The advocate., 1890-07-23


any of you farmers on the road twelve
months ago, and asked you what party you
belonged tO, you would have said NO once
belong To the democratic party or the re-
publican party, us the case might be-. Now
you would have put the cart before the hOrsoi
you don't belong 10 any party; the party be-
longs tO you. (Applause) know how the
parties are run In my section Of the country.
They are run by bosses who sprang up while
we we're trying 10 get something ~ eat after
the war, and they have managed things 10
long that they have come 10 the conclusion
that all the farmers ought tO do Ia 10 vote M
they tell them, and pay taxes.
want 10 tell you an alliance secret. |
don't believe Brother Clover has told ID, you
men who are outside Of the alliance, and l
suppose there are two or three hundred alli-
ance men here to-day, and they will bear
testimony that what say Is true. When
man joins the alliance, before he takes the
obligation, he enters the hall and is taken
before the proper officer, who says 10 him:
'There il nothing in this obligation which
will interfere with your freedom Of political
or religious Vews.' Cries Of "Thats
true") This is one of our secrets. We
don't tell him we are going 10 control the
caucus, and he must obey the caucus. That
would be an Oligarchy which all would re-
sent We do not say that you must 60 by
any certain rules. No, sir, we take him by
the hand and say, you are free man.
would like 10 know what right we have TO
control the great principles Of religious and
political freed0mG We leave IL TO his iudg-
ment. We have no more right TO tell man
he should belong TO the democratic party or
the Baptist church than we have 10 tell him
he should belong to the republican party or
MaihnItpt uhttWwh 10 "a al, aud
says believe can do better work by re-
mining in the republican party, the alli-
ance has nothing To say, and assumes that
he is going TO act al an honest man. II he
says am democrat, but believe that
can further the interests OF the alliance by
remaining with my party, the alliance has
not one word 10 say. IL man says, | do
not see chance To get anything through
these parties, and am going TO Join new
one, the alliance is absolutely still; II has not
one word TO say. 10 reminds me Of a man
who was great horse snapper; you don't
know what that means until you goto North
Carolina. His name was ROark. He was
union man, but he stayed home from tho
war and sent substitute. He did not make
much at his trade during the war. In 1854
some cavalry went into his country, and he
swapped tho boys out of good horse. The
covered his fine qualities, no no made the
trade. He took him home and fatted and
liked him up, and he had n fine horse In
1865 General Fitzpatrick was coming through
that section OF country with his cav
airy ON raid. Roark wanted TO
see a live Yankee, and also wanted
10 see II he could be of some service TO him,
80 he put on his best clothes and mounted
this horse and started TO meet him. AS he
came up, the captain, who was in advance,
said "Ilalt" ROark halted, put on his
blandest look and said "GOOd morning."
lie noticed the captain looking at his horse.
"Dismount," said the captain. He looked
at the captain and he seemed TO mean IL, 80
he dsmOunted. "Iake the saddle OIL Of that
horse and strap IL onto this one, )" he said.
mOtiOning To horse which was so poor that
IL could scarcely stand. ROArk did as he
was bid. Mount y said the captain. RoaFk
mounted 'Now take yourself home"
RoaTk stopped. 81 want 60 say just one
word. | have been swapping horses for
years, but this is the first time | ever
snapped horses that did not have one word
TO say" daughter and Applause.) How
many Of you have been making such swaps
during the last twenty-five years and did not
have one word TO say2 | want To say one
word TO yOu men who cling 10 party.
voted with party and stand in this pres
ence to tell you now that have done some
things that l am ashamed Of. suppose the
most Of you have done the same. laugh
teri have voted for men, and IL God will
forgive me will never do it again. (Ap-
plause.) have lonesome things of a mere
partisan character and have determined
hereafter never TO vote for any man, be he
high or low, or Of whatever party, 80 long as
| live, neither for the legislature or for con-
gress, whom have any reason TO believe is
not q true and loyal friend Of my people.
(Applause.) And if that be political tEea-
son, make the most of il and turn up your
noses, George Washington never gave bet
ter advice than when he told us TO beware
Of the baneful party spirit, and ne never
gave us advice which has been 80 little heed
al Tor AhA lnaA lNunnAu- nrn rtnnr, Gnr,nn NIL