The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1892-04-14
COL. l.. L. POLK
Writes an Open Letter on the
Political Situation.


week, is a ,wo-Column article written
by Col. !. l.. Polk under date OF
March 20tI , in reply to letter from
Mr.. f. \. Thorne, of Airlie, Halifax
county, in which he discusses at length
the politi al situation, and among
other things he says this in conclusion:
With M, this is the alternative pre-
sentcd: SHOULD the South continue
to lie supilcly in the octopus arms OF
this great autocratlc money power,
with its tcntacles fastened IN her very
vitals, unit it sucks the last drop OF
her life BIZ ID, or should she accept
the outstr chcd, fraternal hand of the
great Nor, west, whose interests are
her inter. IS, and making common
cause, VIC the government from the
hands of I Itocratic money power and
place it in he hands of the people?
To me, til is the supreme question OF
the hour Il dwarfs all questions of
party exp, icncy Or policy into utter
insigniilca c.
In 1885 he Southern farmers met
at St. Lou and they mutually and
sacredly 7 dyed themselves to stand
by each ,r in this great struggle
for reform nd for justice, that sec
tional line should be wiped out ; that
the differc, es of the past should be
forgotten. They met again at Ocala,
from thlrt five States, and renewed
these pied s. They met again at st.
Louis witt Hclve other industrial or
ganization representing almost every
State in Union. and reiterated
these plet es and re-atllrmcd their
demands. TO be consistent, to be far
and manly what is my duty as cit
izen? Pl oly, it is to stand Loyalty
and faithfu y by these pledges and by
these pcop.>. Have they been true
to these PIE ges? Let their record at
the ballot Dox answer. Have they
been true to our demands? Let the
record Of tlcir representatives. IN Con
grcss ansv r. Although born and
raised as a ,olitionists or Republicans,
they stood With Roman courage by
the people On the silver bill, against
the combined democracy and republic
canism of Wall street. Is it right, IS
it just, is il manly for so-called South
ern Democrats to abuse these patriotic
representative of the Peoples party,
or their friends, because they will not
consent to abandon the cause Of the
people and lick Democratic and Re
publican VII street power? Would
it not be more consistent and manly
to turn the shafts of their wrath against
traitors in heir own ranks Where IS
the promisc of hope to the farmers OF
these great States and the industrial
classes of tn: country? Certainly not
in the parties who fail to aid the peo-
pie in their earnest and righteous pur
pose to seCIre equity and justice at
the hands OF the government. The
issue has been forced upon us. Shall
the citizen cr the dollar be the SOY
ereign in tls country?
The we; LII producers of the coun-
try have 81 ,mnly declared for certain
great eConn mic reforms. They have
promulgat., their principles and will
vote only such men and such party
as will use heir best efforts to enact
these prin plies into law, and they
earnestly foke the aid of all good
citizens in tleir patriotic endeavor.
| have thus briefly expressed the
views and ,Jnvictions which will guide
my polite, action. have done so
not as a m nber or an official of the
Alliance anizatiOn, but in the eX
ercise of n plain and simple right a:
citizen O his country. | have done
it, as | COT 1--WE, in the discharge o
the obliga. III which rests upon al
men in pu station, to express thel
views fran and candidly on mat
tiers of pub concern when solicited
To my mi. my course is clear anc
my road c luty plain. shall pursue
It without gard to consequences, Il
myself, pc 1nal, political, or other
wise.