The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-12-09

itions and in the partisen press OF the c0un-
principles. except and only in cases where
we forced their discussion. All propOSltIOnS
| and nOtabIY the measure known as the SUB
Treasury Plan were Ignored 0y congress auu
even the discussion OF this pian was sup
pressed, Notwithstanding the petitions OF
| hundreds of thousands Of our members Tor
financial relief, in this direction.
Neither of the great political parties OF the
country, nor indeed did the leaders OF Lhese
parties indicate a favorable ~inclinatto1 t.
heed the demands OF these mildions VI OP-
A careful review of financial legislation Oy
Congress, for the past quarter OF a century,
together with the disregard MANIFESTED w
that bOdy to the Just and urgent demands OF
| the people for financial relief, has fixed upon
the pubic mind the alarming Apprehension
| that the seductive hand of monOpOlistic and
corporate power has lifted the American
COngress, to that dangerous emInence from
which they can no longer hear the cry ~ the
people. But the decree has gone 1urIn CnaG
this dangerous and threatening state OF
things cannOt much longer exist. Congress
must come nearer to the people or the people
will get nearer to Congress.
aticns of pOliticOl intrigue, from the great ana
paramount issue now before the American
people,. Financiel Reform:
Let this be the slogan and the railylng cry
of the people until relief shall come. We can
not hope for reliefif we accept the financial
| policy adopted and practiced for a quarter of
a century, by the two great political parties
of the country.
Never in the political history of the coun-
try was there such universal interest among
the people snd such urgent demand on the
political parties for financial reform, as char
acteriZed the recent campaign, and yet the
great effort of the leaders of each of these
parties and of the partisan press, was to give
OV~ershadOWing prominence 10 questions ana
issues, partaking largely OF a partisan cnaT-
acter to the excelsior of the one great vital,
living issue-fnanctal reform.
Indeed, the evasion of this great issue has
been prominently characteristic of the two
great parties for the past twenty hve years.
The great absorbing question. let me re-
Dn,F nENnn Nhn A ~ ~ 90 nnnnIo IG NOT
whether the Democratic or Republican party
with their evident SubServienCy to the Will
Of corporate and money power, shall De IN
under our Republican form of government,
the citizen or the dollar shall be the sovereign.
Thoroughly imbued with the magnitude
and Importance of this issue, the people who
cOnetitute the parties reyolted against the
designs and dictattOn OfsubOrned leadership.
A system Of finance which recognizes and
secures to every citizen of this country an
equitable. fair and and just right to share its
dement's and which viii furnish a volume OF
circulating medium, adequate to the legltl-
mate demands of the country, at a low rate
o fintereSt, is the greatest and most urgent
need of the times. Let the people here rep
resented, continue to reiterate and with in
creased emphaSi demand
First, That silver shall be restored to it's
dignity and place as a MONEY metal, with all
rights of coinage and all the qualities of legal
tender which gold possesses.
Second. That the currency of the country
shall be issued direct to the people at a
low rate OF interest ana without dlscrlm1
nation ana SlSll De q legal L6nQ6r 1Of all
debts, public and private
Third. That taxation shall be more nearly
equalized by requiring that all property shall
bear a just proportion of its burthens.
Fourth. That alien ownership of land
should be resisted and prohibited.
Fifth. Thai public transportation should
Sixth. That no class nor interest should be
taxed to build up any other class or interest
Seventh. That public revenues should be
limited to an honesty an economically ad-
ministered government
And for the further security of the public
welfare let them demand
Eighth. And just and equitable system of
graduated taxation or incomes.
Ninth The election of United States Sena-
tors by a direct vote of the people.
These demands are the necessary and Iegt.
innate OutgrOwth of our ra,idiy advancing
civilization, and the highest considerations
for the public veal and safety should impel
US to earnest and persistent endeavOr to en-
graft them upon our governmental policy.
s~ECTIONALIsM.
In all the broad field of our noble endeaver
as an order, there is no purpose grander in
design, more benefCient in it's possible re-
than the one in which we declare to the
world, that. henceforthD there shall be no
Failing in all else we may undertake as an
organization, if We shall accomplish only q
rest0rati n of fraternity and unity, and OBJ it.
crate the unnatural estrangement which has
unfortunately so long divided the people of
this country, the Alliance will nave won for
'tself immortal glory and honor In the
spirit of a bread and liberal patriotism, it re.
cDgniZeS but one flag and one Country. Con-
f"Onted by Il common ~danger-afhic'ed with
= common evil-imprlled by a common hope,
the people Of Kansas aud Virginia, of Penn
SylVaDia and Texas, of Michigan and South
Carolina, make COMMON cause in a common
inter St 1t recognizes the important truth,
that the evils which uppreSs the agricultural
interests OF the country, are national In their
ted by sectional effort or sectional remedies.
1t recognizes the fact that the war ended in
~I865,-that chattle slavery is gone, and that
the ~preiudicas and divisions, born of its exi.-
tence, should go with it.
Community Ofinterests between the great
agricultural states, If the Middle Southern
and Western sections, is the mighty natural
force which Will draw them together in solid
array in the impending struggle between the
people and plutOcrat!c power.
Cause other than political, (p"tent and af-
fectiVe as the latter have been) have Can
spired to propagate aud perpetuate section
alism. The rich, powerful and densely pop
ulated east, must needs have an outlet for its
aggreSSiv We eHterpri4ee, it's RAPIDLY accumull-
ting wealth and it's growing population. The
dense forests ard fertile plains Of the mag
nifcent and invitidg west, were transformed
into rich and Powerful states. Lines of I'M
migration, Of enterprise, OF wealth and of
general. Development, were pushed forward
shores of the Pacific. Along th~se lines were
transplanted from the East, the prejudices
and animosities engendered for a half CEN
fury. The SOuth-traversed by no GranscOn-
tinental lines of commandments and
Inundated in her great and crushing losses
and by defeat in war, most naturally nursed
the sectional animOsities and predudices of
the past. What an inviting condition was
thus presented for wicked sectional agitatOrs
and how ~assiduOusly they utilized it, let
the hamefu sectiOnaliSm of the past quar-
ter of a century answer. Butthe people of the
great awakening South and the people of the
grfat agricultural v cst-arOuSed and inspired
by a common danger,-have locked their
hands and shields la a common cause, the
cause of a common country.
TIL lines of se%ctionalism have been cut in
twain. The Alliance has planted its banner,
on which is inscribed in characters of golden
rights to all and special favoTs
TO nOne'-frOm the great state of New York
on the east, to the golden gates of the Pacific
on the West-frOm the gulf on the South, to
the great lakes on the NOrth-enbraciDg
Within it's territory the great staple crops Of
the Countrywide center of population and the
center of political power.
We cannot fail to see the opportunity of the
hour, and recognizing that opportunity, we
must not forget that1 1t carries with it CORES
pOnding responsibilities. The opportunity, is
for the great conservative, law abiding, patri-
otto masses to assert and establish a perpet-
ual nniOn between the people. Tue seQuent
obligation is that the great masses must dis
n n n A1eRnr1 n-A AS-a-- S..