The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-08-01

ing ( aCk Ill FIe0geS are
not Kept the Demo
cratic Party Will
Walk Out of
Itself.
GOMBROON,
NEAR BLACK MOUNTAIN, N. c.,
July 81, 1898.
j. 2. CaldaUeU, Esq:
DEAR SIR:-l take no exception to
your comment on my recent letter to
The Mecklenburg County Alliance, be
yond the fact that you authoritatively
designate me as differing from my
party. and misrepresent my words
with the letter before you. The charge
that a Democrat is at variance with his
party, who refuses to favor the acc
ditional repeal of the Sherman law, de-
ponds for it's truth on what the party
laid down in its platform at Chicago, if
promises and pledges amOuDtetO any
thing. Let III see: The Chicago plat
form demands inter alios, the repeal Of
the Sherman law, as a cOwardly make
shift, an obstruction to the free coin
age Of silver, etc. The obvious mean
ing of this is, If that law was out of the
way we could havefre9 coinage q quote
from memory, having no copy Of the
platform before me.) That is one of
the things l propose to put in place of
the Sherman law; and I propose to vote
| against repeal unless that be done. If
my party is opposed to that, then It's
u~tterances at Chicago insinCere
| and intended to deceive; if it vas sin
cere, then l am trying to stand on the
platform. Again, it pledges the party
to the use Of both gold and silver, on
equal terms, without discrimination
| against either as to coinage, ct cetera,
| Now, If we cease to coin Y and refuse
to tender it In payment even of ObII
cations which by the contract are pay
| able therein, we discriminate against
| that metal in coinage and virtually
| cease to use il In opposing the repeal
Of the Sherman law without ONE sub
stitute preserving the use and coinage
of silver, am squarely with the party,
and those who favor unconditional re-
peal are not with it but are violating
It's solemn pledges.
Again the platform pledges the party
to such legislation as shall maintain
the parity between gold and silver, 50
that a gold dollar and a silver dollar
shall be interchangeable and one as
good as the other. Now, in Directing
to the repeal Of the only law on our
statute books which binds us to the
use of silver at ali, without some sub
stitUte o. condition tending to make
good the promises of the platform, no
honest man can doubt that l am with
and not against the party which made
those promises. The only possible way
to avoid this conclusion is to assume
either that those promises were fraud
ulent and not binding, or that party
has since changed it's position and now
favOrS abandoning silver altogether,
and of neither of these propositions
is there any proof acceptable to
me. The pledges of the plat
form are joint and not separable on the
subject OF silver money. You cannot
select one, the repeal of the Sherman
law for example, and propose to re.
deem it alone and denOunce those who
insist on the fulfllment of ali, as IN,
true to the party or differing from it.
Nor will men of common sense who are
loyal to the purposes they profess sur
render the advantages of their position.
the law now IN existence can be kept
thus by the non concurrence of either
the House, the Senate or the President
to its repeal; whereas, that Sherman
law once repealed, the measures (what
ever they may be- which are to take
it's place-to continue the use of both
gold and silver, maintain their parity,
remove the tax on State bank circula-
ton and the lIke-wOuld have to be
passed by affirmative legislation re
QuiTlng the concurrence of all three
branches Of the law making depart
ment. No sensible man acquainted
with the situation can believe for q
moment that these measures could be
passed under sucn circumstances. The
power Of that combined capital which
has forced the calling Of the extra ses-
sion and is threatening to destroy
again, and finally, the use of silver
money, would certainly be able to in
fuence at least n branch of the legis-
latiVe department, which would be suf-
ficient for their purposes. Be not de
ceived; evil communications corrupt
good politics as well as good manners.
The prOfessed friend of silver money
whowill favor the unconditional re-
peal of the Sherman law, trusting to
the justice Of capital or the chapter Of
accidents to get favorable legislation
thereafter, Is either a traitor or a fool.
[ cannot conclude my letter without
expressing both my surprise and sin.
cere regret at other statements in your
editorial. Hints that my letter gives
aid to Republicans and Third party
men l was prepared to see, as also the
coupling of my name with that of
"Maryann" Butler, by such a lying
money tOady as your liable" CORES
pendent, Gold Bug" but l know of
nothing in you past life or my own
which led me to expect such things
from you.
In the closing paragraph you speak
of my letter as containing "a public
and deliberate avowal of sympathy
with the financial policy Of the Farmers
Alliance" Now, sir, unless you assume
what no intelligent man will grant,
| that the maintenance of siIZer as