The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-04-21

mighty network of railways would
grow up in grass and weeds in ninety
davs: without them all progress would
be paralyzed and all civilization would
perish. It is not only their right, but
one of their highest duties as citizens,
to study politics, the science of govern
ment. that they may discharge the
RESPONSIBILITIES of citizenship intelli-
gently and wisely. One of the greatest
needs of the times is more genuine
politics and less corrupt partyism. The
organization of the National Farmers
Alliance and Industrial Union is not,
nor can it be, partisan in its character;
it does not and cannot interfere o.
abridge in any manner the most per-
feet freedom of its members as to their
| political action. It seeks to inculcate
a proper conception of the great and
| important responsibilities of citizenship
| and those essential principles of free
government, which are founded in
equity and justice, and leaves the mem
Der to follow the dictates of his con
science, and Judgment, and patriotism,
as to the best methods for securing the
supremacy of these principles. Our
Order has no more right to say that a
member shall or shall not be a Demo
crat, shall or shall not be a Republican,
shall O + shall not be an Independent,
| than it has to say that he shall or shall
not be a Baptist, a Methodist or
a Lutheran. But while it is not par
tisan, it is emphatically and essentially
political in the broad and liberal sense
of the term.
But if the picture I have portrayed
of the condition of agriculture be not
overdrawn, and if it be true that this
condition is chiefly due to discriminate
ing legislation, it is a duty he owes to
himself, to his family, to his country,
and to his God, to go actively and prac-
tically into politics with the determined
purposeo these greatlyneeded
reforms. He has appealed to Congress
for relief, but his appeals have been in
vain. He has been beguiled with false
promises and had his confidence and
his highest interests betrayed and
ignored. Hundreds of thousands of
farmers during the past sessions of
| Congress sent in their petitions and
demands for relief, but all in vain.
Hereafter he proposes to place his petit
tions, and resolutions, and demands,
where they will be felt and respected
he proposes to place them in the ballot
box.
In vain have the people plead for re-
Lief In vain have they suffered and
endured-patiently submissively, I'm
complainingly. Over one thousand
years ago, the old Sheik Ilderim of
Medina, said to certain Roman ~ingrates:
"Do you dream that because the
prophet of Allah dwells now beyond
the bridge of AL STRAIT, that therefore
he is deaf, dumb and blind? I tell you
by the splendor of God, that a tempest
is brooding on his brow-there is light
ming gathering in his soul for you"
Do men dream that because the
sovereign and oppressed people of this
country have thus suffered, thus en-
dured, thattherefore they have become
deaf, and dumb, and blind? I tell them
that the friends of freedom and of lib
erty will marshal their forces and come
forth more terrible than an army
with banners" and led by the flaming
sword of the avenging angel of out
ragged justice, as "a pillar of cloud by
day and a pillar of fire by night" they
will rebuke treason and hurl from
power those who have thus trifed with
their dearest and most sacred rights
and interests.
Had the heart and pen of the immor-
tai Lincoln been divinely inspired, he
could not have portrayed in more
wildly truthful coloring the heartless
ravages Of the money power than was
given in his wonderful prophecy. CT
see in the neal future" said he. ga
crisis arising which unnerves me and
causes me to tremble for the safety of
my country. AS a result of the war
corporations have been enthroned. and
an area of corruption in high places
will follow, and the money w of
the country will endeavor to prolong
its reign by working upon the preju-
d1ces OF the people until all wealth is
aggregated in a few hands and the re-
public is destroyed. feel at this time
more anxiety for the safety of my
country than ever BEFORE. even in the
midst OF the war. God grant that nv