The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1894-02-22

Tor Long Ilmo---CQ6rGoQ CQ6C
the Present Administration Has
Only Served to Foster That Dis
content.
Especial to the Charlotte Observer.l
RALEIGH, Feb. IA Democrat
we'll known in the State, but who is
certainly not an op,imist, was asked
his view of the condition Of politics in
the State In reply he said:
"To understand the present condi-
ton Of the Democratic party in North
Carolina you must go back little.
When the campaign of 1892 was be-
gun there was already on hand a re-
volt of immense proportions on the part
of the agriculturists in the eastern
part of the State. That portion Of
ouf people, generally, endorsed the
sOcala demands and under the lead
ership of Col. Polk, a good organizer
and most effective speaker, the secret
organization seemed to threaten the
life of the State Democratic organiza-
ton. The ministers of religion, the
newspapers, the politicians, the pro-
fessional men and the successful mer-
chants exerted their influence and
power to convince the farmers that
their ideas of financial relief were
dreams, and the only practical hope
for the country was in the success of
the Democratic party, which advo-
Gated as its two chief tenets "a tariff
for revenue only and the free and
unlimited coinage of silver by the
government Of course that party
was in favor Of a graduated income
tax, and was for war of extermina-
ton on :: trusts Under this pressure,
with negro supremacy held over them
in case their advice was not needed
and under the spell of the speeches of
Jarvis, Henry, Aycock and Sanderlin,
whom they believed in and trusted,
enough of people renewed their allie
glance to the party to save it from
defeat, although it did not poll ma
jority of the vote OF the state. 1t is
safe to say that, even then, 10000
men who had, in former years, voted
with the Democrats went off with the
populists. This detection has grown
since the election and is growing. The
election laws as interpreted by the
Supreme Court (the court declared the
law as it is written) in the case Of
Harris VS.. Scarborough, and as applied
by the Democrats in the last election
infuriated the opposition and has given
them many Thousands of recruits. To
further embarrass the situation the
Democrats, for the first time, resorted
to the purchase of negro votes.
"After thorough canvass of the
whole country the national Demo
cratic party won phenomenal victory
in favor of tariff for revenue only
and the free and unlimited coinage
of silver. Instead, however, Of the
promised reign OF Democracy al
Washington, we have President who
has for Secretary of State lifelong
Republican for Attorney General 3
we'll known corporation lawyer, and
a Secretary of the Treasury who takes
counsel of New York bankers and capi
talists, and who Systematically de-
pletes the Treasury of gold that hs
may find excuse for selling bonds and
perpetuate the present system of ma
tional banking. Large numbers o
the most responsible offices are yet te
be filled by his appointment, Repub
licans, in the meantime, being ii
charge of them.
Instead of the free unlimited coin
age of silver the Congress has repealed
Internationally the purchasing claust
of the act known as the Sherman Law
without giving us anything in tht
place of the 'cowardly makeshift.' L
has unmistakably adopted the Repub
lican idea of contraction to golt
basis. In the place of tariff for rev
enue only the Wilson bill is admitted
to be an excuse and an apology ever
by its author. This bill, if it should
become law, will, in the opinion O
many Democrats who have studied it
schedules, complete the ruin of th'
South. Ii puts on the free list all 0
our products that needed protection
if any theory of a protective tariff cal
be honestly maintained, to wit: coal
iron, lumber, sugur and rice, while W
will have to pay more for plain woole'
and cotton fabrics, shoes, hats ant
blankets than under the McKinle
law. The New England and Middl
States manufacturers of those article
can add to their present profits tn
difference between the free and III
taxed raw products that make up sue
=. wares, there being no present substar
tial reduction in the tariff duties i'm
. posed on those lines of imports. Th
: people see all this and talk it, and al
alarmed. l mean Democrats. The:
things please the Republicans.
What shall we do? Well, frs
, try to get meeting of representative
Democrats from every section Of II
: State in Raleigh, at an early day, f
- consultation and for expression
$ opinion. | think such a meeting ca
be had. | would like to see SeBat
- Vance lead it. If we wait until Il
State Democratic convention meets
8 may be too late"
r