The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-11-23
The Political Situation.
( For tie Gold Ledf.)

But for the serious portent Of tile
present political condition of our coun-
try it would be amusing to read many
Of the puerile excuses published in the
administration papers for the recent
great political landslide in the North
and West. 1t surely is not the purpose
or wish of any intelligent Democrat to
ignore the principles for which they
have voted for thirty years, and en-
brace Republican misrule and class leg
islation under which we have suffered
SD much. No, no. Human nature is
about the same in New York and Mas
sachusetts as it is here, and if we Of
the South, that is. North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia and other
Southern States, had to hold our State
election now the same results would
transpire. The Democratic party has
p-oved itself to be party of great en-
durance. For thirty long years it has
labored and voted to rid itself from Re-
publican misrule which has we'll nigh
ruined US. With cotton at six cents
and tobacco five we have to live and
pay our taxes or give up our homes.
We excused Mr.. Cleveland and the
party for the failure to expugn from
the statutes during bis former admins
tration every unequal, unconstitutional
and diabolical law. For everybody
knows the party had not control of the
legislative department Of the govern
ment. But in 1892 when many of our
Southern! farmers had almost despaired
of obtaining relief from the Democratic
party, and had gone so far as to organ
ize a third party, then it was that the
grand old Democratic party met in
convention in Chicago and formulated
such a just and equitable platform that
it not only satisfied the new party, but
satisfied the American people as ex-
pressed by the election in November
last, electing our candidate, Mr.. Cleve-
land, and majority in both houses of
Congress. Oh, what triumphant hope
and expectation thrilled the patriotic
hearts of the Southern masses. And
it was but natural that we should man.
fest some desire to see this work Of
1eform begin, for, as [ have said, we
had been fighting for it for thirty years.
I do not think we should be charged
with Impotence, but we have often
been told to wait. Did we not wait
thirty years, and then from the 4th of
| March until August before Mr.. Cleve-
land could be induced to call the Con-
gress together, and then not by the
plea of the suffering masses, but osten-
sibly for the benefit of bank panic in
New York and other money centres
wheae nine-tenths Of the circulating
medium of the country was held?
| Well, the extra session of Congress
did meet in August and after a dilly
daily session for months repealed the
clause Of a former act of Congress re-
curing the Secretary of the Treasury
to purchase silver and issue silver GER
tifcates for it. We can't see how that
repeal bill could have any effect calcu-
lated to relieve the bank panic, and
suppose the suffering Democratic voters
of New York, Massachusetts and New
Jersey were equally obtuse, from the
way they voted a few days ago. If Mr..
Cleveland in his forthcoming message
to Congress will recommend a strict
adherence to the Chicago platform all
may yet be well; without such course
and with a discovered Democratic ma
jority all our fond hopes are blasted.
If the views of the administration on
silver, the only subject discussed in
the extra session Of Congress, meet
with such disfavor in New York and
Massachusetts, what does any reason
able man think would be the sentiment
of the people of the South and West
Henderson, n. C. J. F. H..