Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1892-10-27

w Da1t yer ISIS UcSi
Ella Wheeler Wilcox.
Letter from 8. Otho Wilson,
STATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE,
Pc PIES PARTY OF NORTH CARO-
LIMA,
Chairman's Office,
RALEIGH, N. G. Oct. 81 1892.
F. NJ. SIMMONS, Chairman, Raleigh ::
A copy of the State ChrOa,-
icle ofthe 10Th inst, containing
two letters and a sensational write
up by you with reference to So
called secret political society, Of
which | au, said to be the official
head, has been handed me.
AS you have used the machinery
of the party of which you are the
official head, together with the
Democratic pres of the State and
nation for its circulation, hope
that your sense of fair play will
give the same prominence and
wide circulation 20 this communi-
cation. Justice demands it.
If there is in North Carolina a
secret political society kr own as
"Gid,on's Band" or ~ airy othe'
name, or if there has be- politi-
cal society which control>, or has
tried to control, the people, or
policy of any political PARTY, other
than the councils of the party it
self, | am in ignorance of its exist :
ence.
Very truly,
(Signcd.) S. OHIO Wilson.
Mr.. EDITOR: At the request of
Mr.. S. Otho Wilson, / desire,
through the medium of the press,
to lay before the people of North
Carolina the above letter, which l
think contains the strongest possi-
BILE proof of the charge he therein
essays to answer. 1t will be OBJ
served he does not deny the state>
ments made by Mes:rs Reed and
Bell, and makes The single point
that the "band" is not a political
societ,. In other words, summoned
10 the bar of public opinion, ibis plea
by way is what is known among
the lawyers as plea of confession
andavoidsnce." ."He admits by deny
ing (under circumstances which
imperatiyely called for denial. if
one had beer intended } the exist
ence in North Carolina of the
"Gideon's band". He admits
thereby that Messrs Reed and
Bell have correctly described the
machinery by which it works,
to-wit: chiefs, sub chiefs, thirty
select men in each county, and 800
in each congressional district, who
can be relied on in all meetings.
He admits thereby that these men
are bound by oath, under severe
penalties, to execute all orders
emanating from their superiors He
admits that be initiated Reed and
made him "chief" in the 9th dis
trict' He admits thereby tia he
made overturee to Bell to join and
revealed to him the secrets OF the
"band". He admits that he de-
clared the purposes of the band to
be to promote the "reform moye-
ment''. But he says the band is not
a political society.
| leave it to the intelligent peo-
pie of the State if this is not fair
Interpretation, indeed, the only ad-
missable Interpretation, of his lets
ter. These facts being admitted,
Or proven, the people will not ac-
cept Mr.. Wilson's conclusions as
to whether they constitute a po
lit'cal society, especially when ii
is well known he and some of his
followers have very eccentric nos
tions about what is political. They
will take the facts and decide
for themselves, and these
facts admitted as | have shown by
Mr.. Wilson, show a well-defined
secret political organization.
What did Mr.. Wilson mean
when he told Mr.. Bell the object
OF the band was to promote the
"Reform" movement Did be re-
for to the platform of principles
adopted at Cincinnati in 1891,
which with slight amendment,wer
afterwards incorporated in the St
Louis platform and then adopted
at Omahaa What sould he have
meant if not this2
Bell SO understood him, for he
replied the scheme was dangerous
and would destroy the Alliance
and defeat the reforms proposed.
Is there any doubt about what is
known as the ssreform movement
being political movement? Does
r. mt seek TO have certain we'll