The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1884-07-24

poSlttOu 30 oiSau "a VIC Ii YUMA ? ~
Freedom. As its reasons for this
action, it claims that the order 10
defiance OF its principles, and con-
trary to the purposes of the order,
regardless of the constitution and Of
the plain and unequiyocal declara
tons of its highest officers, has per
verted tue order by going into poll
tics and nominating full county
ticket in johnson county, which the
editor thinks fully absolves him from
his contract under which the Herald
became the organ of the order. We
reproduce a portion of what he says
upon this subject, so that the Broth
ers OF Freedom of this county can
see how their action in going into
politics and attempting to peryert
the order TO political purposes is
viewed by the organ of their order.
In January, 1883, entered into
contract with the Printing Commit
tee OF the Brothers Of Freedom to
publish the Herald in the interest
of their Order. Its columns will at
test how well / have stood by that
contract. But now, that they have,
as / think, resolved themselves into
a political body, by nominating a
ticket for Representative and Coun.
ty Offices, | feel that am absolved
from the contract | cannot support
the ticket. As the nominees OF the
Democratic party would have sup,
ported each of the gentlemen with
pleasure, for there Is not one of them
Objectionable to me as men. For
twenty-five years l haye been IN the
publishing business, and have con-
sistently during that time advocated
Democratic principles, and now, at
this late day, l cannot, by any kind
of honorable reasoning, get my own
consent to do anything that would
IN anywlse have tendency to mill
tate against the Democratic party.
| know that my course in this mat
ter will estrange from me for time
some very warm friends, but trust
to their "sober second thought to
place me right in their opinion, and
bring them back into the ranks OF
the Democratic party-the only par
ty that can save their country from
centralism, whittier it has been tend
ing since the election of u. S. Grant
to the Presidency.
To PROVE to the public that the
Brothers Of Freedom have, in be-
coming a political body, swerved
from the original purpose Of the
order, / beg leave to present the fol
lowing extracts from the GAINESVILLE
Laborers' Herald:
On April 18th, 1883, Mr.. Gray,
the Grand Secretary, and then edit
or of the Herald said:
Our order does not antagonize the
interest of any honest institution OF
calling, holds itself aloof from poll
tics and religious quarrels, helps
each other to build up at home and
kesp out of debt, fosters all home
industries and is farmers and
laborers' school, with which no man
can find fault when he knows us.
March Goth, 1883, the same party,
in notice ola meeting at Lone
Pine, said:
But one uncoutl expression was
made use of during the session, and
you could hear disappearing nut
terings all over the house, besides a
rebuke from the President. Also, for
the information of some of the wise
acres, we can say that neither poll
tics nor elections was alluded to but
once, and then the speaker was rap
ped as out of order in the twinkling
of an eye.
October Sd, 1883, the same editor
endorsed the following from the Oar
danelle Hesperian:
So long as You meet and work to-
gether for the purpose above named,
you will prosper; but the very mo-
ment you admit within your folds
men of political aspirations, that
moment may you recognize your Or
ganizatlon an ignominious failure;
and instead of becoming what you
intend it, you will soon see it devel-
op into party composed of cranky
hacks, political trlcksters, traders
and dealers. Your vital principles
will be ignored, and your order will
become an ill-smelling corpse. Every
broken. down hack, every camp fol-
lower will all want to join, actuated
by selfish motives, the love of office
and money. 1t will become fail
ure, because your members will fall
over one another in their scramble
for office and position.
October 90, 1888, the Herald says
The two political parties of this
county are beginning to organize
and call for volunteers. Little knots
are being formed, who discuss the
situation variously, and generally
wiad up with the question, what the
devil are the Brothers OF Freedom
going to do? In answer, we will say
that the Brothers propose to attend
to their own business, and let you
as politicians attend to yours. They
| don't want any politics In theirs.