The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1888-07-31
RALEIGH, N. c., JULY 81, 1888.

10 appear. AS an organization, we
are passing through trying ordeal.
The foundation upon which we propose
to build, and the record we are making,
is being watched by sagacious men.
The eyes of the nation are upon us.
Corrupt men are astonished and dis
concerted at the steady advance we
are making to better our condition.
They believe that the days of our
deliverance from injustice and oppres-
sion are near at hand, and that we
are destined to WELD an influence that
will sway the nation-turn political
scales and give us the future, and do
not hesitate to say and believe this
much, our President knew when he
declined his nomination and encour-
aged and transported by the happy
and triumphant thought he stood
reconciled on the Alliance platform
alone, believing as he did, that it
offered the only medium through
which we, the toiling millions, could
redress our wrongs and supplant our
misery and destitution, and if we could
have had him as our nominee, not a
wave of trouble would have disturbed
our political atmosphere. But, how
ever, it is long time before the elec-
tion takes place. Many changes will
doubtless be made Many sores will
possibly heal over, and the old idea
that God takes care of the fools and
the United States will vanish, better
judgment will prevail and just YER
dict will be cast. The ignorance of
the people is not SO profound or OBJ
scure as to warrantsthe conclusion
that they know not what they do. l
believe those with whom [ am so
fortunate as to be acquainted will act
according to the dictates of better
conscience, and when the time arrives
for them to cast their ballot they will
do SO with an eye single to the interest
of their country. ...
l think, Mr.. President, that in all
things the Alliance should throw
proper restraint upon their zeal and
not allow it to over-run or mislead
their better Judgment; by SO doing
they will avoid many mistakes over
which they would not have to grieve
IN the future. l think it would be
folly in us to favor the nominations of
weak and unrepresentative men to fill
Offices of responsibility and high trust.
The Alliance never designed or in
tended to bring weak men to the front
and place in positions in which their
ignorance would dare vindicate prin-
ciple or assert rights. Its great aim
is to have wise and good men to
champion every worthy cause. Under
no other ruling could she establish
foot-hold that would be permanent. 1t
is an organization of the honest yeo-
manry, born of necessity, and it is not
a vapor or a bubble that will soon
vanish, but I am proud to say it is an
organization that bids fair to become
pre-. eminent among organizations. 1t
is thing that has come to stay and
will stay until it's mission is accomp-
lished, and a few feeting years will
not decide it's fate only as to greatness;
and when we assert that we are only
advance guards of what is moving to
the front, we can comprehend it's COM
prehend it's coming magnitude and
greatness. 1t has risen up and touched
the spot where human sympathy lies,
and sounded for the masses the key
note of freedom from oppression; it's
hand writing to that effect is upon the
wall Under such brilliant auspices
she is destined to get to the front and
watt across the nation to it's remotest
ends freedoms musical refraiu, and I
do sincerely believe that the action of
those good people who have not yet
joined it stands suspended, no doubt,
awaiting developments that will locate
the moral and political plane upon
which We propose to stand; then it
behooves us to move out on the lines
indicated, make record we can safely
transmit, study economy, domestic
and political, and if possible elevate
the standard of morality end show to
the world that we mean what we set
forth in our declaration of principles.
One devious step at first stepping