The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-04-05

coin. and other greatmen of thu AIN
this righteous demand of thu "a!
was finally brought to a test Wy PeopR
week 1t was then that the 0S ' !
hand of Wall street showed i, Lmaaa
and the people were defeated RS9Va
Gratis and Republi ans locked D f5a
hands and shields against the ro ese
and rallied under the LEADERSHIP p y
Reed, Of Maine, and declared tbo%t v
tocracy, and not the people I az pig
rule this country. Parties. niaffEoo1Oa
and principles, were ruthlessIv tIsr
10 the winds. Promises and pIngHA
were forgotten, in the mad scra ppI158s
carry out the dictates of their moat.e
Wall street
Can there be any question IN
mind OF any patriot as to what il ~ ~
duty of the agricultural States in s Ie
crisis? Is there a farmer in all T 9s
South, or West, or Northwest, wbo ~
not thoroughly satisfied as to wSis
duty demands at his handsY If h,
two old parties have thus been to%s
asunder on this, one of our minor j.
mands for financial reform, nnos
whom can we hope to depend for fnrs%s
cial relief? New York. New EnoIaDs5
and all those communities which Savs
thus shown themselves to be under tRs
domination of Wall street-Repu6F
cans and Democrats alike-have dem
O~nstrated beyond all question, the d
termined purpose of the money DOVE,
not to relax It's iron grasp on homes
industry. So, ifthe farmers and wpaItS
producers of the land, if the great aDT
cultural States of the country ever st
relief, ever secure justice, thew mES
lay aside all past differences, and lob
ing only tothe future, clasp loyalhanS,
and make common cause at the baIIns
box.
The agricultural States of the South
the West and Northwest, must conn
together and stand together. know
there are men in the South-soma
through the force of association-s0ms
through patriotic motives, and Some
through a lust for spoils-who womb
still crouch at the feet of Wall street
With me, this is the alternative na
sented: Should the South continue II
lie supinely in the octopus arms of this
great autocratic money power, withits
tentacles fastened in her very vitals
until it sucks the last drop of her life
blood, or should she accept the out
stretched, fraternal hand of the great
Northwest, whose interests are her in.
terests, and making common cause
wrest the government from the hands
of plutOcratic power and place it intbe
hands of the people? To me, thiSE
the supreme question of the hour and
dwarfsa all questions of party expediency
or policy into utter insignifcance.
In 1889, the Southern farmers met
the Western farmers at ST. Louis, and
they mutually and sacredly pledged
themselves to stand by each other in
this great struggle for reform and for
Justice; that sectional lines should be
out; that the differences of the
past should be forgotten. They met
at Ocala, from thirty five States
and renewed these pledges-they met
at St. Louis with twelve othar-
Industrial organizations representing
every State in the Union, and
these pledges and re-afirmed
their demands. To be consistent, tobe
fair and manly, what is my duty as
citizen9 Plainly it is, to stand Loyalty
and faithfully by these pledges and by
these people. Have they been true to
these pledges9 Let their record at the
answer. Have they been
to our demands9. Let the record
Of their representatives in Congress
answer. Although born and raised as
abolitionists or Republicans, they stood
Roman courage by the people On
the silver bill, against the combined
democracy and republicanism of WA
Is it right, is it just, is it man
ly for so called Southern Democrats p
abuse these patriotic representatives,
the Peoples party, or their friends, be-
cause they will not consent to abandon
the cause of the people and lick The
hand of Democratic and Republican
Wall street power? Would it not be
more consistent and manly to turn the
of their wrath against traitors
in their own ranks? Where ia the
promise of hope to the farmers of these
great States and the industrial classes
IF the c%ountry9 Certainly not in the
who fail to aid the people IN
heir earnest and righteous purpose TO
secure equity and Justice at the hand
If the governments. The issue has beer
upon us: Shall the citizen or the
be the sovereign in this countryf
The wealth producers of the country
nave solemnly declared for certain
great economic reforms. They have
promulgated their principles and will
yote only for such men and such party
IS will use their best effort to enact
hese principles into law, and they
.arnestly invoke the aid of all good
itizens in their patriotic endeavor.
I have thus briefly expressed the
-iews and honest convictions, which
viii guide my political action. / haze
SO, not as a member or as an Off
ial of the Alliance organization, but
q the exercise of NV plain and simple
as a citizen Of this country. |
ave done it, as I conceive, in the dis
of the obligation which
pom all men in plIbIic station,
their views frankIv and ca
matters OF pablic concern,
olicited. To my mind, my Cd
lear and my rad of duty