The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-08-26
DID NOT ATTACK VANCE-COL,
POLK TALKS FREELY TO
1.-THE CITIZEN"
The President of the National Farmers
Alliance Talks for "The Citi'
4 zen Readers--Firm for
the Sub-Treas-
INV Bill.

" - Ae
National Farmers Alliance, is IN the
cjtv, and will at least stay to the open
ing of the State convention which De
oi1s it's meeting here tomorrow. Col
Polk has lust returned from the State
meetings of Alabama and Mississippi
and is decidedly jubilant over the u
come. That they we're the largest
and most enthusiastic meetings nat
were ever held in those two States ne
candidlv admits, and with the same
breath bespeaks the sane success Ior
the North Carolina meeting. On
Wednesday he will be obliged to cave
to attend the Tennessee convention, IN
session at Nashville. Just at present
he is doing a great deal OF travelling
Col. Polk was seen this morning
and talked of questions relating TO the
Alliance. On the controversy between
the State organ of the order Il Sen
ator Vance he did not care to talk, u
of his own position and regarding the
charges made that be had attacked
the Senator in his speech at Green's
boro, he said:
a used substantially the same Ian,
puage in the town Of Greensboro,
when speaking of the Sub, Treasury
bill, that [ used when before the Sen
atorial committe, and in every speech
from that day to this. There is no
sort of method by which any speech Of
mine could be fairly construed INTO an
attack on Senator Vanne. Besides
that. I am man enough to call a mans
name and not attack him by lnnuendo
and I would be a coward if l aban-
doned my belief simply because my
personal friend, Senator Vance, had
chosen to place himself in line with
Carlisle and other Senators. Nothing
was further from my mind than an
assault upon him, but much as l es
TEEN him [ would not shrink from it
if | thought it to be my duty to my
people and the cause | represent. In
the discharge of my official duties,
however, as president of this great
national order, l cannot afford to dis
cuss men but measures. | cannot af
ford to talk personal politics but must
keep an eye on the principle. | have
been grossly and wilfully misrepre
sented, but | shall not swerve one
ioLa from what | conceive to be the
path of duty.
"NO man regrets more than myself
this seeming conflict between the Sen
ator and the people, but l am in no
manner responsible.
"The contest in which we are now
engaged, in my judgment, involves is.
sues of far greater magnitude and of
more vital Importance than any which
has ever engaged the public mind of
the country. 1t is a question of lib
erty or slavery-a slavery far more
degrading in its character than even
African servitude. We realize this
to the fullest extent, and are naturally
very jealous of our rights and he who
is not for US, we regard as against us.
We can afford to know no friend or
foe, but must measure men by their
positions on these questions. Person
ally no nan has a higher regard for
Senator Vance than myself.
"Regarding the statements by sew
eral of the State press, that save all
but the Sub-Treasury question, the
principles of the Farmers Alliance
and those of the Democratic party
were substantially identical, Col. Polk
again refused to talk. But the
statement that the farmers were di-
vided on the bill, he Indignantly de-
MED.
81 never knew a people to be so
neal a unit as they are on the Sub
Treasury bill, OF on its principles he
said. alt is a measure that should
know no politics. 1t was presented
by the people, both Republicans and
Democrats, and is distinctively a PEG
pies easur and we expect the rep.
resentatives to act not as Republicans
or Democrats but as representatives
of the American people. We there
fore intend to hold each representa-
tive individually responsible for his
individual record on this question
without regard to party affiliations.
81 have just returned from a trip
through the Southern and Northwest
ern States and l find both Republican
and Democrats of the order equally
jealous and determined to go to the
source of the trouble now existing, to.
wit: The financial system of the gov.
eminent. We believe the Sub-Treas
ury bill IS destined to reach the rem
edy but if it will not, we expect and
demand thot Congress will devise a
measure that will do it. Our people
are a unit on this point."-ASheville
Citizen, Aug: IL.