The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-09-20
THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER sEPTEMBER 20. 1892.

man delivered at Mansfield, O., that
such was to be the settled policy of
the Rel chilean party, l concluded it
was til bcPwB to quit.
And an Ken | had been a member
OF the . 5-7ition in 1877 that nomi-
mated nreNColleague (Mr. Gear for
governe aS Iowa, and had supported
him In wv convention for the nomi-
nation, hen l became acquainted
with these facts wrote him an open
and frank letter saying that l could no
longer act with the Republican party,
L could not do so because l found they
were no longer the friends of the poor.
and that while we had emancipated
four millions of human beings. thew
were now, through vicious legislation,
pursuing a policy which would, unless
arrested, enslave many more million
of the white people of this country.
The events Of the past ten years have
justified my gravest fears. applause
on the Democratic side.) left them
then and challenged them to open
combat, and have asked for no quarter
nor struck my colors. L have de-
livered blow for blow, ever trying to
keep within the bounds of proper
political warfare.
| left the republican party when it
had 80, 900 majority in Iowa and 1900
majority in many Congressional dis
tricts over all opposition. Does that
look like hunting for an ofice9 Does
1t not rather look like I was following
my W convictions? l leave this
House to judge of that matter.
When | began with the little band
oE n~&-E-1l-N- l. -
great wrongs [ found the Democratic
party of the West, which / had so
vigorously fought in the past, under
the leadership the gallant gentleman
from Missouri (Mr. Bland) and others,
were leading in the good work of the
remonetization of silver, and they
passed a bill through this House for
it's full and free reinstatement. GAP
plause on the Democratic side)
l found, furthermore, that when the
bill for the free recoinage of silver
reached tho Republican Senate they
emasculated it, and that a Republican
Senator from my own State (Mr. ALI
SOM was the gentleman who accom-
plished the result. Having stabbed
every greenback note in the back with
word Except" they now sought to
send silver forth manned and crippled,
only to be coined in limited quantities,
and then only on government account.
l found the democracy of the north
east and of many other sections of the
country bitterly opposed to the destruc-
ton of the greenback currency and it's
wicked conversion into interest bear
ing debt, and early in the winter of
1878 they passed a bill through this
House which put a stop to this destruc-
ton. The little Peter Cooper green
hackers had aroused the country and
many staunch old Jackson and Jeffer-
son Democrats rolled up their sleeves
and went to work in their own party
with the results stated. (Applause on
the Democratic side.) Many Republi-
cans in defiance of their party leaders
Joined in the good work also. AS the
battle for equal rights and a fair play
waxed hot l sought utilization with the
Democrats of my district and State,
and we have ever since in my district,
and often in the State, co-operated,
and we have made it very lively for
you from that day to this. And /
advise you to keep your eyes open,
for there Is still more fun ahead. |
have never Joined the Democratic
party.
am a member to day of the Union
Labor party, into which the greenback
party has practically merged, along
with some other labor organizations.
While it is true that / have never
Joined the Democratic party 1 have
felt it to be my duty to affiliate with
that party in this House in my State,
and in my district, whenever it was
practicable, through the actions of
separate conventions, because l believe
the Democratic party is nearer to the
people than the Republican party, and
because I fud more friends there for
the principles which I represent than
in any other party outside of my own.