The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-08-12

Z LIN"
changed for the wors if all the
heterogeneous interests bore the name
alliance Z? Perhaps, after all, only
few Office holders are seriously threat.
ened.a . .--
70 the second question involved In
the plea of expediency, viz, "Does
the farmers movement interest the
danger of negro Proclamation, there
can be but one answer-nO! So far
as anything like a ace war il con,
cerned, the fears that have been
aroused are childish. The negroes OF
the South have no rallying point.
They differ in religion, in superstition,
in ancestry, in occupation. They are
not ave a race; they do not even
possess a common color; they do not
hope for a common destiny; they are
divided in interests and occupation,
and they have never given the slight
est indication that they want a gen.
eral conflict. On the contrary, they
have, many of them, purchased their
own homes, and every home owner is
a peace factor. One loan association
in my native city, Macon, has loaned
over 100000 to negroes for home
buildings, and [ presume this is not
an exceptional case. Indeed, the
acquisition of homes by negroes is
one of the grand and gratifying fea
lures of their growth into civilization.
How in the name of reason can such
a people, hopelessly in the minority,
and scattered over a dozen States, be
rallied to a war of races ?? The propo.
sition is not only impossible, but is
ridiculous. Such a thing could not
be brought about twenty five years
ago, when everything seemed to favor
it. 1t cannot happen now. Local
outbreaks will occur, as they occur all
over the world between radically diff
ferent people between Gentle and
Jew in Europe, Hungarians and Penn
sylvanians, Irish and Chinese, and
even Protestants and Irish Catholics.
With these, in the South, neighbor-
hood organizations or municipal au
thorities have always dealt successful
ly, and will so continue to deal.
When they fail, the State troops "a
be invoked. So much for the race
war, which, if it were possible, would
at las be fought chiefly by farmers.
The whole issue, then, is narrowed
do Hn to this: "Does the farmers
movement increase the danger of
negro Proclamation through the
ballot ?"
When we reflect that the farming
ele ment constitutes tbs vast majority
of the people, that Georgia is an agri-
cultural country, and that business
depends upon agriculture, and that it
is the farmer who has most to do with
the negro and the most to fear from
him; that no legislation can be had
advantageous to agriculture that will
not benefit the negro; that the farmer
can moe easily influence and control
the negro, and that they already en-
j0y their confidence more than does
any other class, it would appear that
the chances are in favor of RELOCATING
the matter to Alliance hands. And
it can scarcely be dispu ed, that an
Alliance upon one and a common in
terest, is stronger than any political
party can be where principles conflict,
however powerful the supreme idea
of that party. And let us not forget
that this same farming el5ment is near
and has always been, however dark
the hour, the iron IN the blood that
pulsates from the heart of old Georgia.
Sir, the new situation is not al all
abnormal. We have simply been
living under an abnormal situation.
Three fourths of the white people, and
these constituting the life of the great
and necessary business of Georgia,
have Deen held in political subsection
for twenty-five years. In all this
time, aside from a few vapid and
stereotype1 phrases in relation to
cheap axes, and blankets, robber
barons and val tariffs, th9y have been
taught nothing on national issues. I
do not say they have learned nothing.
And in all this time no legislation has
been secured by them worthy of the
name which has lightened their labors.
And for these they have G ven I'm
swerving allegiance, have stood to the
polls with their lives in their hands
and saved Georgia as we'll by night as
by day. Their lives have been heroic.
What they have suffer d and endured,
only God, the silent Fl Ids and the
midnight hours may reveal. Sir, are
not they, under their chosen leaders,
S ,s1aineu by their friends and kindred
OF the cities and towns and by a our
age and honesty undated worthy Of
trust still ? Every unbiased mau
must think so. Every reasonable
Georgian who has height enough to
see over the heads of the demagogut s
that embarrass the s tuation the ban
ner that is unfurlod must Did it God
speed and good cheer.