The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-07-14

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Iectual development is moving the
heavens and earth for the enfranChise-
ment of the masses. This impending
revolution is gathering strength and
momentum at every successive turn.
The entire country stands aghast, sys-
TENS trambfe, customs change, and the
long established usages are breaking
up; cringing towards r being trans
formed into men; fawning sycophants
are refusing to obey their former
triumphant masters. We are living
in an age of mighty changes. 1t is the
people, in the terrible agonies Of a life
or death struggle with the plutOcratic
powers of earth, that have combined
to put to the test this last experiment.
It remains to be seen whether the chill
dren Of Washington, Jefferson, Madi-
son and all the other illustriOuS heroes
will submit to q system Of robbery
which can only result III a slavery the
most degrading and ruinous that ever
robbed and conquered a free nation
since the dawn Of history. We are
making the fight in the interest Of
humanity against the combined powers
of organized and legalized robbery.
We want no towards in this terrible
conflict. We want LeOnidas and his
300 Spartans. We want an army like
Gideon's, that will keep their eye on
the enemy while they lap at the branch.
We want a Moses to lead us out of the
wilderness-a Joshua with power to
command the sun to stand still while
he fights Our battles for justice and
humanity. We want a patriot to
kindle anew the sacred fires Of liberty
on our Ountry's altar. We want men,
high minded men, men who their
duties know, who know their rights
and, knowing, dare maintain. Yours
for three years or during the war
j. +. Willis.
\ Democratic press has pretended
to chuckle over the new party move
ment, as one calculated to injure the
Republicans a great dealmOre than the
Democrats. If we were a Democratic
editor we should not, however, see
much in the situation to be me ry over
The race issue, which has for 50 long
given the Democracy a solid South,
is completely dropping out OF sight rs
the new economical and industrial
issues push to the front. The stalwart
West and the bourbon South have
shaken hands. The solid North was
the occasion of the solid South, and
now that the has split, no possible
party discipline can hold the latter to-
gcther.
The only terms on which the Democ-
racy can hold the Southern farmers in
1892 will amount to a practical sur
render to them. They have already in
the most unequivOcal terms declared
that they will not support Mr.. Cleve-
land, because of his fat opposition to
the free coinage of silver and his under
stood identification with the national
banks and the mOncyed interests gen
orally of the East. With the South
ern Democratic States on this issue,
will stand the Northern Democratic
State of Missouri and the doubtful
| State of Indiana. Mr.. Cleveland has
therefore become an unavailable can
didate, and seeing hat but for the
prominence of the new issues he would
have been the strongest man the De
mocracy could put up, it's loss by the
turn of events is manifest.
AS to the Democratic platform, the
Southern farmers, as the price of their
support, will demand that it shall
adopt free coinage of silver, govern
ment issue of all money, government
telegraph and railway ownership and
the warehouse plan. No compromise
can possibly be effected which shall
not at least include the adoption of ex-
elusive government issue. The Demo-
Gratis will then have to reckon with
their moneyed support in the East,
which, is as bitterly opposed to economic
reform OF popular ideas as any wingo of
the Republicans.
1t appears to us that, the problem
which the new party movement offers
the Democrats is little if any less
serious than that it offers the Republi-
cans. There are several possible alter
natives. If both parties in their plat
forms and candidates concede freely
the chief demands Of the new party,
they will reduce it to unimportance
because it will have accomplished its
object. In that case, we shall have an
even fight between the two old parties.
If on the other hand one of the old