The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1892-07-14
Mr.. GRADY's LETTER.

Mr.. GRADY's LETTER.
Col. w. +. HILL, FAIsoN, N. G.
My DEAR SIR Il have just had
a pleasant chat with your son, who
s>opped here on his way to New
York, On political conditions in
your section, and he advised me to
write you my views on the ques
tons now agitating the minds of
our people. / have concluded to
follow his advice, because / am
certain that you feel as much an
xiety as / do for our children and
our State.
AS to the general objects aimed at
iE the st. Louis platform, 1 have no
doubt that you and agree but we
may not be entirely as one as to the
methods of attaining the objects.
Take the ownership of railways, for
example, and let us compare opin-
ions. OF the 81 railways in North
Carolina, s5 made reports to the
State r. r. Commission, in which |
we end that the managers and en-
ployes mot including attorneys,
! physicians and others who depend
directly Or indirectly on the rail
ways for their support) number |
,772; and if the % other roads |
had reported, the number would |
doubtless reach 10000. Now if the
Congress should purchase these rail-
ways, the appointment of these 12,-
900 able-bodied voters would be
thrown into the hands of the Presi-
dent of the United States, with the
usual consequence that this number
would be largely augmented just be-
fore elections and uniting with all
the other beneiciarieS of executive
favor they would constitute dan"
gerous political force in the State.
They would work powerful influ-
ence in county and State conven-
tions and cooperate with the vast
army of their co-beneficiaries in all
: the other States-some of which
have many times more railway
employees than North Carolina-they
/ would dictate the denomination and
, reelection of their benefactor and
, we should soon prefer hereditary
monarchy to the intolerable corrup-
3 tion of our election system.
The spectacle of l24 Federal Off
f ce1s. as delegates, and 1000 or 5000,
] as strikers, forcing on their party at
i Minneapolis the denomination of
8 Mr.. Harrison, ought to warn us
;, against the enlargement of the ex-
: ecutive patronage.
+ Those who undertake to fOrtify
their advocacy of the transportation
Q plank, cite the fact that some Euro
e pean governments own and operate
= the railways in their dominions, and
d that the system works we'll. They
:, forget, however, that In those cOun-
= tries there is no quadrennial election
d of the King or Emperor, inviting
h fierce and violent struggles for the
d retention Of lucrative places.
,s The consequences tollwing from
e government ownership of railways
seem to have alarmed others as well
h as myself. The Progressive Farme
It of June %, advised the Omaha con
le vention to "adopt the first two
d planks-fnance and land-and leave
lie out the transportation plank; and
,e the Omaha convention, itself, i'll its
,e third plank says: "ShOul(
the government enter upon the worl
c. of owning and managing any or al
ts railroads we should favor an amend
IN ment to the Constitution by which
re all Lersons engaged in the govern
#. ment service shall be placed unde
at civil service regulations of the mos
e. rigid character SO as to prevent tn
I'd increase of the power of the nation
I'd al administration by the use OF sue
=. additional government employees.
n Now consider this dilemma: Man
re county Alliances, sub-Alliances an
ss district conventions have pledge
he themselves to vote for no man VIII
re does not accept the st. Louis plat
,e- form and every part of it, and tn
n candidate for President nominate
An by the People'sParty is required
ID accept one of its most impOrtar
nd planks with a proyiso, while th
ed Organ of the party in North Car
lima advises that that plank shoul
raj be dropped altogether. Now ho
oe can these people vote for Weaver
The Omaha convention took SUI
he stantially the position which l ha'
,Iv maintained all the time. Amen
in the Constitution and have all Fed
en raj officers and employees elected
he the people or selected by compel
md tive examination-the members
'eir the cabinet, the judges, &C., &C., d
tho down to the lowest paid lsborer.
the this, and the way will be opeI
oe entering upon such reforms as t
an menace Of Executive patronage q
The ters us from now. Then will ha'
the passed way the cause of bitter di
nds sensions among the people.
no. need not tell you that nay war
the est sympathy are with the unpl
tom tected and despised masses as agail
and the protected and favored class
nto bat in seeking remedies 1 must
ofl governed by my conscience and
tho best Judgment. And if I cannot [
aIIy al want / will take the best {
lied get. The Federal despo tism G.
troled by the plutocrats and tn
the benefciaries and henchmen, re
I'd q forced by all the monarchlsts in
j of country, must be checked in its II
this career if civil liberty is to be 1
3 to served-or, rather, re establishe'
, as for our children. LII order, howe>
the TO accomplish ahythias 10, .hs
selves our people, in my juIgme
,hed must stand snouiier 10 onou.oe' =, !.
k in their anger-justifiable asit iS-t
mill must learn to experience patio
idle and tolerance, and maintain a
Gale, cent regard Ior Tue CONSEQUENT
7hile their actions. oupposihs lhs''
Continued on Second Page.