The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-09-17
WISDOM'S VOICE.
NO THIRD PARTY IN NORTH CAR
OLINA.
Words Of Truth and SOberness by
Thoughtful and Level Headed
Alliancenlan.
TWeldon Roanoke News

Allianceman.
weldon Roanoke News.1
The Roanoke Meas cannot see the
need Of third party in North Caro-
Ina. The Alliance controls the
Democratic party as it did in the last
campaign. Alliancemen went into
the Democratic conventions and be
cause they were Democrats and were
in the majority, controlled those con.
ventions. 1t can do the same next
year They have thousands of friends
and sympathizers among Democrats
who are outside Of the order who will
heartily cooperate with them in
securing the reforms they advocate.
The organization of third party
would deprive the Alliance of every
advantage they had gained and still
hold in this State, and they would
have to begin anew the foundation of
the success which could only be attained
if attained at all, by years of hard
labor performed in the face of outside
opposition and internal dissensions,
frequent disafections and the treachery
of pretended friends. What, then:
can the Alliance hope for in North
Carolina through the third party
which has not already been secured
by means of the Democracy? In the
last election they secured a majority
of the Congressman, part Of the
State government and the Legislature.
Next year by pursuing the same tactic
they can nominate and elect all the
congressman, the entire State ticket
and large majority of the Legislature
That is all they could hope to dc
should they join the third party and
win with it at the polls. There i:
positively nothing to be gained by
abandoning the Democratic party
Its principles are sound and in ACCORD
with Alliance principles, and if the
men put into office will not act up te
them there are plenty of Democratic
, Alliancemen who will, and it is onl,
necessary to put such men in Office.
But there is great deal to be los
by the Alliance if it joins the thiro
party, and every reasonable Alliance
man knows,it They will lose thu
moral support and active assistance O
their friends outside the order; the,
suffer from the active opposition o
many Democrats who are not friendly
to it but who have hitherto been bouno
to silence and inaction by party loyalty
There is another matter for seriou
consideration. The third party may
be confronted in North Carolina by
the same problem which presents itsel
in Kentucky and Virginia. In Ken
lucky the third party was formally
organized and entered the campaign
The result was that very large por
ton of the vote it cast at the election
was drawn from the Republican party
which hoped by that means to contro
II and return to power. The Repub
licans of Virginia have determined tc
make no nominations but support
Alliance candidates, as the only means
by which they can again be factor If
politics. They remember the success:
with which they co-operated with the
Readjuster element of the Democratic
party, finally swallowing that element
and by its assistance defeating the
Democracy. Yet the State debt which
the Readjusters wanted to settle Still
remains unsettled.
| AS it has been in Kentucky anc
Virginia SO it will be here if the tlrc
party is organized by the Alliancemen
The Republican party in North Caro-
lima is dead but it has some shrewC
individual members in the State who
will if possible use the third party t.
hoist themselves into control of thu
State government. Every white mar
in North Carolina from recent expe
rience knows what that means. Ever,
man ought to know also that whel
the Republicans have once been put
into power by means of the thir(
party they would care nothing for the
reforms demanded by the Alliance
because they have in this State refused
to place Alliance demands in thei
political platform and because tn
: very principles upon which the Repub
S lican party is founded. have mad
] these Alliance demands necessary
< They can no more advocate Allianc
S principles honestly than Anglo Saxon
1 can honestly advocate negro supre
: macy. When Republicans honestl
l favor the Alliance platform they ar
: no longer Republicans.
: These are serious times, not onl
i for the Democratic party, but for tn
e Alliance also. Just as sure as tn
h third party is launched in North Cal
n DINA just so sure will the Alliance los
S its prestige and power and become
j. mere side-show to the Republica
: party. This is no highly colore
It picture existing only in imagination
S but sober truth made plain by expe
t renee, and observation of what
e going on around us.
: The Alliance is not political organ
4 zation. 1t is secret in its nature, an
= the existence of secret political partit
c is made unlawful by the Constitute
i of the State-a constitution frame
e by representatives of the people an
r ratified by the people themselves {
n the polls.