The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-07-11
WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT.

L
Pritchard ought not to be lost sight of
by the introduction of irrelevant mat
ter. Let it be plainly stated:
Senator Simmons, upon information
| furnished him by a gentleman of char
| acter, charged that the Republican lead
ers had formed a conspiracy to try to
| annul the suffrage amendment just be-
| fore the election. His informant named
| a specific plan that would be employ
ed to overturn the amendment.
Mr.. Pritchard replies that no such plan
has been considerable so he has never
heard of it.
Today Mr. Simmons makes reply to Mr..
Pritchard's interview and challenges
him to deny that it is the purpose of the
Republican leaders to try to have the
amendment set aside. The question as to
the manner of trying to annul it is of no
consequence.
The whole matter can be settled in a
few sentences if Mr.. Pritchard will sign
; his name TO the following: 81 for my
| self and as chairman of the Republican
State Executive Committee, pledge that
no effort will be made to have the suf-
frage amendment declared unconstitu
tional; the Republican party of North
Carolina accepts in good faith the suf-
90 mo a q q cot nj nf hn
negro suffrage question and will not be-
gin any effort to set it aside or connive
at or encourage any effort on the part
of others to disturb the amendment"
If Senator Pritchard will sign such a
declaration and follow it up with like
plank in the Republican State platform,
he will make himself so plain that no
body can misunderstood his position.
Unless he and his party harbor some
purpose to have the amendment set aside
and restore universal negro suffrage,
why does he hesitate to make declara-
tion like the above?
Mr.. Simmons's second interview is
"scorcher" from Scorcherville, and is a
hot number in keeping with the temper
and vigorous-none too much so. He
abundantly satisfies all fair minded men
that he was warranted in acting on the
information impaired to him; he shows
that the suit could be brought and main
tanned just as his informant said; he
shows that Senator Pritchard nowhere
denies that he will carry out his declara-
ton of 1900 to have the amendment de-
clared unconstitutional; he shows that
there is a concerted effort to promote
independentism in the interest of the
Republican party in North Carolina; he
shows that the we'll known Pritchard or
cams which are quick to denounce
him had no condemnation of Pritchard
when he slandered the county commits
sioners of nearly ninety counties in the
State by saying they had conspired to
violate their oath of office; he shows
| that Mr.. Pritchard is responsible for the
more than 1000 negro office-holders in
the State in 1898; he shows that Senator
Pritchard is today anxious to restore
| the conditions that existed in 1898, which
created the mighty uprising of the peo-
pie of North Carolina who drove Pritch-
ard and his cohorts out of power. 1t is a
reply that every Democrat will applaud
and approve.
There is one sentence in Mr.. Pritch-
| ards letter which alone is sufficient to
show that he has not changed since he
| defended negro rule in 1898. He says:
1.-THE white Republicans and Populists
who participated in the management and
control of our State affairs during what
| is termed as fusion rule in North Caro-
lima were the equals in character and
intelligence OF those who are now in Of
flee and the term negro rule was used
for the sole purpose of engendering race
prejudice and with view of obscuring
the real issues"
If this is true, then the people who
framed the indictment in 1898 and turn
ed out the Fusion gang because they
declared them unfit-then all the men
who voted the Democratic ticket in 1898
and 1900 ought to apologize to Ohio Will
son, John r. Smith, Jim Young, and all
the manure pile gang and vote to rein
state them in power.
If Mr.. Pritchard's praise of that sweet
scented gang of nincompoops and ignor-
ramuses, with here and there an acct
dental man who had capacity is not de-
served, then it shows he is unfit to Sc
lect the sort of public officers North
Carolina needs.
pEpnprTcAN TEgTIM0Nv