The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1906-05-24


have received and read each copy
OF the Tar Heel TO date. Noting
your invitation 10 correspondents /
express my opinion-a little Of it. l
think your attitude Is wrong. /
wish you 20 turn about. Ii you
coald destroy or remove FROM any
position of influence In the party
Messrs. Rollins, Holton, Butler,
Duncan, Millikan and the hundreds
Of others who are friendly to or in
sympathy with them and their
views, do you think the party would
have any chance or prospect of sue
cess in the present generation Your
COMBINATIONS and criticisms Of the
Republicans who are considered the
s'leaders" are more sweeping and
severe than those Of Jesephus Dan
iels. / do not recall any kind word
published by you Of any Republican
except Mr.. Blackburn, and you seem
to make the whole world revolve
upon the question Of loyalty to him.
Your denunciation of Marion Butler
is to me most remarkable. That he
ia bitterly opposed to Democratic
ideas and methods cheating in cleo
tions and other crimes, you cam o.
deny, that there are hundred thu u
sand white men in the State who
have not voted since 1900 is certain.
That majority Of this 100000 are
friends and admirers of Marion But
Ter, and ceased to vote because of
the frauds of 1900, Of which he was
the victim, is also certain, that they
would rally TO the support of the
Republican ticket at his call and
give us clear majority, is, l think,
beyond doubt. That he is most
powerful leader and organizer all
admit. 1 have been an observer of
events and reader of the papers for
twenty-five years. I recall that
Pr;tchard and Butler pulled together
in 1894, and went in on honest cleo
tions and free silver, while in 1896
Pritchard having followed his party
in its gold standard declarations and
B1tler his for silver, they parted
company for a time, when some Re-
publicans thought Butler ought to
have abandoned that cardinal prin-
ciple of Populism to support Pritch-
ard. If Marion Butler has ever
done anything but that of which
any Republican thought he had
eau to complain, cannot recall it.
Senator Pritchard, Mr.. Rollins and
many others have long since put
that out of view. Why should you
denOunce Butler? His aid means
victory for the Republican party,
whereas Mr.. Blackburn, with the
aid of Samuels, Ace Dinkens and
every distiller in the State, inciud-
ing N. Glenn Williams, can never
make an impression upon tie ballot
box suffers and henchmen Of Sim
mons. If you are true Tar Heel,
let up ON Republicans. There are
enough Democratic papers To abuse
them. Turn your guns on Detnoc-
racy. I agree with y,u that tbre
terms In a Federal Office, and ever
two in many instances are wrong
L am comparatively g newcomer in
the party. / wish to See 1t grow. ]
wish for that freedom that will per
nit every man to be Republican
if he wants to. I am free as the
air-not welded to Mr.. Rollins, Mr..
Duncan or Mr.. Anybody else; but 1
do know the tone ofevery issue of the
Tar Heel to date has been such as to
ipjure the Republican party and
help the Democrats. 1t appears to
me that you prefer Democratic sue
cess to Republican success with our
present leaders. I do not. Please
get right. The campaign is nov on.
T. T. HICKS.
Henderson, n. G., May 5, 1906.
The Weekly Tar Heel gladly
yields space to the foregoing COM
plant of Mr.. T. T. Hicks, for whom
this writer entertains the highest
personal regard. His opinion about
any matter or upon any proposition
commands our respectful attention.
He fs not su ofaee-h0lder. Nor is
he seeking an office. We accept his
statement that he 10 "as free as the
air." He is a man Of high charac-
ter. q citizen Of high standing and q
lawyer of acknowledged ability. He
has convictions and the manliness to
declare them. Evidently he is a
student, and whether right or wrong,
we believe MIN to be honest III his
opinions. When a reader Of his at
tainments, character and ability
calls us down and tells US that our
"sttitude is ~Eopg,p we pause tol
review the ground "a which wei
stand. We have tried TO dc so!
calmly a4d without the shadow of
personal prejudice. In careful Pc
rusal Of his letter We And therein
only three propositions 10 which vel
can subscribe:
/. "That three terms In 0 Federal
office and even two, in many in |
stances, are wrong"
2. ga wish for that freedom that
will permit every man to be Re-
publican if he wants to be-"
&. 4 swish to see the Dartv |