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

Mhs I4O14SI'
was red letter day with the Alliance In
Cabarrus. The weather was not the
most propitious, still Alliance doctrines
have a good hold on the people IN this
county. and the large court house and
nearly all the standing room was occu-
pied. Not only were Alllancemen out
in good force, but the business men,
the lawyers, the doctors and the mer-
chants were on hand. State President
Butler was announced to speak, and
MANY of the brethren wanted to see
what sort of a President they had.
The speaking commenced about II
o'clock. and continued till about half
past two. President Butler was the
ONLY speaker. He introduced his speech
bv referring to the message of Pres1-
dent Harrison, and the speech Of Gov
ernor HILL at Roanoke, Va, cOngratu-
lating the people on the prosperity OF
the country, neither of whom seemed
to have heard or known anything OF
the great sufferings and straits OF the
tOiling masses, or that the people as a
class were poorer than they were fifteen
years ago, and getting poorer every
day.
It was admitted that the country
was getting wealthier rapidly, for our
laboring classes were the best workers
on earth; but the producers Of wealth
we're realizing very little from their
labOrs. This was shown by the differ
ence in per cent. of the growth of the
wealth of the nation in comparison
with that of the wealth producers.
Here the speaker made a distinction
between absolute and relative wealth
producers, showing that the farmer
was the only man belonging to the
former class; lawyers, physicians, mer-
chants, manufacturers to the latter.
There were all inter-dependent and
mutually helpful and necessary to
each other, and ought not to be arrayed
against each other; and that he was
not saying anything to stir up strife.
Col. P. B. Means, a prominent lawyer
of the town, here asked Mr.. Butler what
was his occupation, and whether he
were awealth producer. He answered
that he was an editor, and not a whit
more of a wealth producer than he
Col. M was. Col. M. then asked
him why he was going over the State
arraying the classes against each other.
In answer, President Butler dis
claimed doing any such thing, and that
he was only telling the truth, and
thought that would do all classes good,
and challenged contradiction Of his
statements. Moreover, he said he was
doing what the Alliancemen of North
| Carolina elected him to do, just as
DUTY to work for his constituents when
he represented his county in the State
legislature. The Colonel then asked
him what was Col. Folks occupation,
to which President B. replied: You
go ask Col. P. that, and you will never
ask him but once" Several bouts were
passed Just here, and, if the expression
of the audience can be relied upon as
any index, Col. NJ. was a very much
wOrsted man.
President B. keeps wonderfully cool
under fire, and is very ready at re-
partee.
After discussing the depressed con-
dition of the country the speaker then
turned his attention to the remedy. He
called attention to the Constitution of
the United States, and the remedy
afforded by it. The Constitution
placed commerce under control of the
government, and, in order to exercise
that control, it must command the an
struments of commerce, telegraph,
transportation and money. He showed
the inisuitous proceedings of the as
| SOCldbSu dI1d ul41OSu pI6SS uISpdGC11
companies, and cited instances from
his own experience confirming his po-
sitiOn. He stated also that for a long
time he did not believe in the owner
ship Of railroads, but that he had now
become convinced that it must come to
that. He asked, if anyone had any
questions on that point.
Col. Means asked If that would not
centralize power, to which President
B. made several answers, all of which
I cannot write or my communication
would be too long. He said that the
power was already centralized and IN a
far more dangerous form. 1t was In
the hands of a few individuals, who
were responsible to no one but them
selves, and could not be culed to &C
count as the government could every
four years. Col. M. then asked about
the enormous debt that would be IN
Cured by owning the roads.
President B. replied that the govern,
ment might own the road beds, n
contract for the service. just as many
of the mail routes now are let and sub
let. that under that plan he president
b. might get charge Of the Whining
ton and Weldon and Col. M, of the
Richmond and Danville. Chat brought
down the house.) Again, he said, the
debt would not be SO lsES8 as night be
thought when the water had been
squesz6d out of the stock, and that the
government might issue its bonds, and
Charge much less than is charged now
for the service, and yet pay the interest
on the bonds and a good part of the
principal every year: It certainly
seemed a very paying piece of property
to it's present owners, and might not be
2. bad investment for Uncle Sam.
Col. M. then asked if it might not
tend to ~perpetuate party power by
multiplying Federal patronage.
President B. answered that the Con
stitution might be so amended that no