The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-11-01
THE POLITICAL SITUATION.
The Temper of the Times and the Color
Line.

Line.
Mr.. EDITOR:-A decent respect for
the opinions of those who may differ
with me on public questions renders it
proper for me to give my reasons for
my opinions. The temper of the times
and some innate evil of disposition
leads many to mlsjlde the motives of
all who do nos ADOPT their standar Is
81 utility. AS a corrupt tree does not
bring forth good fruits, so a bad man
does not ascribe higher motives for the
conduct of others than IAN influence
his own. We uncOnsciously write our
own histories in Judgment Of
others. As a stream cannot rise ABOVE
its source. so a heart filled with all I'm
charity cannot rise to the invention
of pure motives for conduct at war
with It's supposed interests.
1t is the duty of the thoughtful, how
ever, to exercise tolerance. ever toward
the intollerant. out they should not
lose sight Of the fact that sectional
bitterness Is a consuming fire, that 1t
kindles a like fire away to the north
of us, that both together may one day
again light thus nation in the cOnfa-
grafton of
Our sectional and race antagOnism
may keep the negro in his proper
place, " but they have aided to keep the
Southern States out of their proper
place in the race for wealth and r
perity. These agitations may crafty
OurteellngsfOr the wrongs ehave suf
fered, buGthe feelingsof those who are
the source of all our woes are far more
gratifed at our pickering and strife
than ours can be. Whether a poOr and
nonD0Dnlu Wi16aa Do0D1n ~ II~TloI -
race Instincts or sectional amin sities,
it is all the same to them-it is a di
vision of those who ought to be united
against them, the common spoiler.
1t must be confessed by every can
did man that however natural or
necessary the sectional or race antag-
Onisms are, they have been worked
often for private ends and have prac
tlcally reeulted In keeping too many
fossils and fogies in Office North and
South. If color line and sectional
politics have produced ultra conser-
vative and u~ninVentive politicians who
do not know the signs of the times.
and who cannot meet the demands of
the times, the people will cry away
with them, and their racket" as they
now contemporary refer to what has
frightened them so effectually for
thirty years. "ColOr-line racket did
you ever hear of such a phrase before
this year9 Could it have gained anv
currency unless somebody has been
using our race interests" for selfish
purposes? Men who do 80 use them
do not really fear either negro or the
force bill; they want something for
themselves, and this class of men are
all spotted by the people. Our leaders
have been winning their campaigns
National as we'll as State-mainIv bv
the color line. They have allowed
contraction of the currency and inan.
cial disaster to steal upon us unawares
or at least so much so that it is mo-
yet settled by what road of attack thif
enemy came-by the tariff, silver o.
national banks. Some few still say h,
not hers at all, and that all is well
The working of the negro racket
having faileGto keep off the ills now
upon them many people rush to thu
opposite extreme and say there is no
and never has been anything In th,
negro question.
INTOLERANCE AND THE FORCE BILL.
While the monopolists would gladly
control the machinery of our elections
either by a force bill or In some othe
way, lido not believe they will succeed
In working the Northern mind up to