The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-05-17
SOME SUGGESTIONS.

Mr.. EDITOR:-If there should be a
split in the State Convention, the SEN
timent which musters the most dele
gates will probably call the smaller
faction the Third party. Inasmucb as
there may be a split, each faction
wishes to make it wher3 it will be to it's
own greatest advantage. Anticipating
C split, the machine element are
already saddling the other faction
with the pension measure" and if
this element could engineer q split at
that point, it would place it's opponents
at a fearful disadvantage. On the
other hand, the reform Democrats have
grown wary and wise also. They have
found out that the machine men can
be got to make the issue at a point very
advantageous for the reformers.
The machine men aUjU split upon the
question Of sending delegates to
Chicago. They don't want to split
there if they can help it. They want
to split on sending delegates to Omaha
or o. adopting the transportation
plank of the St. Louis platform if they
can do no better; and worst of all, they
want to split, or to seem to split, on
the pension addenda to the st. Louis
platform. They had rather seem to
split at this point than to actually split
on any other question.
The machine men are so smart that
if you don't watch out they will have
it published to the world that they split
on account of the imaginary pension
plank anyhow.
In order to cut the wind out of their
sails, let the reform delegates to the
State Convention %repudiate this imagi-
nary pension plank anyhow and put in
a strong plank repudiating all fraudu-
lent and excessive pensions.
Let the reform delegates to the State
Convention make and offer to that
body a wise and reasonable platform,
not one trimmed to suit other States or
a Third party, but one growing out of
the necessities and difficulties of our
own people and approved by III expe-
rience. If this platform is accepted,
stay there and help nominate all Off
GERS. If this platform is rejected, come
out of the convention at once, and
then, or later on, you can tell what
other step to take.
When you adopt your platform to
be offered to the State Convention,
have it understood distinctly at the
time that this platform shall be made
the test of your utilization with any
other convention. Ny advice is, not
to send delegates to Chicago at all.
W. J. PEELE.
P. S.-After you have got your plat
form, and have prevented any unhoIy
combination with the Chicago Conven-
ton. YOU will still have a mo st difficult
task on your hands. The machine
delegates in your State Convention will
have the hardihood to attempt to foist
machine men to represent you as cleo
tors. Failing to defeat your measure,
they will undertake to ride the life out
oft. The devil prosecuted the church
until he found out he could not DESTROY
it, and then he joined it, and thereby
weakened it's executive effect. Here
is a real serious difficulty, and one
which must be met with all the r
dence and bravery that we a muster.
Let us make a determined fight against
having for electors any machine Demo,
Gratis or fossil politicians. The conven-
ton VIII be full of them Many OF
them have held, or are holding, high
offices, and have considerable personal
influence. They are hard to beat. They
have made politics a profession, 8
trade, a business, and they have been
successful in it. They have deceived
you for thirty years. All the o 8 you