The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1895-09-05
THE PEOPLE OF
THE NORTHEAST
Are not Well Informed on the Sill
YER Qusstion-No Way ofGet-
ting at the Facts.
THE CRY OF SOCIALISM"


pie Away From Meesings--Th~y De sos
InvsstiE.s<-Aad Passiveiy Let Us.r-
ers do the RaiInE E-R Rings and Ciiqses Run
People Into the Grousd.
From the Philadelphia Item.i
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE CAUCASIAN.
The Caucasian, of Raleigh, N. c.,
writes the Item asking for informa-
tion about the sentiment that exists
among the people of the Northeast
on the subject of silver, governmen,
management Of railways. etc.
The Item replies: The plain peo-
pie of the Northeast are not as we'll
Informed on the question of free Sill
yer as the same people in the West
and many parts of the south. Where
the Item circulates the people are
rapidly getting pretty we'll posted.
but outside of the Items influence in
the Northeast there are no pu, lie
speakers nor printed papers giving
the truth
There are a few who do little to-
ward it. but the great mass Of the
people have no wayof
GETTING AT THE FACTS.
If they had, undoubtedly they
would at once espouse the interests
of the siluerites as we'll as some other
more adcanced ideas in the direction of
needed currency reform.
1t Is q striking fact, that SO few of
the public speakers in behalf of Free
Silver 60 to New York city and 9TH
er parts of the Northeast In their
rounds for the purpose Of imparting
information.
Why this is so is . problem, ex-
cept the cost, for such speakers nave
nothing to dread from disorderly as
blies, because throughout the
Northeast all political assemblages
LISTEN WITH PATIENCE
to what anybody has to say, partic-
ularly If he has anything new or out
of the general run.
There is great field Northeast of
Philadelphia for we'll edited daily
in behalf of the people.
The big dailies in existence all
toady to the usurers, consequently cry
down everything in the shape Of
Free Silver; and these dailies are
about all the plain and business peo-
pie of the Northeast see. They do
not have time to look up outside
sources of information, except in is
olated instances; consequently, they
| ALLOW PROFESSIONAL UsURERs
to do the ruling, not fully compre-
hending how these usurers are abus-
ing their trust.
On the subject of Gopernment Oun-
ership Of Ra'laoays the plain people Of
the Northeast know little or nothing.
Here and there Peoples party as
semblages hold meetings, but they
are generally poorly attended, main
ly on account of
PREVAILING NOTION
that these meetings are in the direc-
ton of advocating socialism.
The true born AMERICANS in the
Northeast are a pretty intelligent
class; perhaps as much SO as in any
part of the country. Among them
nearly all Rave more or less an in
stinctice rfpugnance to socialism. The
goldlte dalll-s knowing this, when
ever anything arises against the in
terests of the usurers, cry out that il
is socialism. That is enough for the
Easterner who keeps away from the
meeting
WITHOUT FURTHER INVESTIGATION.
One of the chief reasons for this
is the fact that the peoples move
ment In behalf of emancipation in
Europe, is named socialism; prufes.
sed socialists lead it. Americans
prefer Independence. They say, as
does the Item, the less government
, the better. Socialism says, on the
other hand, the more government
, the better Hence the American
r stays at home when his newspaper
tells him that a lot of socialist cranks
3 are about to meet at SO and SO.
At the same time, the Item vel
knows, even if the plain people oi
the Northeast outside of the Item,
:. influence do not know, that the peo
pie must unite in self-defence, ant
own as we'll as run various industrie
q in the nature of necessities, which
= because, they are now more or less
: MoNoPoLIzED BY oPPREssoRs,
/ greatly tend to the public's impov
+ erishment and injury. The peopl
Z will not be down-trodden for fea
g that by uniting together for the SAX
s of self-preservation, they may b
called socialists.
The great trouble with the worl
g to-day is that there already exist
r too much socialism in one form o
n another; there is altogether too littl
independence of action. Many So
q there is no such thing as independ
ence; these readily become socia
ISIS. Hence the ease with whic
rings and eliqu, are enabled to
b Run THE PEOPLE INTO THE GROUND
merely carrying out already existin
!. ,aws, laws which themselves. in q
? far as they are operative, are socia
. istic. Strictly speaking, all laws al
= socialistic; but they are . necessit
: in the protection of society frol
criminals.
% This distinction between indepenG
y ence and socialism as method {
h government is the gravest now befol
! the American people; many anon
: the ablest scholars are not at q
:. clear where Independent people
rights end, and where socialism b,
II gins. Commonly they get prett
70 well muddled whenever they begi
, to analyze the difference. Yet tn
n difference is as vide apart as
Of INDEPENDENCE AND sLAvIRY.
= or as wide apart as the two most Of
'e posed conditions in the world.
INDEPENDENCE means INDIVIDUAL
ISM. Without it, people could NJ
exist as such. Hence SOCIALIST
Of the OPPOSITE OF INDIVIDUALS