The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-04-05
A NEW SORT OF DEMOCRACY.

Mr.. EDITOR:-Our Chairman of the
Democratic State Committee has put
forth an ultimatum upon the vexed
question of what constitutes a Demo
craft in these doubtful and turbulent
times. He has decided, officially, that
only such voters as will pledge them
selves to support the Democratic nOmi-
nees, State and National, shall be
allowed a voice in Democratic cOnven-
tions and primaries. More pains are
thus being taken to exclude from such
primaries and conventions certain
classes of Democrats than have ever
been taken heretofore tOeXolude Repub
licans. But if the effect of this official
declaration should be only to exclude
Alliance Democrats, and such as are
disposed to put their principles above
their party rulers, the machine "
would perhaps shed no tears. The
effect of Chairman Smiths pronuncia-
uento is to rule out of the party cOun-
ellis the leaders of the partisan press.
Joe Caldwelrs paper and the Winston
Sentinel, seconded by numerous others,
have advised their friends not to sup
port the pla form and nominees of the
Democratic convention If a certain re
form element gets control of it. The
average partisan will ask in alarm
what is the Democratic party without
Joe Caldwell? His friends and parti-
sans will feel outraged that any test of
Democracy should be applied which
will exclude Joe from a Democratic
convention. Joe and a thousand like
him have come right out and boldly
declared, in effect, that they would not
support the platform and nominees of
the Democratic convention if a certain
wing of the Democracy, which dis
agrees with them, gets control.
The extreme partisan wing of the
party will demand that Chairman
Smiths pronunciamento be so far
modified as not to exclude Joe Cald-
we'll and his valiant co ad~jutors, and
that it be so framed, if possible, as to
exclude those only who put their prin-
cip1es above their party, which means
| all who are heartily seeking financial
reform.
If the extreme partisans and non
partisans are both excluded. there will
| be nobody left in the convention but
the candidates for Office, and we have
no proof that these would make a har-
monious convention. l have nobody
| at hand to ask me the question which
| l. all 2O1llS W plOpOuI1O, OuU UIlCU Will
not make it any less interesting
| Where the reform Democrats are in a
majority in a given primary or con
vention, what are they going to do
| about allowing representation to such
as long for utilization with the mob
which meets at Chicago? Those who
seek utilization with this mob have
Indicated to US officially what
/ AIo-x S1Ao1I 70 do "hnrovUOTs th6z. have
the majority. They are going to make
fealty to the Chicago mob a test of
mans Democracy. If, for example.
Raleigh rules out those of us who viii
not pledge ourselves to a body which
has been controlled for thirty years by
Wall street, may not Wake county
rule out anyOne's Democracy who Il
willing to pledge himself to such
BODY. especially before he knows wha
it will do with the interests which b
holds dearest. and the reforms he hai
at heart9 1t is a bad rule which vii
not work both ways. If minority rep
r~esentation so strongly urged by Chair
man Smith is allowed, will 1T be eX
tended to both factions alike?
To the friends of financial reform,
would say, if you get its enemies t.
stand on the line of making fealty t.
the Chicago Convention a test of De
mocracy, you have got them penned o
hemmed in on ground the most advan
tageous for you. If they can be got E
make the issue, then you accept It an,
you will win now or ultimately.
I have been Smelling the woods
now for a long time to show where tn
strength of your enemy is; it is il
partyism-in machine politics. Toge
you to go back on free silver, b
breaches partyism. To get you to de
mand no more than 5 per cent. reduC