The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-05-19

of the States, local self-government,
the largest liberty of the citizen con
sistent with the rights of others, oppo-
sitiOn to a centralized paternal govern
ment, and so on, for which he stood
with great power, and won the lasting
gratitude of the country, especially
the South. But, on q question of
policy, he differed with his party, lean
ing rather to a protective tariff than
to a tariff for revenue only; and while
some extremists would have ~Ostracised
him, the great mass Of the party put
its veto on that idea; and it is just so
with Mr.. Cleveland today; the great
mass of the people know that he is a
true Democrat, and that in the future,
as in the past, he will stand with I'M
daunted courage by the rights and
best interests of his ~countrymen, and
they will stand by him. The charge.
that Mr.. Cleveland is a tool of gold
bugs" and that his letter was dictated
Wall street" is really too trivial for
notice. It is only intended to catch
gudgeOns Such a charge, if brought
in a court of justice, would not stand
a moment. Not only because there is
no evidence against him, but the evi-
dence is all the other way. There is
just as much evidence that President
Polk is bought by the "~siIver kings"
as there is hat ex-President Cleveland
is bought by the gold bugs" But
really ~ex-President Cleveland and
President Polk need no defence on this
score. Both are above suspicion.
But "Lucius Lagone" appears OF the
scene. 1.-The SUN has arisen, let owls
and bats retire to their caves!" With
the stately steppings, and lofty tread
of a green bay horse" he comes; he
ascends his throne, and with a wave of
his puissant arm sweeps both "Grover"
and myself from the face of the earth.
"Grover" is denounced as a traitor to
party, and myself as a traitor to the
Alliance. Ye nations of the earth, at
what time We hear the sound of cOrnet,
flute, sackbut and psaltery, tits com
manded that We fall down and worship
the silver image set up by this mighty,
modern Nebuchadnezzar! [ tremble
in the presence Of his august majesty,
but l cannot help remembering that
his great prototype after issuing that
laundering proclamation, had his head
wet with the dew of Heaven, and vas
turned out to grass with the other
asses of the field. Con what meat
hath this Our Caesar fed, that he is
grown so great" that he can kill and
make alive? With him constitutions
are nothing, guaranteed rights are
Enothing; he substitutes vituperation
for reason and platitudes and assertion
for argument, then assume the air of
one who has conquered the world!
Everything must bow to his a~utocratic
tpse dirit and his recorded demands, -"
LET them be good or bad" I joined
the Alliance before the day Of "re-
corded Demands and before such
fiery apostles of anew faith came to
the front.
In those peaceful days we discussed
the best way of carrying on our bust
ness as farmers. the best methods Of
recuperating our worn and exhausted
lands, of improving our degenerated
Fstock, of identifying I'll homes, of re
sisting jute trusts, and in teaching and
learning the ways of thrift and econ
ODov- io 40 vi 1, n. fN71 oT11 cioz 0nI hn1ninn
our needy and devising the best ways
and means to improve the mental and
moral conditions of our sons and
daughters. In our simplicity we
thought these noble aims wer enough
to engage all our time, and all our
powers without throwing our doors
wide open and admitting the fierce
contests of the political arena. We
saw that wherever and whenever poll
tics and politicians forced themselves
into any business, temperance or re-
Iigious organization, that dissensions,
strife and decay followed; and to
guard against this dreaded danger we
gave the waiting candidate a solemn
pledge that his political faith should be
as sacred and inviOlable as his religion.
But how is it now? Through this back
door of recorded demands" which
"Lucius" says eve must not fight
against, let them be good or bad" the
rushing tide Of politics is flowing, our
business as farmers is relegated to the
rear, and third party" and third
rate politics engross all our time. That
certain parties, particularly in the
West. are striving to make the Alt