The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-01-28
THE FARMER IN POLITICS.

I,-F monished the brethren that the
time was approaching when their pa
tience, the faith, their loyalty and
their manhood, as Alliance men, would
be put to the test. To redress our
wrongs and to obtain relief from dis
eliminating and oppressive legislation
and to effect those great economic re-
forms which are absolutely essential
to the peace and prosperity of the
country, will require an unwavering
adherence to the principles of right
and Justice, conservative, patriotic &C.
ton and the highest moral courage.
We must recognize the fact that on no
line of action contemplated by our
order, will we be confronted by such
stubborn resistance as in our effort to
secure reform in Legislation, State
and National.
American politics, under the dom
ineering and corrupting influences of
capital and corporate power, have be-
come an engine for the oppression
and impover;shment of the many to
the, enrichment and building up of
the few. To-day, the few are the
strong and the many are the weak. To-
day the tfeU control Legislation, through
professional and corrupt politicians.
Hence, to secure needed legislative
reforms, that class of politicians who
are the willing tools of monopoly and
corporate power, must be displaced or
supplanted. And just here will come
the tug of war. When, by a general
effort, the people shall rise and de-
mand the displacement of those who
have betrayed our interests by false
promises or by open neglect of duty,
we will find that they will strongly
contest every inch Of. ground, sup
ported and encouraged as they will be,
by the corporations and capitalists of
the land.
1t has come to pass that the UlUGng
seTVant of the people on the stump, is
the tyranGcGl master of the people@an
the hall Of legislation. 1t has come to
pass that a few arrogant and dictate
rial, elf-constituted political bosses in
the parties, assume the right to con-
troll, with iron hand, the policy and
action of the parties. They deny the
people the right to do their own think
ing. They are emboldened in this
high, handed and audacious assump-
ton Of power by the lordly masters
whom they serve. They assume the.
right to make nominations, to dictate
candidates and the policy of their
party, and should any man or men
dare to question their right or wisdom,
they are roundly denounced rs 3trait-
ors." ~ /
Laws, State and National, areen-
acted in the interest of capital and
against the productive labor OF the
country, and if the farmers protest,
they are coolly admonished to keep
quiet or "you will ruin the party"
The farmers of North Carolina and
of these United States have become
impatient and disguised with this up
start bossism. They believe that .
party is made up of the people and not
a handful of strutting bosses. They
believe that class legislation should be
wiped off our statute books. They
believe that laws should be enacted
for the general good, and not for the
favored few. They believe that the
people are sovereign. They believe
that a "public Office is a public trust. y
They believe that a public officer is a
public servant. They believe they
have some rights besides paying
their taxes and voting, as they are
told" They believe that under our
system Of government, parties are a
necessity, but that they should be
parties "of the people, By the people
and for the people,"
In the contest before US, on one
side, is uonOpolistic and corporate
power, solidly arr. ed. And we must
not overlook the important fact that
they lock hands and stand together auth
out regard to party affiliations. When
they feel that danger threatens their
power Dr. their schemes, they throw
aside their party fealty and come to-.
gether. It is worthy of note, in this
connection, that those who are ever
ready to cry out "traitor to the
farmers who have the manliness to
express an opinion, have no words of
censure or disapprobation for the
money and corporate leagues made up
of men of both parties, for robbing
the people.
With what weapons are we to meet
this formidable opponent ? None,
save the ballot given to US by our
patriotic fathers, and that manhood
given to US by the God of Nature.
Will we use these wisely? One of
the objects of the Alliance is to edu-
cate its membership and public senti-
ment up to that plane of thought and
action, where men, of whatever politi-
cal party, will not be so blinded by