The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-10-25
Under Mrs. Bilkins' Thumb-Bad 7
to Discuss Politics.

to Discuss Politics.
"HelIoI Mr.. Editor"
R.-"Good morning, Major Bilkins.
How is everything out your way2'
B.-Ohl everything is getting quiet.
Betsy has nearly everybody in this
township under her thumb. She says
it don't do any good to talk politics,
and that everybody must keep their
mouth shut until after the election.
All there is to do is register Gull name)
and vote, then see that there is a fair
count"
R.-"Mrs. Bilkins is correct. Very
few ever form a correct opinion about
public matters during a political cam
paign. Both sides make everything
look pretty and prejudice takes the
place of reason. Have you seen Gid
cons Band providing around out your
way?"
B." Not much. It is not visible
here unless Betsy belongs to it. Betsy
rules this part of the country with a
whoop. She makes us dance around
mighty quick. Ireckon that is a sign
she is a member. But I haven't seen
her licking out her tongue lately"
R.-"Perhaps you are mistaken.
Mrs. BilkiIs may rule you, but she
hardly bosses the whole neighborhood. !"
B.-"Maybe 1 am mistaken. She
makes me jump like a chicken standin'
on a hot rock. I tell you she is a dan
gerous woman. I would rather fight
all of 'Gideon's Band at one time as to
have a row with Betsy. She is mighty
dangerous"
a R.-"Well, you must keep quiet and
,Joil void trouble with your wife. To
darght and quarrel with your wife is
+ sorse than to quarrel or fight about
10 litics, and either is so bad that it
uiII int to be engaged in by any
wbitoy. 1t is well enough to discuss
p,IsTly matters with your wife, oreven
=, nint ics. Neighbors and friends ought
70 useGss poities but Aeysheu}ddis.
s them as friends. No good can
come of a political wrangle, with the
wranglers two thirds full of whiskey
and the other third full of party preju-
dice"
B.-"That is what Betsy says. She
says eggs won't better the times any
either, unless they are sold to people
who want them to eat. We have just
heard that Mr.. Butler was egged at
Wilson Friday night. This ought to
open the eyes Of the voters of North
Carolina. I know no party ought to
be held responsible for what a few OF
its members do, but this egging bust
ness has the approval of many leaders
in both the Democratic and Republican
parties"
R.-"Yes, there isfno getting around
that fact. At first the organs of these
parties tried to get the people to believe
that boys did it. Boys would not dc
that at so many places without soma
help, besides that it, is known that
UoterS did the egg throwing. To say
that Weaver was a tyrannical soldier,
does not suit the case. Butler was not
a Northern soldier. He is a North
Carolina boy. Col. Peck, of Georgia,
is a highly respected{citize of Georgia.
Tom Watson is Georgian. Both Of
them have been egged and also refused
permission to speak at certain points.
When Congressman Otis was egged IN
Kansas the other day, it was not be-
cause he was a nonresident. He was
at home and there is nothing against
his military record. The devil is at
the bottom of it all. The people should
rise up and repudiatg such parties at
the polls"
B.-"I reckin your ARE right. Betsy
says all the people in this beat are
going to do it, an don't you forget it.
. Betsy says there ought to be a million
votes cast against them for every egg
that they throw. Gdod-bye."