The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1890-07-10
yASCE'S LETTER

-Il.tNtH-t " -'LtHt Clt D-ttt-; Ct*
Spayto, N. c.
DEAR SIR SO many reports con
cerning my position on what is known
as the Sub Treasury or Farmers
Warehouse bill have been circulated
in our State, aud | have received so
many letters Of enquiry on the sub
ject, that l have deemed it my duty
20 answer them all in this way |
write to you as the honored head OF
tie Farmers Alliance Of North Car
olina, and desire in this manner to
make known to the people my hons
est opinion on this and coguate sub
jects. i 60 this all the more readily
because / am conscious that | have
ccycr, in tie course Of my political
life, concealed from the people who
have honored me any candid con
yiction in regard to any important
public matter. Il is too late for me
now to begin such course.
Ga the Path day Of February 1890,
at the request Of Col. l.. L. Polk,
President Of the ~. +. Alliance
and industrial Union," | introduced
in the Senate bill, 2SO6, popularity
known as the Su5-Treasury bill, and
procured It's reference to the Com
mite on Agriculture and Forestry,
where it was supposed that it you'd
receive more friendly consideration
than from the Committee on Finance
10 which it would otherwise have
zone according to the rules. On
receiving it | told both Col. Polk and
DR.. Macunc, the chairman Of the
Legislative Committee Of the Al
lance that | was not prepared to
promise them to support the bill;
that it was a great and radical de
parture from the accustomed policy
oC ou7 Legislators, and that there
were questions both Of practiCability
and constitutionahty, which | wished
to reserve. I told them also, that |
hoped fer good results from its intro
ductioD, and believed that its discus
sion would attract the attention Of
the country to the condition and the
wants OF the agricultural classes, and
if tins bill was not deemed the proper
one that some other would be for
muIated in the direction Of the
needed relief. procured an early
consideration Of the bill by the com
mittee, and very able and most in
teresting discussion by Messrs. Polk
and Macune was had. Bat so far
withOut result. The committee has
not yet made 4 report, though l am
assured that q majority OF its men,
bers are anXioualy seeking to devise
a method Of relief which shall not be
open to the objections Of that bill.
My own position remains the same.
[ cannot support this bill in it's pres
ent shape. But / am not opposed to
the principle and purposes of the
measure. On the contrary, they are
those which l have for ten years ad-
vocated, and for the accomplishment
Of " hich | have IN every county in
North Carolina again and again
urged the organization Of farmers,
pointing ont to them how that all
other classes of society were orgaU-
ized for the promotion of their sopa-
rate interests. 1t is q shameful truth,
that III the enormous growth Of the
wealth of our country in the last
twenty years, the farmers have not
propoTtionsteIY participated. All
caUdId men admit that they have not
had their share Of the aggressive pros
perity Of our country. The reason
Of this is as plain to be seen as any
cause for any effect. For a quarter
of 4 century the legislation Of our
country has been n0torjously in the
interest OF certain combinations Of