The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-06-26
LETTER FROM COUNTY
ADDIE, N. Q

GE Elk " JASG>SSN
ADDIE, N. @.
Mr. EDIToR:-I have been watching
the two great political parties for some
eight years, and about five years ago l
became convinced that party politics
was leading the people astray from
both the principles of Democracy and
Republicanism; and I then published
an article in which l said that l would
not tie myself so close to any party any
longer as to vote against what l con-
Ceived to be the best interests OF my
self and country; and until the Peoples
party was organized I was at a loss as
to how to cast my ballot, seeing, as l
did, that every move of the two old
parties was in the interest of capital
and to the detriment of labor in all
classes, while a great many of my pc,
Iitical friends differed with me. I
stuck to the Peoples party platform
and to the reform movement, and now
I ann happy to say the most of my
friends have seen their mistake and
stripped themselves of their biased
minds and are with me and in the
coming election will cast their ballots
accordingly. The people III particu-
larly disguised at the present system
of county government. I wish here to
give a striking example of its workings
that all may see how far it is from the
wishes of the people. In my township
Scottis Creek our magistrates had e
signed until it seemed as if we were 60
ing to have none, and I was solicited
by many of the best citizens to qualify
and fill the vacancy caused by the
resignation of J. s. Carson. 1 finally
agreed to do so, and when at Webster
one day 1 asked Clerk j. W. Fisher,
my wife's first causin, if it would be
necessary for me to get a petition, and
he said it was best as it was customary
to do so. I came home and did so and
it was carried around and signed as
long as there was room on the paper
by all political parties. I then pre-
septed the petition to Mr.. Fisher>and
he said that he could only qualify me
until the first Thursday in August as
MI. Carson's old term would expire
then and the time expired for the new
that he could qualify on the first Mon
day In June before, so I did not quail
ify. Not long after I saw Commits
sioner Sam Bryson's horse carrying
MI. Carson to town and about that
time Estes Bryson went to town and
the next thing I knew they were act
ing justices of the peace and it was
then apparent to me that I was not in
accord with the town manipulators
and had nothing to do with the issuing
of the fraudulent bonds now fastened
upon the townships of Webster and
Sylvia, which they n now trying to
repudiate, or with the appointment of
officials before whom myself and chill
dren must be tried, but must be gov
erned by the appointees of the admin
istration resting in the hands of Gen.
E. r. Hampton, Chairman of the Dem
ocratic Executive Committee, who is
dictated to by Cousin Wib and Cousin
Sam Bryson and a few others of like
political faith, regardless of the wishes
of the people. To them 1 would call
especial attention to the handwriting
upon the wall, the Interpretation of
which will come to pass next fall when
the fair minded, clear-headed, good
citizens of old Jackson exercise their
sovereignty. J. P. CALHOUN.