The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1891-12-10
THE DEMOCRATIC ADDRESS.
Issued to the Friends and Adherents of
the Party in North Carolina.
LECTURER BELL DOES NOT SIGN.
He Declines in Virtue of His Official
Position but Endorses the Read
ing of the Address.

At recent conference Of the EX-
ecutive Committee of the Demo-
cratic party, which was attended by
many of the leading citizens from
different sections of the State, and
in which our present political condi-
ton, as party, was discussed in A
spirit of forbearance and eoncilia
ton, it was deemed wise to issue an
address to the friends and adherents
of the party urging that the same
spirit shall enter into and control all
our discussions and actions prepara-
tory to and during the great strug
gle of 1892,
At this conference the undersigned
were selected to prepare and issue
the address, ans we were especially
enjoined to voice, as near.y as posi-
BILE, the spirit of harmony and unity
and loyalty to the Democratic party
which characterized the conference
1t must be apparent to any
thoughtful observer that there is a
general depression in agriculture
and consequent feeling of dissatis
faction and unrest among those en-
gagged in that pursuit, though the
tillers of the soil are not the only
ones who are suffering from this
general depression. This want of
prosperity among the farmers has
seriously affected the great mass of
those engaged in other vocations; in
fact but tew have escaped its bane
full influence. Then we are common
sufferers from common cause. Ii
this be true, can there be any reason
why we should not work together to
remove this cause and drive from
power its author?
The real author of the grievances
of which the people SO justly com
plain, is the Republican party,
which has administered the Federal
government for the benefit of ia
vored classes and against the inter
est of the toiling masses of the
American people. And we appeal
to our fellow-c citizens Of all voca-
tions to stand shoulder to shoulder
in tine fight we must make against
this great adversary.
In the dark days following 1868
and 1860, we stood together against
this same enemy in State affairs,
and we conquered. The lessons then
learned should not be forgotten, and
we expect them to bear fruit in 1892
it we do not mistake the temper and
patriotism of our people.
Let US not be guilty of the folly
of wasting our strength and dlvid-
ing our forces in uncompromising,
acrimonious contentious among our
selves as to the best means of ac-
complishing a deliverance from the
evils which now environ US ana
from the burdens which now weigh
US down.
Among these evils and burden
we will mention two about which il
seems to US we can all agree and
from which we cannot hope to be
delivered till we overthrow the party
which created them. The first OF
these is the inadequate supply of
| money in the country and the want
of better system tor its distribu-
| ton, SO that it may be procurabi
| more easily and at reasonable rates
of interest; and the other is the un
just and burdensome system of Tar
| iff Taxation. The former we re
gard as the chief cause of the stag
nation in business, and the latter n
powerful ally in robbing agriculture
! and labor of just rewards. Thai
the supply of currency is wholly in,
sufficient for the business >trausac
tions of the country needs no argu
ment to prove. 1t is the experience
not only Of the farmers but of mos
men engaged in other business anC
professional pursits. Now, add te
this inadequacy of money supply
and its improper distribution, the
unequal and unnecessary burdens Of
Tariff Taxation, whose cruel exac
tions have now realized the wildes'
dreams Of the most exorbitant mo
nopolist, and we find suficien
cause for the unrest and disquiet ex
listing among our people. We affirm
that these evils are The direct off
spring of Republican legislation
Other causes of greater or les
weight may be assigned for the pre-
sent depression in agriculture ant
other pursuits; but they too, so fa
as their origin can be traced to legis
lation, must be charged to tn,
same Republican party; for ther
| has not been an hour in the las
twenty-five years when that part,
did not control,one branch or othe
of Congress or the Executive an,
thus hold an effectual check at al
times upon the power of the Demo
cratic party to give the people relic
and redress by repeating vicious leg
islation and enacting remedial meas
ures; so that it cannot in fairness b
said that the Democratic party i
responsible for failing to do thes
things. In our opinion the shortes
practicable road to the redress o
the wrongs and evils which oppres
the country is through the complet
triumph Of the Democratic party
which is the party of the people
whose fundamental principles are j.
harmony with their interest.
This committee, composed of te
Democrats, fve Of whom belong t
the Alliance and five OF whom d
not. but all speaking the sentiment
Of the Democratic party, symps
thize with and unite in the strenr