. 1t has been known for
some time that Senator McLaurin has
! been industriously at work in behalf OF
| the appointment of Mr. Capers as dis
| trict attorney for South Carolina
THE appointment of Capt. Capers
through the influence of Senator Nc
Laurin, and for the purpose OF stimu-
lating the organization of a white
Republican party in South Carolina,
would appear to require some expla-
nation from Mr.. McLaurin in advance
of his race for reelection to the
United States Senate as a Democrat.
Why he should ask for the appoint
ment of any one to a Federal office
to stimulate the organization of a
white Republican party in South Caro-
to ally himself with that party in this
| State, we do not understand"
Neither can anyone else who enjoys
! the possession of brains. The Senator
might as we'll attempt to run the Sena-
| torial race in this State with a mill
stone around his neck as to enter the
Democratic primary with the record of
| inducing Mckinley to seduce with Fed
eral offices South Carolinians from their
allegiance to the Democratic party. To
expect the Democracy Of the State to en-
dorse such treason to its interests would
be an act of idiocy which Senator Nc
Laurin, in our opinion, cannot contem-
plate. So, even if the Senator should not
be ruled out by the State Democratic Ex-
i ecutive Committee he would not become
candidate for the Democratic nomination
with any expectation of gaining it.
ct is possible, of course, that he may
/ offer himself with the design to be ruled
out or rejected and then to pose as a
martyr and secure the grievance war
ranting him in formally adopting Republi-
canism This is consideration which
cannot be ignored, and it may be we'll to
discount such action in advance.
lone thing is certain. If there is an
understanding and alliance between
/ Senator McLaurin and the Mckinley ad-
ministration; if the Senator is aiding the
administration to carry out its plans in
| South Carolina; then we must dismiss ut
terly the suggestion that he hopes to
secure reelection from the Democrats OF
South Carolina. The existence in the
Democratic party of the State of a minori-
ty favoring Republican policies will be OF
no practical advantage to President Nc
Kinley except as means to the organi-
zation Of an open white Republican party.
Mckinley Democrats" who have voted in
the primaries and are bound by oath to
support the ticket nominated in the
primaries can give no aid to the admins
tration except the aid of their tongues
But distinctive white Republican party
in the State, no matter how small its
numbers, will be something to boast OF
and may have it's influence here and else
where. The President desires to create
such party, and we may be assured that
if he is appointing Mckinley Democrats
to office on Senator McLaurin's recon-
mendation he is doing it only with the
understanding that they will not remain
| Mckinley Democrats" but will be con-
verted into Mckinley Republicans. The
President desires a white Republican
party in this State, and we are quite will
| ing that he shall have one; but Senator
McLaurin cannot assist him in founding
one and then claim to be helping the
Democratic party by promising the selec-
| tion of Democrats to Federal offices. II
| the President and the Senator both work
together, using the same means, they
must be working to the same end and
as we know that McKinley's end is not
merely to have a lot of loyal Democrats
admire him without injury to their party
we may also know that this cannot be
the end at which Senator McLaurin aims
I'm our opinion there will be a white
Republican party organized in South
Carolina before the primary election in
1902, and Senator McLaurin, like Mr.
Capers, will be a member of that party
i A correspondent of the Greensboro Tele-
gram shows that Winston-Salem gets q