The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-05-29


mate public effect. the fight which IS
just now stirring the Republican Gle
ments 10 their depths is worth while
las 4 spectacle The contest is for
leadership of what is by courtesy Of
a national campaign fund party. The
IconbdtantS are on the one hand
genius Of deceit whose life has been
lived upon the theory that the value
Of a trust exists in the profit Of it's
betrayal. on the other hand a more
engaging species Of political SWaSA-
buckler Of no particular ability. but
rather attractive by contrast with his
opponent 1t is such a choice as this
which is now agitating the hosts of
North Carolina Republicans. Evidently
the motive of support is not Scnu-
mental 1T is a question rs to who
shall be captain Of a pirate craft The
ship is commissioned and provisioned
for a cruise The season is coming ON.
The pickings are in sight. Naturally
the worthless and the bravos who eat
Isunpowder and chew glass between
their teeth are out for the larger por-
lion of the swag. But the factional
leaders furnish a commentary on the
crew Butler and Blackburn. They
lead, Verify must the ranks be
place of heated smells.
The Sunrise Of Butler.
Consider, first, the career Of Butler.
roughly sketchod not for a lack of de-
tail but that the picture Of the crimes
he represents may not be confused
with the details of petty misdemean-
orS Fourteen years ago Butler was Il
| Democrat in the North Carolina Leg
islature He saw an opportunity to
ham-string his party. He leaped at the
chance. The time WaS one Of general
distrust The people were turning in
misfortune this way and that, seeking
a vague relief, ready to jump at any
! nope held out. Butler traded on the
condition He trafficked on men brought
to the desperate pass OF almost actual
starvation With the cold calculation
| of his nature that the people have
come to recognize 50 We'll, he saw the
Iappeal of pOpulism to the suffering of
honest men. He embraced populiSm
rs q popular champion. He was for
the farmer. He was for the OPP
pressed. He was against corporations,
against monopolies for the wages of
men who work with their hands Many
heaTkenod to his lay. Butler had
studied people and conditions as an
otter knows the habits of fish and the
eddieS of the stream. PickingS came
his way. Having earned a measure of
confidence as his capital, he proceeded
to wiring from its investment the diVi-
dends of trcachery
With what wiles and persuasion. by
means of what chimerical hope Butler
engineered a fusion between the men
who had put down negro domination
in the seventies and the element which
had welded the constant menace Of
| the black vote is a mystery of human
| impulse. Almost it ranks as a species
of popular hypnotism dethrOning the
will by evil suggestion. Nevertheless
| the evil was done. Butler. With men
picked for their unftncss to represent
and their pliability to his ends, came
To Raleigh and sat down to watch the
capitol. Instantly the sordid details
of the trade came to light. The Popu-
| lists We're to get their Butler in the
Senate the Republicans to place black
! fingers Around the white throat of
their lust. Inexorably was the bargain
exacted to the uttermost title of dis
grace. Scarcely had the cortege Of
Vance dispersed Into his seat went
| Butler the youthful MephStOpheIeS
aping the airs and manner of a prince
of intrigue. Silently he slipped about
covered With the mantle of mystery,
| the spider in the center of the web
+! He affected a smile of sinister mean
/ ing. an air Of restraint, an ineffably
lpernicious wisdom. These crude trap
lpings of burleSque caught the ina gina
| ton of those for whom hey We're in
tended. The men sent to Raleigh by
| the votes of tOilers in the field hung
about the bar-roOmS to catch bit Of
gossip of the masters patronage Leg
| islation was forgotten except as a
| means To office or lever to cOrrup-
ton. The spirit of Butler was preva-
lent: as the fountain head of corrup-
horde of those waiting to be fed He
| WAS oheyed with the passion of a dog
waiting for bone. Butler ruled, but
his rule was governed by the evil les
| son he had taught Little as he cared
! To do so he could not have stopped the
orgy he had begun. SO the work went
| on 10 it's end. Black magistrates
| black policemen. black men in charge
| of the schools: Eastern North Caro-
lima was paying dear for her Senator
| ship. Stealing in the penitentiary,
! eligible converts on directing boards.
| the state was paying for its expert
ment Crimes in hospitals. scandals in
schools, outrage in the country: the
| people Were reaping in immortality
land disgrace what they had sowed
| against tradition. This was Butler Rus
! sell and his henchmen stood for these
| things i'll the open. Butler masked
| provided the provender of corruption
for the beast. He could RELY upon it
to cringe as long as he supplied the
tainted meat. He ruled with the sure
| ty of contempt. This writer has seen
him enter the House of Representa-
1NeS dllef llltN ndd presumed to pass
Ia bill without his direction. order a
motion made To table and when the
chair called the vote. walk up the cen
! ter aisle Swapping his fingers right and
left while legislators rose as he passed
| like mushrooms to the rain Growing
mutterinS their dissent. they rose to
man,
Throws Over ,hc Pops"
/ These conditions could not last and
| Butler knew it. Already he WAS paw
j ing the way While Yet a Senator he
conspired with Butler to prevent the
| compromise Of the South Dakota bonds
| issued hy the State IL the time Of re-
/ construction III order that he might