davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-04-19

was absolutely no issue between the
Republican and Democratic parties
But new life and new blood brought
changes. The mask worn by the wicked
financiers vas about to be penetrated
They shrewdly warded off the spectro
by bringing up the tariff as an Issue
In the meantime they had control of
the press of t~hecountry, and thew have
to day. The people had been tauobt
that the power of the press was even
more wonderful than it is. Like two
dogs, that have no quarrel at all hut
by little kissing they went at aocb
other and the struggle has continued
But there was a great deal in it for tho
manufacturers. They have been able
to hold their employees in line to vote
for the perpetuatiOn of the tariff and
at the same time prevent any legisIa.
ton on the tariff question, eIcept what
was to their advantage-the Mckinley
bill for instance. The thing to do is to
clean out that rabble at Washington
known as the peoples representa-
tives." They only represent the men
who pay them fees to preUent legisla-
ton. Some of them have become mil.
lionaires in this way. True, a good
many congressman and Senators have
not been bought, but enough have been
to perpetuate conditions that have
brought this great country, a country
that has been blessed with bountiful
crops for three hundred years, a u
try that has boundless natural re
sources, to the verge Of ruin. In
twenty-five years this rabble has n
abled a thousand men in one city alone
to become millionaires and in the whole
country we have no less than 80, 900
millionaires, and, to make them so
40, 600, 900 people have become paupers
and the balance of the sixty-odd mil
lions rapidly drifting that way.
Bro. Carr can do as he pleases. We
think he had not studied the matter
thoroughly when he wrote that letter.
For our part, we will positively refuse
to pander to the crowd that tries to
blind the people by putting tariff re-
form to the front to cover up rascality
far greater than it is. We are in the
fight for reform, not for sentiment. 1t
is not a question of some little cheap
goods, It is shall the people get any
thing for their labor, for their crops;
shall they have any money to buy
manufactured articles at any price. 1t
is a question of retaining their homes.
1t is a question of saving this country
from decay. 1t is question of saving
this country from a revolution that
would sprinkle every blade of grass
with crimson blood. Shall the people
raise crops longer for less than cost, or
shall our financial system be readjusted'
That is far more important first than
tariff reform.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-04-19
GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP OF
TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE.

This is one of the planks Of the Ocala
demands. The article of Judge Walter
Clark in favor of this measure, pub
lished in our columns, has been repub-
lished in numerous magazines and
newspapers throughout this country
and has attracted attention in England.
1t has had millions of readers. The
Arena, of Boston, in publishing the
article refers to the author as lone Of
the thought-moulders of the country"
The Southern CultiUGtor, of Atlanta,
Ga, says: =
1.-The article of Judge Walter Clark
on the function of government, which
will be found elsewhere, will be read
with interest by every thinking man.
Judge Clark is a close reasOner and
presents his views with a perspicuity
and logical force that carries cOnvlc-
ton with each sentence. The subject
is one of vital interest and we invite
special attention to the article"
The Postmaster General referred to
the article in his annual report to Con-
gress and has since ordered it to be
printed in full in the Monthly Postal
Guide, which has a circulation Of 10O,-
900. The National Economist and
numerous other papers of large circu
alton have copied it. In England,
the Duke of Marlborough has taken up
the subject and in an article in a lead
ing London magazine advocates the
more general use of the telephone in
the postal service, which in that coun-
try has operated for years both the
telegraph and telephone.
It will be remembered that Judge
Clark showed that it was the duty of
the government to, give the people the
best postal service rendered possible by
scientific discoveries and improve
ments, and that Democratic Postmas-
ter Generals and Wing leaders like
Henry Clay and others had advocated
government ownership of the tele-
graph. The strongest part of his
article, and the original feature of it,
was the adoption by the government
Of the telephone instead of the tele-
graph, and having only one or two
telegraph offices in each State to for
ward long distance messages. The re-
suit Of this will be that only a very
small increase in number of govern
mental employees will be required and
country postoffices can all be served.
Neither of these ends could have been
attained by adoption of the telegraph,
as that would have required trained
assistants at each p~ostoffice. Those
who think our present postal facilities
behind the age, and behind those in
other countries as they certainly are,
and who wish progress and cheaper
rates, will watch this matter and the
bills in regard to it which are now be-
fore Congress. The gold bugs" who
own the present telegraph monopoly
will try to bull this demand" of ours
by eff lent work in the lobby at Wash
ingtOn
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-04-19
TWO NEWSPAPERS THAT SEEN
TO BE ABOVE MISREP-
RESERVATION.

