The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-01-15

THE VOTE TAKEN.

THE VOTE TAEEN.
The vote was taken by r,nr, and
every man on the floor with Il common
impulse, rose to his feet. The house then
gave prolonged outburst OF applause.
On motion committee composed of
Messrs. Long, OF Columbus, Audrey, of
Mecklenburg, and Pickett. of Arson,
was,,sent to escort Senator Vance into the
hall.
In a few minutes the Senator was es-
corted in, amid shouts and waving OF
hats, the audience rising to its feet.
VANCE SPEAKS.
Senator Vance addressed the caucus
and said:
Il stand here tonight to thank you
! for the fourth time for the nomination of
United States Senator. During the time
have represented you | may not have
done it wisely or ably, but have done it
honestly and faithfully. During the SO
years in which | have served my people,
| am proud to say they have never had
Occasi on to blush on my account. You
may not have had occasion to be proud,
but you have had no occasion to be
ashamed OF my name. Changes have
taken place. Calamity and disaster have
been our fortune; but they have been
overcome with a fortitude and heroism
that entities the people of North Carolina
to be ranked among the bravest and
nOblest of the world
When the war closed there was great
imitation of the currency. There was more
money than in many years before. TAX
ing advantage of it and thinking they
could effect anything they desired, Il sys-
tenn of legislation was begun for the ben
eft of the few at the expense of themany.
1t has been kept up twenty five years,
and not a line has been placed on the
statute books in that period for the
amelioratian of the masses. The national
wealth has been augmented to marvel
GUS degree. But with the wheat sprung
up the tares. With the prosperity came
an amount of evil in proportion. The
wealth was not properly distributed. 1t
was contracted in the hands of the few
The great volume of the people became
poorer. The business field became full of
trusts and combinations, which enabled
those engaged therin to reap enormous
fortunes. National banks were given u
monopoly, which left them entire field,
and removed all competition. Silver was
demonetized, and the price OF gold was
enhanced. A law was passed that bonds
and interest on them should be paid in
SOlu anu not III currency.
The trusts on the other hand were
maintained by the high protective tariff
There is now scarcely an article of neces-
sity that is not controlled by these COM
binations instead of by the law of supply
and demand. 1t is now being unblush-
ingly attempted to suppress commerce
altogether. This operates peculiarly
upon the agricultural products of this
country. The tariff law effects Is per cent.
of our agricultural products. 1t is our
agricultural products that have saved us
from financial disaster as it is. There is
not an evil that you have to complain of
that is not the direct result OF this legis-
lation.
There is not monopoly or evil that
does not trace it's birth to it, There has
not been a fall in the price of the farmers
products that is not caused by this dis
eliminating, unjust and unholy legisla-
ton.
AS proof of this it is only necessary to
point to the desperate measures that the
Republican party is resorting to to per-
petuate itself in power. In order to pre-
vent the repeal of this legislation by
which their friends have fattened, they
have admitted new Stateslinto the Union
to swell their strength. They have thrust
them in to fOrtify themselves in the Sen
ate. But they refused other States ad- :
mission which have more population but
are Democratic
They are attempting to take charge of
elections OF congressman in the South by
the Passage of the Force bill, and there is !!
danger that it may be enacted into a
law. When that is done there will be no
check upon them.
Now reform is imperatively demanded. !
Violence and physical force is not re-
sorted to until all other agents fail. but
if this policy continues it will not ha long
till other means than argument and
harangue will have,to be used.
If know myself would not s.,tncate .
class legislation. would not bu.Id up
one class at the expense of another. /
The eternal principles of justice require :
that no difference should be made. and /
yet every interest has fattened for a
quarter OF a century at the expense of
agriculture. This is dual government
and government OF limited powers. !!
There is a tendency to look too much to !
the national government for redress OF
grievances which is in our power to cure !
You should look to it that the Legisla !
ture of North Carolina exercises its full !
powers in such matters.
But whatever you do the reforms you
wish for can never be entirely accom-
plished unless you remove this party en-
tirely from power. And to do that you !
must be in harmony upon the reforms !
you demand.
When observed the workings of the
Farmers Alliance in other States, | be- !
gan to fear that it was going as far in :
other extreme as the Republican party |
had done at the first.
But am happy to say that l can not
now see any reason to fear that from the
Alliance in North Carolina. In fact on a
cloudy day can not tell an Allianceman
from Democrat. And if unity and har-
mony will continue and Democrats and
Alliancemen will recognize the fact that
their ends and aims are the same concord
will be maintained, and political army
will be formed the futtering of whose
banners without shot will do the work
l predict that 1892 will tell the story
Senator Vance closed with a beautiful
eulogy upon North Carolina. Her honor
and prosperity would always be his hearts
desire and his prayer to Cod