The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1892-07-21
EXTRACTS FROM EX-PRESI.
DENT CARR'S ANNUAL
ADDRESSES TO THE
STATE ALLIANCE.
How They Interpret the Gener-
alities, Enlarge the Meaning
of the Platform Adopted
at the Recent State
Convention.

SIAN we said that the man nominal
ted and the views held by him meant
more always than the wording Of
the platform he stood on, and that
therefore the nomination of Hon
Elias Carr for Governor meant more
for the cause of reform than the
strongest platform could if the NOM
inee were opposed to "equal rights
to all and special privileges to none,"
We have frequently asked in what
way the platform was interpreted
and enlar ged by the nomination of
Mr.. Carr. We answer these ques-
tions by quoting from his two annu-
al addresses to the North Carolina
Farmers State Alliance. From his
address delivered at the fourth an
nual meeting, which convened at
Asheville, we make the following
extracts:
Perhaps the most important meet
ing ever held in this country has
been the assembling Of the farmer
and labor organizations in st. Louis
in December last (1SS9) the necessity
for which was foreshadowed by that
eminent statesman and jurist, the
late Judge David Davis, when he
said, as long ago as 1866; "The rapid
growth of the corporate power and
| the malign influence which il eXeris
| by combination On the National and
Stated legislatures is we'll grounded
cause of alarm. A struggle is pend
| ing in the near future between the
overgrown power, with its vast ram
| ifications all over the Union, and a
hard gr p on much of the political
machinery on the one hand, and the
| people in an unorganiZed condition
| on the other, for the control of the
government. 1t will be watched by
every patriot withlintense anxiety"
Never more prophetic words tell
from the lips of man! The people,
though slow TO admit it, had at last
been convinced, and three millions
of people sent their representatives
there to form an alliance against this
monstrous iniquity. The unanmity
with which the demands set forth
by that body were adopted, and the
universal endorsement by all The
States and Territories after mature
deliberation and discussion, should,
and belive, will convince our legis-
lators of our honesty of purpose and
determination to accomplish our
ehds. This meeting, national in
character as in name, was magniti-
cent success in Obliterating the old
lines of sectionalism-a matter de-
voutly to be wished, and of first i'm
portance in securing the necessary
national legislation.
| What means these labor organiza-
tions? This: That the people see by
combination alone can they live.
Under pure system of government
forty years ago these organizations
were unknown, and there was ne
cessity for them. but to day how
different! Every branch of trade has
been compelled to organise to save
itself from absolute annihilation,
and is to be wondered at when we
become to learn that the pre sent in
iquitous tariff laws, the passage of
which was purchased by few thou
sand rich manufacturers, have rob-
bed the people and ut into the pock-
cts of these same manufacturers no
less than nine millions of dollars.
Hence it is, that at our city of Wash
ington the protest of millionaire
will override the petitions of mil
lions of working men.
The acts of Congress in aid of ag.
riculture for the last twenty-five
years have been few indeed, com.
pared with those of our rich manu-
tacturers, and the tariff is So manip-
ulated that they (the few thousand)
reap the entire benefits. We all
know but too we'll the result of this
reign Of selfish greed. The small
land owners are being pushed to the
wall, the larger ones are no longer
able to make both eLds meet; farms
i'm tn North, South, East and West
and especially the West, that tw en-
ty-five years ago, during the period
of the greatest imitation, paid fair
percentage on valuation of $40 to
$40, are now being forecloSed on
mortgages for half that amount, and
the former owners seeking new fields
of employment for livelihood.
1t is a sad commentary on hu
manity, bur nevertheless true, that
with an unequal distribution of
wealth there is an unequal distribu-
iion Of social power. The influence
ofthe middle class the man of mod
crate means-is no longer felt in the
legislative halls Of the Capitol; he is
being swept away. Wealth is rap
idly concentrating, and out of the
, consequent corruption but two clas-
, ses are forming-the lordly rich and
the beggarly poor. While free to
admit that the iniquitous protective
tariff has brought about the present
depressed state of agriculture Dy
stripping the poor of three fourths
of their natural savings and concen-
trating majority of the wealth OF
the country in the hands Of infiuites.
simaily small part of the people,
composed of manufacturers, trusts
, pools and combines, a repeal alone
of this unjust measure would not re
, lieve the present distress. 1t would
not lift a single mortgage. The one
: thing needful in the present finan
|, cial condition of the people, is {
debt-paying system OF finance, in