The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-09-16
THE DUTY OF ALL GOOD MEN.
"Uncle Ike" Expresses Himself Upon
Several Important Matters.

Mr. EDITOR:-L1k0 o men OL
nv age, 1 take a lively interest In
politics. 1 have watched with great
interest the conventions and the way
they have been managed year,
and I am convinced that it is absolute
" necessary for all good men to roll
1p their sleeves and go into politics
in arnes Good men must control
the primaries of both parties. Good
men must attend all conventions and
see that the wishes of the people are
not despised.
The primaries, in some instances,
have been sprung upon the people be-
fore proper notice was given. 1 could
name some cases that have comeunder
nv own observation. Next, in the
county conventions in many parts of
the State, a great fight was gotten up
over Judges and Solicitors, and in the
confusion the hands of the anti-Ali-
ance candidates for Congress were
materially but quietly strengthened.
Next, the Congressional conventions
began to meet. The 5th District led
off. A member Of the Alliance was
nominated in spite of the fight owe
the ~judgeship. In the 4th district
the judgeship absorbed the attention
of the people so much that delegates
were sent to the congressional conven-
ton who were hostile to the Alliance
men who were candidates. Some of
these very men, l have heard, we're
members of our order. This shows
that not only is it necessary to have
delegates who are favorable to our
cause, but that we must not rely
simply on the fact that a mans name
is on our books. He must be a man
we can trust whether he is in the ALI
ance or out of it. The usual tricks
were resorted to. Proxies were ruled
out, and as the Alliance delegates
were partly absent, the antics voted a
larger strength than they were en-,
titled to. In the 9Th district Alex
ander was nominated. He had no
opposition in the convention, but
every kind of combination and trick
vas worked against him before the
convention met, and it only ceased
when our enemies saw they would be
defeated. In the 3rd district, when
there was a deadlock between TWO AL
lance men and a very clever gentle
man who is not a member of our
order, an Alliance man was taken as
a compromise, being supported in
part by the outside element. In the
lst district the brethren were awake
and went to the convention, and that
district will be represented by a mem
Der Of our order. In the 7th, | am
sorry to see from the papers, a Re
form candidate mot a member of the
Alliance was defeated BY ALLIANCE
MEN In the 9th honest Bob.
Vance" was defeated by a com5ina,
ton of anti Alliance men who, seeing
there was no chance to get a ring poll.
t5ctan, went for Mr.. Crawford whom,
they knew, enjoyed the confidence of
the Alliance men in his sectlon) in
order to vent their spleen on Bro.
Vance. In the 9Th, Maj. Graham,
whose only fault lies in being a promi,
nent member of the Alliance, was de-
feated when he was shown to be the
strongest man in the convention.
His proxies were cut off. Some of
his delegates were absent, and in
some counties he was defrauded out
of his representation by means of
delegates being appointed by a committee.
His friends are very indignant and if
he would come out as an Independent
candidate he could not be defeated.
Indeed, a good many say they intend
to vote for him anyhow. In the I'd
district a most foul and dirty trick
was put up to defeat a good man who
belongs to our order. He was de.
feated, although another Alliance
nan was nominated, receiving a con
siderable part of his support outside
of the Alliance, while a number of
Alliance men supported Mr.. Simmons
who, after coming out in a card to say
he was not a candidate, was suddenly
resurreeted on the day of the conven-
ton.
The Democratic State Convention
adopted the Alliance demands as Dart
of their platform. Some of the dis.
trict conventions have done the same.
Let's thank them for that and in the
meantime see that they stand BIZ 1t.
The Republicans, so far, have nomi-
mated only n Alliance man for Con.
gress-Prof. McIver, of Pittsboro. 7,
for one, hope they viii nominate
others and pledge them, too. 1 am
sorry to see from the papers that the
Republican State Convention did
nothing to encourage the Alliance.
The good men in the party did not
seem to have been represented. | see
they even nominated Mr.. Price, who
is a hired attorney for the Richmond
L DanVille Railroad, for Chief Justice.
No true Alliance man is willing 70 see
men who, for years, have been the
hired lawyers of railroad corporations.
placed in a position tn doci6o ooD,+;