The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-09-01
AT DURHAM.
Wilietts, "Sockless Jerry" and President
Polk Speak--A Large Crowd Present.

Friday was gala day at Durham. A
large crowd, V~ariously estimated at
from 1000 to- 900, were present. Good
order prevailed. The dinner was very
good. The Durham COrnet Band fur
nished the music in good style. The
speaking was in the Globe warehouse.
The stand was handsomely decorated
with farm products, stars and stripes.
The meeting opened with prayer by
Rev. J. w. Lee. T. B. Green, Esq, of
Durham, delivered the address Of vel
come. He referred to the magnificent
manufacturing enterprises of the city
and said the honest, sunburned faces
before him deserved most of the credit
for they furnished the foundation on
which to erect the buildings. Speak
ing Of the great uprising of farmers he
said that it is better that the revolution
continue until the work is finished, for
the discomfort that would follow a fail
ure of the Alliance would be ruinOus to
the country. His speech was eloquent
throughout.
Rev. j. w. Lee responded to the ad-
dress Of welcome in an eloquent ad-
dress.
At 1880 Col. 4. w. Williams, Con
gresham from the Fifth District, as
master of ceremonies, introduced Bro,
J. Z. WiIletts, Of Kansas, our efficient
| National Lecturer. Bro. Willetts spoke
! for one hour and a half. getting the
best Of attention. He said he had spent
all of his life on the farm and therefore
ahOweryspeech should not be expected.
He then gave some account of the
numerical strength Of the Alliance and
his reception throughout the country.
| Said he had looked into the faces of
more farmers in the past six months
than any ran ever did before and had
found them the same everywhere, all
| anxious to get relief from the existing
oppression, and to break down partisan
and sectional barriers. He spoke Of
President Folks reception in Kansas
more than a year ago; told how, after
his speech, the great crowd "mObbed"
him by rushing pell NELL to shake his
hand and they continued shaking his
hand until it was so badly swollen that
he could not write a letter or anything
for hours afterwards. He told how
Ingalls, was beaten, and said that the
people of Kansas would only consider
Ingalls, for any high position hereafter
by taking him on ten years "suspi-
cion" and then on ten years pro
baton" He told of the great
milling combine in the Northwest,
whereby mills we're forced into the
European syndicate, which controls
the price of grain and flour. He dis
cussed the national banking system,
and how it controls the destinies of
this government. He said that the
m~Ortgaged Indebtedness of Kansas was
equal to 1855 per capita for every
human being in the State. Many other
States are nearly as bad. Bro. Willetts
is witty and is a genuine home-spun
philosopher. He told us that our poll
ticians pictured only the bright side of
everything, the work Of showing up
the dark side was left to the Alliance
people. He said our political orators
boosted that we have the grandest
scenery, the largest rivers, the highest
mountains, the most babies, ETC., but
they never tell of the misery, the
oppression and roguery that we are
suffering from.
After an hours recess, during which
dinner was partaken of, Bro. Simp-
son was introduced. He has a world
of wit and holds his audience without
any effort. He discussed the Sub
Treasury in a plain, simple manner,
very satisfactory to the audience. We
regret that we have not space to give
a better synopsis, but suffice it to say
that two better speeches have never
been delivered in North Carolina upon
these important issues. Their
ments were plain and convincing.
Col. Polk was introduced. He
stated that he was too unweIl to at
tempt a long speech, but would make
a few remarks on some importantmat-
tiers, mainly advising the members to
keep cool, be conservative and stand
firm. Thus closed a day long to be
remembered by the people of the coun-
! try around Durham.