No fair minded man fails to see or
will question hat the great bulk of the
newspapers have wilfully misrepre-
sented the Alliance and it's officers, or
else they are SO prejudiced that they
are unable to see things and men as
they are. Therefore it is real refresh
ing to see a paper that is capable, and,
too, has the manhood and the courage
to tell the truth. So much have the
speeches Of President Butler been mis-
represented that we quote the follow
ing from two papers that have seen fit
to do him justice:
In speaking of his speech at Concord
on Alliance day, the Concord Stan
dGTd, a Democratic paper, says:
president Marion Buffers address
was magnificent. He is fair, open and
candid. He is not at all rantankerous,
but plain, pointed and totes fair. This
is the way we see it, and we are ONLY
writing about the impression made
upon us.
1--WE regret that time does not admit
for putting our cOpious notes into shape
for this issue, but next week will have
it for the benefit of those who failed to
hear it.
For three and a half hours Mr.. But.
Ter held the court house, full of people,
highly entranced
The Fayetteville Observer says:
"Mr. Marion Butler, President of
the State Farmers Alliance, delivered
an address at Williams Hail last Fri
day; and, despite the fact that the
weather was very disagreeable, he had
a good audience, including several
ladies and a number of the business
men of the city.
Mr.. Butler spoke for something
over three hours, and his line Of
thought embraced a graphic picture OF
the accumulation of wealth at money
centres, a parallel between the wealth
producer and the wealth accumulation,
a comparison of the absolute and rela-
tive Wealth-creatOr, and a remarkably
lucid and we'll considered exposition OF
the duty of Congress to control the IN
struments of commerce on the GeIe-
graph, interstate transportation ana
the currency OF the country.
Mr.. Butler has plainly given nlucn
study and painstaking attention 70 me
vital issues which naturally challenge
his interest as a patriotic citizen, and
Which come within his purvlew as the
chief officer of a great organization IN
40 Stotn-and he discusses these issues
IN o broad and catholic spirit, with an
onnnciotiOn of such views as befit the
intaIIigent and thoughtful citizen"
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-04-19

the old mossbacks in North Carolina
are opposed to anything that has a man
in this State in it. Be.ides that, the
Ne1Us and Observer wants to keep up
sectional fight, Judge Gresham being
aNorthern man.
Bro. r. B. Scarborough, of
Stumpy Point Alliance, Dare county,
writes that the Alliance is doing good
work there despite the opposition it
has. Also that Bro. ". s. Mason, of
his Alliance, has recently had the mis-
fortune to lose his boat. He asks that
the brethren contribute something to
help him sustain the loss.
~ While the joint debate was on at
StatesvilIe, and which became un-
jointed before it was over, an Iredell
man suggested that Maj. Robbins chal-
lenge President Butler to a days
blowing" the next time he challenged
him. For u part we will bet on the
orator from the huckleberry county,
Marion Butler, who the Hickory Mer
cury, calls the Henry Grady of North
Carolina"
~ Before going to press we learn
that CASTOR county is added to the list
of counties endorsing the St Louis
platform. Burke county does the same
and also calls for the resignation OF
Prof. w. E. Alternately, County Lee.
turer, who has got his name in the
papers by writing a. letter abusing the
Alliance and some leading officers.
Warren cour ty falls into line by en-
dorsing the st. Louis platform.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-04-19
H EOTTOM RAIL.

