The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-10-17
HOW IS OUR GOVERNMENT TO
STAND7

HOW IS OUR GOVERNMENT TO
STAND7
Mr.. EDITOR:-How are we to per
petuate free and equal rights, our
protestant religion and Christian in
tegrity Not by corruption funds to
buy omcehoIders and voters. Not by
fraudulent elections, ballot box stuff
ing, counting out honestly elected can
didates, intimidating Or decelvlng
voters, Matchmaking or slanderIng
good men. Not by p~erpetuating the
reign of monopolists, whiskey vendors
or t~errorists. Not by the many bad
laws remaining on our State and ma.
tional statute looks, which were made
expressly to serve the ends Of mlsruIe
and the interest of those who would
fatten thereby to the great damage of
those who labor and toll for the peace,
comfort and spiritual welfare OF man
kind, though the latter class be vastly
in the majority. Not by corrupt par
tisan rule, or the division Of the re-
formers into several distinct political
parties; for the devil and other enemies
of all honest rule are never better
pleased than when they can divide the
church or other Teformers and have
them pull each others ears, knowing
that "a house divided against itself
must fall" Our present success and
future prosperity depend upon the Sc
lection of honest leaders who can
neither be bought, ~intimidated or mis-
led by designing p%oltroons. By honest
elections, the fair counting of votes
and the proper education Of voters,
and the removal from u statutes of
all pernicious laws and the substitution
of righteous ones; and if ell these
necessary results cannot be obtained
without women suffrage, the sooner
we have that the better for us. To &C
complish these ends let all reformers
meet in convention By their most hon
est and faithful representatives (who
cannot be s~idetracked) pool their issues
without discussing ~favOrite reforms or
writing a Platform, for platforms are
often misunderstood or d~isregarded),
P44O Ill gL4CA4 !" LIZ O1 O1AO p4C944O AA1N 1
cover that with another and write
upon it in ransom letters the word RE
FORM and place the same on all their
business. And select men and women
of sound minds and honest hearts to
fill all public offices from their respec.
tive divisions Of reformers. And after
they are elected let each division Of re-
formers make known by petition and
otherwise their favOrite measures and
let them be discussed and acted on by
ency, thereby forming a new party
with a new name, new faith and n
ergy, based upon Truth and Honesty,
and equal rights to all concerned,
which will drive from it ali Mammon
Worshippers and cOrruptIOnists into an
other new party. Then there can be
but two political parties to claim the
suffrage of the people, the having
truth, justice and right on it's side; the
other the love Of money, office and cor
ruption on the other. With God for
the acknowledged leader Of the former
and the devil for the latter, all good
people ought to know which will win.
These views will excite the malice Of
all those who oppose honest rule and
wish to serve their selfish ends, but be
it so! The plan can be developed and
improved to please the majority Of the
intelligent voters of our broad and
growing country and if faithfully car
ried cut will save our republican insti
buttons and common Christianity from
decay and death, and to be handed
down to future generations, thereby
honoring God and blessing sthe world.
REFORNER-