The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-08-18
THAT SHOTGUN" BUSINESS.

We notice that two reporters who
heard the address of Col. Polk at La
Crosse say that Col. Polk did not on
that occasion use the language attrib-
uted to him by the Milwaukee Sentinel.
-NeUS URd Observer.
The above IS clipped from the Ne1rS
and Observer Of the 9th inst. That
paper will now claim that it has
treated Col. Polk with fairness in this
matter. But let Us see 1t published
the extract from the Milwaukee Sen
tincl as a truthful charge and so treated
at, editorjaIIy. Col. Polk promptly de
MED It over his name in that paper.
The NeJc5 and Observer in commenting
on Col. Folks denial said it hoped"
Col. Folks statements were true, i'm
plying thereby that he may have told
an untrnth. Subsequently that paper
published a letter on the matter from
the reporter of the Milwaukee Sentinel
in which the writer admitted that he
might have been mistaken as to Col.
Folks utterances. The PROGRESSIVE
FARMER published letters from two
other reporters who We're also present
at the time, and who also took full
notes of what he said. Both denied
the statement of the Milwaukee Sen
tinel. One of these reporters said he
was a lifelong DemOcrat-did not sym
pathize with Col. Folks views nor with
the movement he represented, but he
sat at the table with the two other re-
porters, and that Col. Polk gave utter
ance to nc such expression, but that
he stood faithfully by the South and
the Southern people, and that he felt
that he should do Col. Polk the justice
to deny the charge.
Now we ask our readers to note the
course of the NelcS and Observer. 1t
could quote a charge against a true
Southern man and true North Caro-
linian from a paper that it would have
spurned and scOrned as authority on
any matter except as against the ALI
ignore the statement of a lifelong
Democrat" in defense Of Col, Polk. In
stead Of showing a fair and manly dis
position to treat Col. Polk with justice
by publishing the letter from a disin-
terested, manly lifelong Democrat"
it prefers to keep before the people tie
statement of a Republican paper. Will
the Ne1cs and Observer publish that
letter from that Democrat? 1t rolled
this slanderous charge under it's
tongue as a sweet mOrsel while other
Democratic papers in the State declined
to publish it because, as they said, they
were satisfied that it was false. But
the New8 and Observer did not concern
itself as to the truthfulness or falsity
of the charge. 1t was against Col.
Polk and against the Alliance and that
was all sufficient for the purpose and
desire Of that paper. This is not the
first time that the NeuS and Observer
has monkeyed with Republican papers
of the Northwest to damage Col. Polk
and the Alliance, and it is not the first
time that their game has been exposed.
Every day brings new evidence that
Republican and Democratic politicians
are leagued together against the people
in their righteous struggle against OPP
preston. But their unholy purpose
and combination will come to naught.
The people can no longer be deceived.
They are coming forth in their might
and power and they will dethrone
these spectators of their rights and
these enemies of the country. Again
we ask: Will the News ard Observer