For years the honest ~hayseeder has
been the butt of ridicule. Town and
city people have laughed at him,
laughed at his seedy appearance, at his
awkward speechand manner, criticized
his dress, and even have gone so far as
to advise him. The newspapers have
done their share. They have told him
in one column that he was a fool, and
in another they say he is the backbone
of the country. They advised him to
ATTEND the primaries; ;" told him if he
didn't the devil would get charge of
politics. Then they told him not to go
into politics, for he would ruin himself.
Right recently they have told him
that he must not go into the primaries
if he believed in reform. OF course
there were exceptions. Some people
were too sensible to indulge in such
nonsense. But Notwithstanding the
fact that every stroke of the muscular
arm of the honest farmer meant life
and employment to the people; that
every thrOb of his brain was to devise
a way to make an honest living for his
family and carry on the business of
the country, these brainless people con-
tinue their TRADE of abuse, of ridicule
and sarcasm.
Times are changing. The hayseeder
is slowly getting on vantage ground, A
powerful campaign of education is go
ing or The farmers now laugh at the
mean thrusts, they see light, plutoc
racy has lost its power. The farmers
are going into the primaries they will
assert their rights as citizens; they will
demand their reforms. The time will
again come when farming pays. The
time will come when thrifty, prudent
farmers will be the money-lenders in
stead of corporations. The time is
again coming when the farmer can
say Il will take so and so for my cot
ton or tobacco" The war is only be-
gun, but the victory will come.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-04-19
BRO. CARES OBJ

JbCI1ONS ~ H.
MIR. NJ. J.. Battle, in
his to
the SOuthernBr of the
9Th inst, states that
in no particular does
the st. Louis platform
differ from the OCala
platform and further
asks if Elias Carr will
rep date his own
handiwOrk?' | simply
desire to call Mr.. BIS
attention to two planks
from each platform as
parallel below: = +
These (Ocala) de-
mands were subse
QUently engrafted into
the State Democratic
platform and later re-
enacted at I~ndianap-
oils l had the honor
to be upon the commit
tee at Ocala that for
mulated these two
planks AS yet / see no
authority or reason for
these two
planks from the Ali
ance platform, while
on the contra Y album
dant reason for not en-
dOrSing a party which
is putting the Alliance
in an inconsistent and
false attitude by de-
handing ~OWnerShip
after securing national
and state government
al control of railroads
and completely ignOr-
ing the tariff question,
that most important of
all reform measures,
the present status of
which makes possible
all trusts and combines
that enrich the few and
imp, verish the many"
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-04-19
n. r. ?. A.
EDITORIAL T

Edgecombe county adopts the
st. Louis demands by an overwhelming
majority.
Another county heard from.
Moore voted for the St. Louis platform
unanimously.
The people will have more to do
with selecting candidates this year or
less to do with eEecting them.
The Elizabeth City Falcon re-
ports the burning of a shuck factory
in that section. That is a new kind of
factory.
A dispatch to the Charlotte OF
screen states that Iredell county ALI
ance endorsed the St. Louis platform
by a vote of 50 to Z. The ownership
of railroads was voted on later and
stood 80 for and 2 against.
Col. DR.. Kingsberry has begun to
send us his paper only half printed.
The editorial and adjoining page was
blank one day last week. Don't let
that happen again, Colonel. If you do
we will go into your war record.
1t is claimed that Congress is
nearly up with it's business" We
don't know what this statement is
based on, but we do know that if Con-
gress met to do nothing, it has NC
ceeded in "getting up with it's work"
~ Durham county held the most
enthusiastic meeting ever held in that
county on Thursday. They unani-
mously endorsed the St. Louis platform
and pledged themselves to support no
party that refuses to put it in their
Platform.
~ Some of the men who are pro
claiming themselves true Democrats"
advocates o fsimon pure democracy"
and so on, have a powerful poor way
of showing it. A man who is not
honest, not pure, can no more be a pure
Democrat than a horse thief can be a
pure, honest Christian.
Bro. J. s. Spence, editor of the
new Alliance paper, the Echo, published
at Moncure, and Bro. Bryan, of the
same county, were in the city last Fri
day. They report everything all o. K.
in Chatham. The st. Louis platform
passed at their county meeting Thurs
day almost unanimously.
"Tile Drailage" is the title of a
new book by w. L. Chamberlain, A.
NJ, LII. D. 1t is sold by Mr.. A, L.
Root, of Medina, Ohio. This book tells
all about tile draining, how, when and
explains the advantages, 1t contains
numerous cuts and diagrams. Price
by mail, only 40 cents.
~ We ask the people of North Caro-
lima to stand up and be men, Give no
notice to the rulings of the Chairman
of the Democratic party. The way to
decide the matter is to outnUmber and
outvote the ~autocrats who would, if
they could, force you to swallow the
regular old fashioned dose of partisan
dictatorship.
The NeU8 and Observer says
"We would much prefer to have the
Presidential ticket Gresham and PETER
than Polk and PETER" Says ''the
change would be considerably to our
advantage" Yes, that is true. AL
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-04-19
RocK1NGHAMCoUNTY MEETING

Rockingham County Alliance met at
Wentworth in regular quarterly ses-
sion on the 14th. The St. Louis de-
mands were endorsed, and delegates
elected to the conference on the 18th
of May, who are Alliancemen. The
meeting was harmonious.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-04-19
Bro. Carr EndO sgd it
then and at AShe-
ellie in 1890.

