The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1892-09-29

| The two great political parties int
which our people are mainly divide'
are once more in the field with thei
platforms of principles and thei
candidates, State and Federal, thereon
| The Republicans profess all of their ole
doctrines from which come the evil
of which the people complain; the
glory in that abuse of the taxin,
power which has made few rich ant
millions poor, and seeking new field
of injustice and oppression, the,
openly declare their intention to tax,
from the States the right to contro
the election Of their own representa-
tives, which is the chief bulwark O.
their rights and liberties.
The Democrats re-affirm their ad
herence to the Constitution, their op
position to tariff robbery, to banking
monopoly and to corporate oppression
in all its forms; and their desire to
leave the power to control elections
where the Constitution left it, and
where it has resided for more than one
hundred years. Primarily it would
seem that no Democrat, and especially
no Southern Democrat, could hesitate
for single moment as to which OF
these parties deserved his support.
But a new party has arisen which
is endeavoring to make the people
believe that the Democratic, party is
no longer to be trusted. The argu-
ment to prove this is travesty on
common sense: That because for
thirty years they have as a party
steadily opposed all abuses and have
not been able at any time to prevent
or reform them, therefore it is no Ion
ger worthy OF support of those who
desire reform. The meaning of this
is, the Democratic party has been
guilty of being in a minority. Its sin
consists in not having done that
which it could not do! Then let it be
condemned, whilst the Republican
party, which has had the power and
actually did all these things, and still
had the power to undo them and does
not, is acquitted. Nay, we will help
it to keep in power by betraying and
destroying its only enemy. There
fore, as the Democratic party, with its
vast organization in. every State,
county and township in the United
States, with its control of one branch
of Congress and comprising in the
popular vote a large majority of all
the people in the Union, has not been
strong enough heretofore to effect the
reforms for which it has labored and
wished, being without the Senate and
executive, they claim the only chance
for reform is to vote for the candidates
of this Third party, whose existence
in the national government and power
to control legislation are evidenced by
three or four members of the House
of Representatives and two in the
Senate.
Common sense and selt-preservation
would seem to dictate that we should
help the Democrats, who are almost in
power, to get altogether in power, and
trust them to correct abuses as they
have promised. One strong pull in
Novemveber next would give them
of both branches of Congress
and the executive, and the night of
and injustice would burst into
the dawn of new and better day. 1t
would be time enough to leave them
and form a new party when they had
been tried and proved faithless.
But the leaders of this new party,
falsely called the Peoples, insist that
you shall abandon the Democratic
party now and vote with them. l am
5rieved to know that there are quite
number of our fellow citizens in North
Carolina who propose to follow that
advice. 1t strikes me as the very
extreme of unwisdom; and when done
With a full knowledge of the conse
luences it ceases to be in them folly and |
becomes crime. For whatever may
oe the hopes or the wishes of these
men, they know as we'll as they know
IF their own existence, that this party |
las not only no chance of electing
heir candidates at the polls, but also
lone of throwing the election into the
House of Representatives, about which
hey appear to be most sanguine. Let
10 man be deceived about this. The
handful of votes which will be cast for
Weaver in this State, be it as large as
hey can earnestly claim, cannot wrest
he electoral vote from both Cleveland .
md Harrison, SO as to help throw the
choice into the House. II is absured
o hope so. But thirty thousand
10000 votes taken from Cleveland
md given to Weaver will throw the
vote not indeed into a Democratic
House, but into the hands of Harrison
This result was SO plain that the Re-
oulican leaders, notwithstanding their
professions to the contrary, deter F.
nlned to not slip the opportunity, and
hey are now ready with full tickets
md complete organization to avail
themselves OF everything which the
1issenslon and folly OF our people may
hrow into their laps. Their promises
% run no State ticket were manifestly
made whith the intention Of alluring a
Third party ticket into the field,
rustlng that when men get hot and |
Dad blood prevailed, they might walk
,ff with the prize in both Stale and
Federal elections. Alas! that want of
efection or patriotism should render
his scheme a probable success. In
ver attempted, and to modify other
avs which in their original iniquity /
would have been intolerable.