The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-11-21

1t corrups the ballot box,
it subsidies the press, it invades our
temples of justice,i intimidates official
it fosters official corruption,
il robs the many to enrich the few, it
destroys legitimate competition and
dictates legislation, state and notional.
Mighty forces are being marshalled
which shall test the strength of our
virtue, our patriotism, Jour appreciation
of self government and our love of
liberty. In these closing years Of the
10Th century is the struggle again to
be renewed for ascendency, between
individual rights and constitutional
government on the one side, and CEN
tralized capital and arrogant monopoly
on the other?
When that supreme hour of our trial
shall come, the rejuvenated, self-made
South which has come up out of great
tribulation" and whose honest hands,
thank God, we can proudly claim, are
unspotted by the rapine of greedy, sell
fish avarice, or the spoils and plunder
of the helpless-the South, true to her
glorious history and traditions, will be
in the language of Governor Hill, not
only "solid for good government,
solid for the welfare of its people, solid
for integrity in private and official life,
solid in its opposition to a paternal
administration of public affairs, solid
against congressional extravaganza,
solid in its remuneration of the errors
of the past, solid for American ideas,
solid in its devotion to the new nation,
solid in its aspirations for higher
civilization, ,and solid for all that would
make a prosperous and powerful re-
public" but it will also be solid against
pools, combines, trusts and monopolis-
tic conspiracies for the robbery of the
people, solid against any policy which
fosters or tolerates them, solid against
anarchism, communism, socialism and
nihilism, solid for the greatest good to
the greatest number, solid for justice
and equity among the people, as advo-
Gated by our patriot fathers, solid tor
the rights of the many as against the
arrogant assumptions of the few, and
solid for the integrity and dignity OF
that race which has illumined the
brightest pages Of the worlds history
with its grand achievements for the
civilization and elevation of humanity
have thus but briefly adverted to
some of the causes and conditions
which have brought into being, that
splendid and powerful organization
known as the Farmers and Laborers
Union of America. Seeking to restore
agriculture to its just position among
the other great industries Of the coun
try and to reconstruct and re-establisf
our economic systems on the great anc
eternal principle of equity and justice
we ask not, but would refuse to accep
any special or class legislation on it
behalf: Spurning the nursing bottle
of the government, we ask only for al
open field and an equal chance. W.
ask not for charity, but we demand
simple justice. Disguise it as we may
we are threatened with the mighties
revolution-peaceful and bloodless,
pray God it may be-that the worl(
has ever witnessed. Gentlemen ma
cry peace ,peace, but there is no peace.
The professional politician may re
monstrate against " the farmer in poll
TICS" but there are great economi
and legislative reforms demanded
alike, by justice and the necessities O
the times, which, in importance ant
magnitude rise far above any or al
considerations of a mere partisan char
acter and which "will not down at hi
bidding.'
Humiliating as it may be to tn
pride of the American heart, paint
and alarming as it may be to tn
Christian patriot, we have reached a
ready, in the springtime of our nation
al life, the point where we must decid
whether this is really a governmer
"of the people, by the people and fc
r the people," whether the citizen c
the dollar is sovereign in this countr,
: whether we shall have an aristocrac
, of manhood and merit, whether W
shall re-enthrone in sceptered powe
5 the majesty and sovereignty of ii
r people, whether we shall restore OF
old ship of state to its ancient mool
5 ings, or whether it shall be engulfed
anarchy and ruin.
Reaching from New Jersey to Ne
S Mexico, and from the Gulf to til
: Great Lakes, the millions of America
> free men who are rallying to the stane
: ard of this grand organization, und
: vided by sectional lines, unbiased /
S sectional prejudice, united by commo
= dangers, impelled by common il
S terest, actuated by common purpos
f knowing but one name, acknowled!
e ing but one hag-the flag of our gre
f common country-invoking the ben
e dictions of Heaven on their patriot
S endeavor, they enter on their no
:. pilgrimage, led and guided by Il
! spirit of justice as "pillar Of clio,
: by day and pillar Of fire by night.
S they will restore the ark of our Gov
IS ant, fashioned and bequeathed to
e by our fathers, to its ancient place
1t the holy of holies in our temple
> liberty.
Is Ladies, l had thought my task dor