Bro. Carr was elected
President of the State
Alliance, and in his a =
dress at Asheville in
August 1890, he used
the following express
siOns:
Perhaps the most
important IN meeting
ever held in this cOun-
try has been the as
sembling of the farmer
and labor ~OrganiZa-
tiOns at st. Louis in
December last"
Now if Bro. Carr did
not endorse the work
of tt at meeting, why
did he speak so fatter
ingly of it eight months
afterward? Again he
says in substanc
The repeal of the
tariff. unjust as it is,
would not relieve the
present distress. 1t
would not lift a single
mortgage. The one
thing n edful in the
present financial con-
ditiOn of the people is
a ~debt-paying system
of finance
Now how does the
above sentence COM
pare with his hue and
cry against the st.
Louis platform recent
ly passed, because it.
does not contain a tariff
plank in plain words?
Again he says: in
comparison with the
financial question all
other questions sink
into utter insignif-
cance."
Again we ask why is
he kicking because a
tariff plank is not
specifically named in
the st. Louis platform
of 1892? Section 5 of
the St. Louis platform
of 1889 contains the
only words that can be
construed to mean
tar If reform. AS Bro.
Carr is complaining on
that score. we ask i'm
to read Section I'D of
the platform of 1897,
and see if it dou't say
as much in favor of
tariff reform as the 5th
section Of the platform
of 1889, which he en-
dOrsed.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-04-19

Do you want your communication
published If so, give us your rea,
name and your postoftice.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-04-19
THE DEADLY PARALLEL.

For two weeks the secular press Of
the State have been publishing in
parallel columns the Ocala platform of
1890 and the St. Louis platform of 1892.
They take great delight in copying the
same as prepared by Bro. Elias Carr
and published in the Tarboro SOuther-
ner. This ~necessitates our going into
the parallel" business, too, and, as
usual, it is a deadly comparison:
ST ToTTIS PLAT
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-04-19

In writing 70 anybody, always be
sure to give the name Of your P~ostoftice,
and sign your Own name plainly.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-04-19
LOUIS PLAT
FORM 1899.


First-We demand a
national currency safe.
sound and flexible,
issued by the General
Government only a full
legal tender for all
debts, public and pri-
vate; and that without
the use of banking cor
pOratiOns a just, and
equitable and efficient
means Of distribution
direct to the people at
a tax not to exceed Z
per cent. be provided,
as set forth in the Sub
Treasury plan of the
Farmers Alliance, or
some better system;
also, by payments in
discharge of its obliga-
tiOns for public I'M
prOVementS.
a. We demand free
and unlimited coinage
of silver.
b. We demand that
the amount of cirCulat-
ing medium be speedily
increased to not less
than $50 per capita.
c. We demand a grad
uated income tax,
d. We bel eve that
he mOnsy of the COun-
try should be kept as
much as possible in the
hands of the people,
and hence we demand
all national and State
revenue shall be linn
tied to the necessary
expenses of the govern
ment economically and
honestly administered.
G. We demand that
postal savings banks be
established by the gov
eminent for the safe
deposit of the earnings
of the people and to
facilitate exchange
LAND
~SeCOnd--The land, in
Guiding all the natural
resources of wealth, is
the heritage of all the
people, and should not
be m, nOpOliZed for
speculative purposes,
and alien ownership of
land should be prOhib-
tied. All land now held
by railroads and other
corporations in excess
of their actual needs,
and al lands now
owned by aliens, should
be reclaimed by the
government and held
for actual settlers only.
Transports
ton being a means of
exchange and a public
necessity, the govern
ment should own and
operate the railroads in
the interest of the peO-
pie.
q. The telegraph and
telephone, like the post
office system, being a
necessity for transmits
sion of news, should be
owned and operated by
the government in the
interest of the people.
Now the secular
fun. They praise
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-04-19

w- Our friends IN writing to any of
our advertisers will favor us by men
5ioning the fact that they saw the
advertisement il THE PROGRESSIVE
FARMER
~ The late Oh your label tells you
when your time Is out
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-04-19

