The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-03-14
ABOUT THOSE PROMISES.

( dLOO4 LIN NANSSAOAS Viz
GREssIvE FARMER was deluged with
tears, and the paper fairly bristled with
promises to cOnfine itself strictly to
! agriculture and simon pure Alliance
matters. It's last issue was about as
mean as any it got out during the cam
paign. It fairly heaps abuse upon the
| legislature and says 1t lnsulted h
| people of the State every day it was In
session" The paper which makes this
declaration is the official organ Of the
| State Alliance, and has ever since the
| legislature been trying to show that
| it was not in politics. It is working all
the while for the Third party. It says
| to-day of Cleveland: The people who
voted for him in the West and South
| will curse their own action in less than
four years This paper has, or has
had, a large circulation in Virginia and
has been poisoning the minds Of Demo
| Gratis in that State.
The statement about the tears is
imaginary. The PROGRESSIVE FARMER
has done nothing to cry about. The
promises made have been kept. 1t has
been confined to agriculture and
simon pure Alliance matters" The
editor did not sell his soul nor liberty
as the N8US would have it believed. So
long as the Democratic Or any other
party let's the Alliance and its prin
ciples alone, there will be no trouble.
But when the party, through it's rep
r~esentatives or press, jumps on the Or
ganizatiOn as it has done and is doing all
the time, THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER
stands ready to throw grape, canister
and shell into the camps Of all opposing
forces. AS organ Of the North Caro-
lima State Alliance, THE PROGRESSIVE
FARMER would fail short of it's duty if
it did not condemn and expose all such
treachery and contemplate measures
We have nothing to say against the
rank and file Of any party. But we
cannot remain silent when the North
Carolina legislature, the party press
and it's two by-four politicians attempt
10 destroy the Alliance or abridge the
liberty of our members. We shall not
mince wor Is, either. We have com
mended the legislature when it did
anything worthy, but that was not
often, 1t had some good men in it.
Some of the Democrats were as fair
and as honest as any men IN North
Carolina. But somehow q majority Of
the members, without regard to party,
lacked both sense and fairness. THE
PROGRESSIVE FARMER belongs to no
party. Noparty can dictate it's policy.
| Matthew, j1oo II boIOpp 70 tho Alliance
The officials cannot dictate its policy.
But at the same time we are always
ready to counsel with any Of the ALI
anCe officials, the executive committee
or Individual members Of the Order as
to what is best to be done in Alliance
matters. But we do not counsel qcith
party bosses IN 0ny party, and that is
the trouble with some people. Doubt
! less many members Of the Alliance do
not agree at all times with the matter
in the paper. We do not try to please
everybody. But we get many letters
commencing Our course, and but few
condemning it The objections invari-
ably come from political papers or
politicians. This is proof that we are
in the middle Of the road, and we ex-
pect to stay there.
The Ne1CS complains that we have
poisoned the minds of Democrats"
We have no desire to poison the minds
of anybody, no matter what party they
affiliate with. But if telling the truth
and exposing wrong poisons their
minds, all right. We don't propose to
fall short Of our duty because truth
happens to "poison" somebody's mind.
People have been hanged Or burned at
the stake for telling the truth. Some
of the political bosses in North Caro-
lima want to adopt that style, the Ne1cs
for instance.
The New8 also complains because we
do not praise Cleveland, We have as
serted time and again that Cleveland
has done more than any one man to
engratt a policy on his party that is
highly detrimental to the welfare of
the agricultural, industrial and bust
ness interests of the Republic. We have
backed the statements up with proof.
Until we begin to yea a collar (Which
will never beg we expect to express our
opinion freely about men, parties or
anything else. If we choose to praise a
man or a party it is nobody's business.
If we criticize them it is nobody's
business. There is nobody inside the
Alliance ranks 0 outside them that
can put a collar on the editor Of this
paper. So the Ne108 and organs of the
other parties in this country can pre-
pare for hearing the truth every week.
Renew your subscription at once.