The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-08-23
MR.. PRITCHARD's CHAMELEON
POLITICAL POLICY.

The Evening Star says Mr.. Roosevelt
is disguised with "the absolute lack Of
genuine political integrity among South
ern leaders," and later on we are told
that Ibis faith in the South is pinned
to Senator Pritchard.''
The truth is that, while Senator Pritcb-
ard is life long Republican in defeat
and in victory, he owes his whole sue
cess in politics to his successful fusion
with the Populists. In 1894 he was
a more earnest advocate of free coinage
of silver. according to his speeches, than
Mr.. Bryan. His abuse of the advocates
of gold standard in his Hendersonville
speech in 1894 was the most vicious ever
heard in the State. He was elected to
against the gold standard than the Popu-
lists. He was reelected by buying with
the promise of Federal office nineteen
Populist legislators. And now, with that
record. he poses as the champion of the
policies Of the National Republican par
ty. When he starts over the State APP
against free silver, they will recall that
when he knew it was popular he claimed
to be a better silver man than Bland,
and joined hands with Radicals and Pop
ulists to give North Carolina the worst
State government it has known since
1859. 1t was so rotten and destructive
that the people rose up in political revo-
luton to drive it from power. The bust
ness men will not forget that Mr.. Pritch-
ard was the responsible boss of that Cow
eminent which required political revo-
luton to destroy.
He will appeal to the people, too, for
support on the ground that he has put
good men in office. Let him name them.
The people know that it was Senator
Pritchard who is responsible for the
nomination and election of Russell; that
it was his agents who defrauded Dockery
of the nomination: that he is the man re-
sponsblc for LOCO negro office holders
in North Carolina. He was absolute Boss
of his party in 1859, and there never
was a moment when he could not have
vetoed the plans that negroized the gov
eminent of Eastern North Carolina. Lat
terly he has been turning out the negroes
he appointed four years ago, in some in
stances to make room for former Demo-
Gratis willing to sell their birthright for
a mess of pottage. Why has he turned
bis back upon his faithful negro fol-
lowers and begun to give offices to wob-
bling Democrats? Because he has become
a convert to White Supremacy? Not
much. Ten years ago and more, when
negroism threatened to permanently de-
feat the Republican party, Mr.. Pritchard
favored a Lily White Republican party
IN North Carolina. That failed to ma
terialize. and in 1894 and 1896 we find
Senator Pritchard the leader of the ne
gro party, putting in office in two years
about 1000 negroes. And now, that his
faithful negro henchmen cannot vote, he
makes a bid for white votes by turning
out his negro appointees and putting
white men in their places. When this in
gratitude to the race that gave him nine
tenths of his support for the only office
to which he ever was elected, fails to
build up a respectable white Republican
party in North Carolina, what will be
Mr.. Pritchard's next step? He will de-
mand the annulment of the suffrage
amendment, restore the ballot to all the
negroes if he can, and again as in 1892,
1891, 1896 and in 1898, become the leader
of the negro party Of the State, again
turn out white officials to make room
for negroes, and lead for return of the
conditions that he and his followers
brought about in North Carlina in 1895
and 1898.