The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-06-30
WHY THEY OBJECT TO THE
ORDER.

Mr.. EDITOR:-In conversation with
a certain leading lawyer of our town
this week, he gave the following reason
for disappearing of the Farmers ALI
ance. I will quote his language, if not
ger 6atian, in substance: During the
last campaign and for sometime after
wards I rather favored the Alliance. I
thought they were all right, they
helped us out so much in swelling the
grand Democratic majority in this
State; and I thought as long as they
continued to do that I could see no OBJ
jections, but since they are beginning
to make certain demands and are stick
ing so close to the ~Sub-Treasury bill,
which | don't think is the thing for
the country, | now get nervou when
1 hear a man advocate the cause of this
organization, and more particular after
reading in a certain paper the COM
ments on Ben. Terrell's speech at
Statesville, to which said paper devotes
nearly two columns of solid matter in
criticisms upon TerreI's speech. Unjust
think that Terrell is not voicing the
sentiments of the Alliancemen in this
State. I believe they are too loyal to
their old party to follow this so-called
reform movement, but when the time
comes they will vote with the old
party, go along and ask no questions"
Now, Mr.. Editor, | ask if there is
any use to waste time In taking another
picture, but just hang this one out and
when the leaders of the old parties
look at it they will say that will do.
for now also those are my sentiments.
And we contend now, as we have from
the beginning, that so long as the ALI
ance were willing to tack on and be
the tail end of the old parties, either
Democrat or Republican, they will pat
us on the shoulders and say you are
right and good fellows if you will lust
keep out of politics, but just as soon
as we begin to make demands for the
relief of the down-trOdden farmers and
labOring class, they will raise their
hands in holy horror and say the
orgalzatlon is going to pieces, they
have gone into politics. The writer
has " heard Ben. Terrell speak,
but from unbiased accounts of his
SPCOO1CSs LO A0 N1I1u1CdUll2 rue Alu-
ance principles, and is vOicing the
sentiments of every true A~llianceman.
not only in this State but all over the
United States. The shoe, of course. is
pinching the toes of the old politicians
and they are finching, but the masses
of the people say lay on, Ben, the yoke
has been hurting we poor fellows for
years, and no man came to u relief.
and now if this great great reform
movement will be instrumental in
shifting some of the burdens from Dur
neck on to the old politicians. office
holders, trust companies and non
AIliancemen, we will say amen to the
movement.
Mr.. Editor, we are not writing from
a prejudiced standpoint. There are
good men in both the old parties, and
we have warm friends in each party.
but something is wrong and it must be
righted, or this movement is bound to
totter and fall. History teaches this.
Look at ancient Rome, once the mis-
tress of the world, but the lords and
other dignitaries of the government
got possession of its wealth and the
masses were the surfs and slaves, it
began to totter and finally fell. So
with every other nation since nations
began to exist, and so it will be with
q United States if relief is not secured.
Inc principles of the farmers, if car
fled out, will bring this desired relief:
and d people are accepting by scores
from one end of this continent to the
other. so mote it be, amen"
R.. A. COBB.
Morganton, June 1, 1891.