The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-08-12
THE FARMERS MOVEMENT.
DispeIIing the Mists-- Hairy S9ilFweil
Edwards Letter. " ;r ~

Edwards Letter. " IL ~
TINE Constitution, in an editorial on
this clear Gu; bold and incisive
letter, says:
There seems to be a gro wing idea
in the minds of some thoughtless
Democratic editors in Georgia and in
other States that differences of opin-
ion inside the Democratic party are
are not to be tolerated; that all views
and opinions must conform to their
conception of what is Democratic"
And again:
when, for instance, as distin,
guished a Democrat as MIR. Carlisle
endorses the internal revenue system
with it's bonded warehouses and de-
nounces the Sub Treasury scheme,
what are the farmers to think 2"
Will some of the papers in North
Carolina which have become such
champions of the farmers, publish
this letter? We will see.
n H LETTER.
Editor Constitution: The farmers
movement in Georgia has now reached
such proportions that small politicians
even cannot longer blind themselves
to the danger that threatens the pro-
fession. The more astute have long
either accepted the situation, or,
under cover of Mr.. Carlisle's letter,
have arrayed themselves squarely
against it. Those who have not been
heard from cannot escape in the dark,
if the Alliance holds as steadily and
as unrelentingly to the maint point as
it has during the preceding six
months. The danger that comforts
the movement is not as yet an open
one. 1t lies in the fact that through
quiet combinations and village cliques,
the expression of public opinion may
be forestalled and extra early county
conventions render future discussion
useless and action impossible.
The issue generally has been fairly
made, and if there is right and dignity
in the new movement, or if it is
founded upon a gigantic error, it
should be tried now as fairly and dis
posed of without personal preference
or past allegiances.
Against such a trial many advance
the plea of e~xpediency, and summon
again the ghost of a black Banquo
which has not been allowed N 5re rest
IN twenty five years than the "bloo1y
shirt" of the Northern Republican.
The two questions involved in this
plea are o. Does the ALLIANCE move.
men5 divide t1e Democratic party {?
and (2), Does it increase the danger
of negro Proclamation :?
t. the first, answer may be begun
very appropriately by an examination
into what constitutes at present tn
Democratic party in Georgia, There
was a democracy based, once, upon
principles well defined and peculiar to.
democracy, but l think no man viii
dispute the proposition that the party
of this day is a white mans party,
bending all opinions, preferences and
inclinations to the idea that at any
cost the white ace must rule in
Georgia. Aside from this it would be
hard to define our platform. ii there
is any principle upon which the party
b as not allowed its national leaders to
s~tultify themselves, with impunity, l
cannot recall it. We have been con
frOnted with national Democratic
platforms of cross puspose; we have
stretched the general welfare "
clause of the Constitution over rivers,
harbors, creeks, cattle plaques, expo
%sitions, court houses, pensions, war
claims and special services. We have
declared the internal revenue a war
tax, denounced war taxes, and made
the internal revenue a corner of our
financial system. We, in Georgia,
through our legislators, have twice
demanded the repeal OF the very tax
which the national party sustains.
We, as a national party, have declared
against customs, and have declared
again that the "custom houses, from
time immemorial, have been the main
source of revenue, and so must con.
tlnue to be-" In one presidential
campaign we relegated the protection
orators to silence and turned loose the
free traders; in another we gagged
the free traders and set the protection
orators free. We put our faith in
Greeley once, and it is not improbable,
if the force bill becomes a national
issue, that the South will support
Blaine in the same way. Sir, cur
controlling thought for these twenty
five years has been expediencv. As
liberal constructionists we have kept
pace with the Republicans, but with
less profit. In inconsistency We have
led the world.
These are truths not reviewed here
to blame. They are developed in the
analysis of the situation. However
We have scrambled, it has been with
one end in VipW R1t tbo ,ooio foot