The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-09-03
RENRl'S HOT SHOT.
HE LEAVES THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY AND GIVES HIS R6A--
SONS WHY~-TRUE TO HIS
PROMISE.


the Party"---Hon w. r. Eenry Will
Now Fight in the PopuIist Ranks
Others withdrew from the D mo
cratic party long since because they
thought it would prove corrupt and
false to the people. 1 have remaine d
with the organization, and to the ex-
tent of my ability have helped to fight
It's battles, until
KNOW THAT II IS FALSE
until it has shown itself false-untll
there is no longer room for doubt or
hope.
So confident was l of the integrity
and fidelity Of the Democratic party
and ite intention tc }nvert the pledgf S
of the Chicago platform into law, that
1, together with other Democratic
speakers, told the people in the cam
paign of 1892, that If the Democratic
party did not keep it's promises, I would
leave the party.
The Democratic record is made up;
and it is a record of incompetency or
corruption, and largely of both. Inow
SEVER MY CONNECTI- n
with the organization called the Demo
cratic party, and think it proper that
should ssate at some length the rea-
sons that Impel me to this course. 1t
is not without regret that part politi-
cally with many of those who still
cling to the 80 called Democratic party,
for know that the rank and file and
many Of the leaders of the party are
men Of the noblest type and patriots If
the loftiest impulses-but they have
been unable to break" the machine"
and to convert party pledges into law,
so much needed by a suffering people.
In taking this course I am fully
aware that part of the Democratic
press, especially some miserable penny
a-liners of the towns and cities and
scribblers with crossroads environ
ment, will endeavor to lift themselves
temporarily from obscurity by assail
ing me with cowardly insinuation,
villificatiOn and misreprt sentation of
motives
So far as integrity and character are
concerned, stand on pinnacle built
of the Democratic endorsement of
THREE GREAT COMMONwEALTHS.
far above the falsehoods and unscrupu
lous partisan endeavor Of such con
tt tmptible creatures. So far as political
work is concerned, l will simply say, 1
have sweated enough for the D3mo
cratic party to drO1cp scme of my
caluminatols l feel that it is unneces-
sary for me to assure those who know
me that would in no event leave the
Democratic party if it had
KEPT ITS PROMISES
to the people, or if saw any prt S 1ect
of its doing so. This l wrote to promi-
nent leaders Of the party as far back
as fourteen months ago. On the 18Th
day OF June, 1894, wrote one Of the
most prominent Democrats in this
State these words:
When l find that the Democratic
party is false to the people, then, and
not until then, Will there be occasion
for supposing that I will leave the
pal ty. Should l, in the futm e, see
cause to change my party utilization,
neither the hope nor prefer of office
can iufuenc me one way or another.
I believe in the Democratic principles
that were formulated and made gIori
Gus by Thomas J ffeTson and that
have been
DEsPISED AND BETRAYED
by Grover Cleveland"
The effort will be made to obscure
the facts and charges of my address,
by an unjust aud cowardly attack upon
my motives, The voters of this State
are not concerned about my personal
grievances, nor have my personal
wrongs aught to do with nv political
course. The people desire information
Ihey cemal truth and not fnlsehood
and VIiu2erETon. They will wish the
Democrars and the Democratic press to
ANSWER THE FACTS
OF my paper. l defy them to do so.
IhaVe asked many of the most prcmi.
nent Democrats in this State to give
me satisfactory answers to the follow.
ing questions. I have told them Of
my present views on public matters
and begged them to justify, if possible
the deeds and omis sions of Cleveland
and his
COTERIR OF CONsPIRATORs.
They have one and all declared they
could not do so. am satisfied that il
canGot be done. The following, amoDs