Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1895-05-15

out of the late war, in the South, and es
pecially in North Carolina, prior to tn,
recent election, it was impossible to Sc
cure fair and intelligent consideration
OF the great economic questions of tn
day. Instead of dealing with theseques
tions in patriotic and statesmanlike
manner, the leaders of the Democratic
party in that State utterly ignored that
which pertained to our material and in
dustrial welfare as a people, and ap
aled to passion, sectional and race pref
udices.
REVOLT AGAINST DEMOCRACY.
The protest of the masses against this
vicious policy compelled the Democrat
lc leaders 10 resort to election frauds as
the one means of perpetuating Demo.
cratic ascendency in the State. Dis
honest election methods were boldly
and successfully employed against Re.
publicans until our party organization
was threatened with complete disinte
grafton. This was the condition of
things when the Farmers Alliance was
organized in the State. 1t was com
posed of the sturdy manhood of both
parties; its membership embraced the
substantial citizenship of the State. II
soon assumed formidable proportions.
1t taught the people that the war was
over, and that it was the duty of the
North and South to come together in
one common brotherhood seeking the
best methods by which our material
welfare could be advanced.
liberation and liberty of speech was
counseled. Its teachings revolutionized
public sentiment in the State and made
possible that which afterward followed.
to-wlt, the disruption of the Solid
South. The membership of this Or
der, composed largely of Democrats.
was abused, vilified, slandered and ri.
diculed by the Democratic press and
by Democratic politicians. This bru.
tai attempt to disrupt the organization
and drive its membership back into fell
lowship with the Democratic party only
emphasized the revolt. 1t resulted in
the formation of the POpulist party.
The Alliance was not a political or
ganization and was impotent to affect
the political revolution involved in the
conflict against the Democratic oligar.
chy in the State. The leaders realized
the situation, and out of the principle
of self preservation grew the Popuiist
party in North Carolina. Without or
ganlzation, without money, without
political experience, derided, abused,
misrepresented, ridiculed at home and
doubtless in Boston, denounced as So
cialists, Anarchists, cranks, vagarists,
the Populists under the intrepid and
able leadership of Marion Butler, made
matchless campaign and won a VIC
tory in the first months of their party
existence that doomed the Solid South. !"
The revolt against the Democratic
party presented the opportunity for Re.
publican rehabilitation in the State.
The election demonstrated the amazing
stupendous resources of the Dmocratic
machine to overcome all opposition at
the ballot box. Republicans for 20
years, had been cheated with brazen
impunity. 1t was done in the name of
white supremacy" When the Popu.
lists revolt, composed mostly of white
Democrats, made white supremacy
a dead issue, the same methods were
employed at the ballot box because
they were necessary to the life and
hope of the old oligarchy, whose sole,
paramount object is the maintenance
of Democratic ascendency.
The condition that followed the cleo.
tion in 1892 meant revolution. The
leader of the machine Democracy had
declared at Chicago that Mr.. Cleve-
lands nomination would cost the Dem
ocratic party 10000 votes in the State.
The public mind was inflamed. The
count that gave the electoral vote of the
State to Clveland excited public indig-
nation and aroused the people to des.
peration. Out of this condition was
born the fusion of the Republican and
Populist parties in North Carolina.
Whatever may have been said to the
disparagement of this co operative eff.
fort to save the State from revolution
by the annihilation of the Democratic
party at the ballot box has been said
in ignorance of the situation and with.
out information as to the patriotic and
honorable motives of its leaders. In
national politics the two parties main.
tain separate and distinct organiza-
ton. There are differences of opinion
as to national policies which NAV ulti-
mately yield 10 dispassonate and pa.
triotic consideration.
AS an independent organization,
the Populist party with its $4,000 or
10000 voters, was helpless in the hands,
of Democratic election officials. The
election of 1892 demonstrated this fact
and led to the cooperation movement,
which swept the State two years later.
The e'victory last year under the COM
bined leadership of Republicans and
Populists was won in defiance of cor
rupt Democratic election practices. The
Democratic party was overwhelmed by
public indignation and resentment.
The condemnation was complete, and
in my opinion, irreversible. The i'm
mediate result is the establishment of
local self government in the State, and
the enactment of an election law inim-
izing the possibility of Democratic
frauds, thus securing "a free ballot and
fair count" Great is this achieve.
ment in the interest of political moral
ity, the disintegration of the Democratic
party in the State means new era of
industrial development and business
prosperity. 1t means political and in
dustrial emancipation to the masses.
There is an overwhelming sentiment,
in my judgement, in North Carolina in
favor of the great American policy of
protection. In the better days of the
Whig party it was a protection State.
Among its invincible leaders was the
late Senator Vance The Whig leader.
ship of that day embraced the State g
most illustrious sons. But the cause
went down in the unequal struggle
against the slavery agitation. Its re-
vival now, after nearly half century
of oblivion, marks a memorable epoch
in the history of North Carolina.
SOUTH AND PROTECTION.
The people are now free to follow
their convictions and espouse the Re.
publican doctrine of protection to
American industry. Will they do it?
l. Al