Do you want your paper changed to
another office State the n at which
you have been getting it.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-04-19

delegate from this State. A platform
was adopted. Read it and see how
much difference there is between it and
the st. Louis platform recently adopted
and printed above in the left-hand
column
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-04-19

Now the secular press have had their
fun. They praise Bro. Carr to the
skies. But let us go back a little. In
1889 the National Alliance was held at
st. Louis. Bro Carr was there as a
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-04-19

The Progressive Farmer is the Official
Organ of the N. G. Farmers State Alliance
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-04-19

The Progressive Farmer
from now until Nov. 18th
for so cents. Make up your Clubs.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-04-19
column


st. L ais Platform 1889.
l. That we demand
the abolition of nation
al banks and the sub
~stitution of legal tender
treasury notes in lieu
of national bank notes.
issued in sufficient vol
ume to do the business
of he country on a cash
system regulating the
amount needed on a
per capita basis as the
business interests of
the country expands
and that all he money
issued by the govern
ment shall be legal
tender in payment of
all debts, both public
and private.
2. That we demand
that Congress shall
pass such laws as shall
etfectually prevent the
dealing in futures of
all agricultural and
mechanic al ~prOduc-
tons; preserving a
stringent system Of
procedure in trials as
shall secure the prompt
conviction, and lmpOs-
ing such penalties as
shall secure the most
perfect com ance
with the law.
3. That We demand
the free and unlimited
coinage of silver.
4. That We demand
IL e passage of laws
prohibiting the alien
ownership of land, and
that Congress take
early steps to devise
some plan to obtain all
lands now owned by
aliens and foreign syn
dictates; and that all
lands now held by rail-
road and lOther COrpOr
atoms in excess of such
az is actually used and
needed by them, be re-
claimed by the govern
ment and held for
actual settlers only.
5. Believing in the
doctrine of equal
RICH S to all and special
privileges to nOne," we
demand that taxation,
National and State,
shall not be used to
build up one interest or
class at the expense of
auOther.
We believe that the
money of the country
should be kept as much
as possible III the hands
of the people, and hence
we demand that all
revenues, National,
State or county, shall
be limited to the nece5-
sary expenses of the
.gOVernment economic
ally and honestly adj
ministered.
3. That Cong ess Is
SUI a sufficient amount
of fractional paper cur
rency to facilitate eX-
change through the
medium of the United
states mail.
Z. We demand that
the means of commune
cation and pOrta-
tiOn shall be owned by
q. d operated in the in
I, rest of tn people as
is the United States
postal system.
For the better prOtec-
ton of the interests of
the two organizations,
it is mutually agreed
that such seals or EN-
blems as the Ma ional
Farmers Alliance and
Industrial Union of
America may adopt,
will be recognized and
protected in transit or
~Otherwi>e by the
knights of Labor, and
that all seals and labels
of the knights of Labor
will in like manner be
by the
members of the Ma
tiOnal Farmers Ali
ance and Isdustrial
Union of Amer.c ca.
We think by this
will see that the st
nearly the same til
all these years, AM
not afford to kick {
of 1892 after endor:
in such plain term
Bro. Carr comp
ance is placed in
substituting ''O1cnt
after adopting GO
9TH section of the
mands the ''Owner
tation lines" If .
that platform he il
Inconsistent" hir
he kick against thu
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-04-19
RALEIGH, n. c., APRIL 10, 1892.

pdper entered as secOrld-cIdSs matter at the
Post Office in RdIetgh, n. c.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-04-19
To COrreSpOnGsEtS:

To correspondents
Write all communications, designed for pub
LEGATION, on one side of the paper only.
We want intelligent correspondence in every
county in the State. We want tGcts OF value,
results accomplished of value, experiences of
value, plainly and briefly told. One solid,
demonstrated fact, is worth a thousand theories.
All checks, drafts or money orders intended
for this paper should be made payable to The
PROGRESSIVE ARMER
Address all correspondence intended for this
paper to THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER, Raleigh,
n, G.