The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-08-09
No. 20

public administrations. 1t agitates the
community With ill-founded jealOusies
and false alarms. Kindles the animos.
ity Of one part against tanother foments
occasional riot and insurrection. It
opens the door to foreign influences and
corruption, which finds facilitated
access to the government itself through
the channels of party passion Thus
the policy and will of one country are
subject to the po icy and will of an
other. There is an opinion that parties
in a free country are useful checks
upon the administration of the govern
ment, and serve to keep alive the spirit
Of liberty. This within certain limits,
IS probably true; and in governments
OF a monarchial cast, patriotism may
look With Indulgence, If not with favor.
upon the spirit of party. But in those
of popular character, in governments
purely elective, it is a spirit not to be
encouraged. From the natural ten
dency, it is certain that there will
always be enough of that spirit for
every salutary purpose; and there being
constant danger of excess, the effort
ought to be by force of public opinion
to mitigate and assuage it. A fire not
to be quenched, it demands a uniform
vigilance to prevent it's bursting into
flames, lest instead of warming it
should consume"
My comrades, these are golden
words, written for generations to come
Of Americans, for THAR guidance and
ours, and no time in our histO as a
people more clearly illustrates the wis
dom and foresight of the first Presi-
dents farewell address than to day.
We have in the past thirty years
passed through the fires Of political
passion and strife unequalled by any
thing in the history of this or any
other country, and we have paid dear
ly for the experience. 1t is high time
now that patriotism should take the
place of passion and reason resume her
throne and direct it. The long night
of political madness and despair is
passing away and the day of a grander
and more glorious epoch, in my judg-
ment, is dawning upon us.
The people are thinking for them
selves more and more and as they
never did before. and the school houses
erected all over this broad land are en-
abling them and the rising generations
to develop the latent powers, which l
hope to see bring back the Republic to
it's original foundations and build it up
to higher and more useful plane of
existence
We must come back to the old politi-
cal axloms placed by the founders of
our State Government in the old Bill
of Rights which antedated the State
Government itself and is now a part of
our State COnstitution-thet two pillars
That supported the bridge by which
they passed over from monarchy to the
Republic:
1. No man or set Of men are entitled
to exclusive or separate emOluments or
privileges from the community but in
consideration of public services.
Away then with class legislation
which enriches the few at the expense
of the many. Down with laws which
produce few millionaires on the one
hand, and millions of paupers on the
other.
g. Again they said: "Perpetuities
and mOnOpolies are contrary to the
genius Of Free State, and ought not
to be allowed"
And yet we have a government
whose laws are so enacted and so exc
cuted that a few individuals control
the finances and organize trusts and
monopolize the entire wealth and busi-
ness Of this country.
Do you wonder that the masses of
the people groan under these burdens2
Do you wonder that they are casting
about them to find new political party
affiliations? oyou wonder they seek
reformation? Do you wonder that
political principles almost become OBJ
solete and forgotten are being resur-
rected from political death and aroused
from the long night of political sleep2
My friends, the crisis is upon us, and
God, who holds the destiny of nations
in his hands, in due time will provide
the leader. Who that leader is to be
has not yet been made to appear. It
is our duty to watch with deepest in
terest the signs of the times and vote
for those men and those measures
which appear to us to be nearest the
people and calculated to promote the
| general good of our common country.
As soldiers you have been tried many
times, on many a bloody battle field,
and impartial history will record your
deeds Of valor in language unmistak-
able.
Whatever trials or rnisfortunes on
the one hand or glory and honor on
the other may await us as individuals
or as a people, the soldier who obeyed
orders in the time Of war will do to
count on in time of peace, and under
any and all circumstances. And now
my task is done, and with heart full
of genuine pleasure at meeting you on
this occasion and wishing that your
declining years may be peaceful, pros
porous and happy, / bid you God speed
on the future journey through life.
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