The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1890-07-10
THE FARMERS ALLIANCE
GEron, LIST pdge.l

and privileges like others. No great
| er shock for years past has been given
to the sleek and comfortable recipients
of class legislation than the recent
passage through the Senate of the bill
to restore the unlimited coinage and
legal tender character of silver. This
was undoubtedly due to the Farmers
Alliance. For the past six months
there has been more discussion upon
the condition of the farmers and mat
tiers pertaining to their interests than
had taken place within ten years pre-
vious. The more of this talk the bet
= ter for the farmars. Their wrongs are
so palpable that the justice of redress
, ing them will become mere and more
/, irresistible as the light is turned on.
The policy of the farmers, being now
right, is to keep within the right.
Demand nothing that IS illegal, ask
! nothing that is unreasonable. Es-
pecially, it seems to me, they should
be careful not to injure their friends.
They should hold their forces in
hand ready to aid those who favor
them and to strike those only who are
hostile to their purposes and princi-
pies To attempt to make political
party Of the Farmers Alliance for the
purpose of supplanting either of the
great political parties who divide the
American people would be great
mistake. In the South it could only
destroy the Democratic party and
leave in undisputed control that other
party which is the author and uphol-
der of the evils by which are afflicted.
By your own rules you exclude from
membership a majority of the COM
muuity, and for that reason alone you
should not undertake to become po-
litical party. l see many indications
of that tendency which give me much
concern. In the neighboring State of
South Carolina there is contest rag.
ing which, as it looks to me, can only
have the result of putting that State
back under African rule. This, too,
among men who profess to agree upon
all matters of principle. Let us hope
that we may avoid such dangerous and
unseemly contests in our State. I trust
much to you, my dear sir, and to the
conservatism, good sense, moderation
aud patriotism of the farmers of North
Carolina, to avoid the taking any po-
sition or the doing of anything that
would prevent the Democrats who are
not in the Alliance from working to-
gether for principles which are COM
mon and for interests which are gen
eral, with that harmony which 80 tri-
umphantly brought us out of the house
of bondage in the period from 1870 to
1876, and which has in so great a
measure restored our State to rea-
sonable degree of prosperity and cred
it. Let US not initiate the conduct of
the Jews when their sacred city was
besieged by the Roman armies, who
fought their enemies with incredible
valor all day and fought each other
with incredible fury all night. Let us,
on the contrary, stand together and
fight our common enemies day and
night. Let us strive for reduction
OF taxation ON the necessaries of life
for reduction of the expenditures of
the government-for an increase of
the currency and the price of farm
products by the free coinage of silver
and the restoration of its full legal
tender character-for repeal Of the
tax on State banks-for the regula-
ton of transportation rates by railroad
and last but not least, let
us earnestly contend against that spir-
it of Capitalization which is constantly
to absorb the local self.
government of the people of the
States. Very truly yours,
T. r VANcE