The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-07-25
CAPT. PARK AND THE ALLIANCE.
His Reasons for Declining to Be a Can
didate for the LeGislature

oldate Tor the Legislature.
The accompanying letter Of Capt. R. E.
Park Of Bibb county, one of the leading
farmers Of Georgia and a prominent and
devoted allianceman, contains SO much
good sense, patriotism and sound democ-
racy that it deserves the careful reading
re-reading of every citizen, not only Of
the state but of the union. 1t contains
words fifty spoken, which every patriot
who wishes good to the whole country can
not take to heart too fully.
As Georgia farmer, proud of my pro-
feSsion, and DESTROYS of promoting the best
interests of every Georgia farmer. l beg
you to publish it and call editorial attention
to it. l sincerely hope every reader of
your paper will carefully ponder over it.
A FARMER.
aud others:
GENTLEMEN-I have received your invitation
TO allow my name to go before the democratic
voters OF Blob county for nomination to repre-
sent them in the legislature of Georgia.
The qualification which this mark of your
confidence and respect gives me is greatly in
creased by the fact that the suggestion of my
name in this connection originated with my
friends among the members of our county
farmers alliance, and has been graciously sec
onded by many merchants belonging to the
board OF trade of Macon. as well as by mem
beers OF the Knights of Labor of our city.
Under different circumstances from those
which now surround our political situation I
would perhaps deem it my duty to accept such
nomination, and, if elected, to devote all my
faculties TO the promotion of the best and high
est interests of the city and county, which in
terests are, in my opinion. closely identified
with the welfare and honor of the entire COM
monTealth of Georgia.
am constrained, however, by deep a concern
for those interests to decline your invitation.
was the first accepted member OF the first
sub-alliance formed in this county, and have
gwen TO 1t my unwavering and loyal support.
The alliance has been throughout the state of
the highest service to the agricultural interests
OF the people of Georgia. Its objects as an
nounced when organized, and as adhered to up
| to very rec mt period whilst having reference
more particularly to the improvement of the
| agricultural condition of the people. were in
entire harmony and cooperation with all the
other great concerns of the community,
whether mercantile, manufacturing or mecnan-
lcal industries, or pertaining to legal, literary
| or other professions IL commended itself to
| the respect, confidence and support of every
class by the enuHciation of its purpose to alb
| stain from all political combinations, intrigues
and factions.
The tendency to convert or, might say, per.
vert, such noble organization into an engine
OF political power and the Self-see king of aspi-
rants for political Office, is, in my Judgment a
| sad observance to the interests of the state,
and especially those of the-farmng class.
In the first pace its inevitable effect, if not
us avoWed purpose, as stated by some of its
lead rs, is TO segregate The agricultural class,
10 sever Its connection with all other classes
and to claim for itself the control Of the state
government, and its federal relations as its own
exclusive prerogative. Such pretension will
sooner or later, place ali the other classes and
interests OF society in an attitude of reciprocal
antagonism to all other classes, which will
prove more numerous and controlling than is
now imagined by the advocates of this preten-
| sion. 1t can have but one result namely: In
| ternal discOrt in a state among whose people
harmony of sentiment, unity of purpose aud
concert OF action have now more than at any
other time become a matter not of principle
alone, nor of policy alone, but of actual sell
| preservation and existence.
In the second place, even if successful. which
| at the most, will be short lived, the principle
upon which such success would be based is
false and vicious. The essential charact eristic
OF republican government is that political
authority must be drawn from the whole body
polite and all parts must contribute to that
authority. The exclusion of any portion from
the power that ought to be common to ALL and
the appropriation of that power to one class
alone, is not liberty, not democracy, but the
very essence of tyranny.
In the third place, l do not share in the dis
trust and jealousy of other higher and nobleI
bankers. city physicians and Others, which i.
| sought to be excited and spread among oul
people.
In reading a recent speech of the most active
i0dueIS VI ,LulS movement against O lawyer as
| proper representative in congress by reason OF
his standardization with the farming inter
| ests | am forciby reminded of the glowing
| tribute paid by Edmund Burke in the British
parliament to the services rendered to the cause
| OF independence by the great American lawyers
| and the great American planters of that day
and characteriZing the combination of two such
classes as an invincible factor in the cause OF
American liberty. And l am also reminded OF
| the effort that was once made in Georgia tC
eliminate Alexander H. stephens from our ma
tional representation in congress because he
was lawyer. What bright page in the history
| of our state would have been expunged hat
| that appeal to their prejudices not been reject
| ed | would rejoice if the appeals now being
| made TO the same prejudices of the farmers
OF Georgia would meet the same fate. Who
would obiterate from the history of Georgia
the records of her great lawyers-Crawford
Berrien, Ben Hill. Cobb and others-names
wnom history VIII not let die? Nor can forget
in this connection, that the great law reform OF
Georgia, instituted by the great jurists of the
| state, preceded by a half century the law re-
form movement in England, led by Lore
Brougham and other great statesmen of that
| realm This movement to exclude lawyers anC
other professions from the great employments
of trust, responsibility and honor is unjust anC
lnstigated by aspirants for office. whose only
| hope for political preferment is the supposed
gulibility and prejudices of the people. The
| success of these men will be only temporary
and their downfall will be in the end complete
and humiliating
mean no offense to any man, but when In
| this crisis of our affairs l hear a man as 6
seeker for Office attempt to foment discord in
our state, and to array one class against
another. l cannot repress the suspicion that he
is not the friend of either class, but the enemy
of both.
Entertaining these views as to the importance
of union AMI harmony among our people, and
differing as do from many of my good friends
in the alliance as to the effects of the sub
| treasury scheme now urged as condition oil
political support and suffrage, and which
scheme has been condemned by the most en-
country and las not the sanction of a single
man of elninence as political thinker or large
experience as legislator, a fact which should OF
itself make its noisy advocates more modest il
they were less ignorant-I am compelled to re-
specially decline your fattering request to
use my name as a candidate for nomination.
Very truly your friend, ROBERT L. PARK.