The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1895-04-11
A CALM REVIEW ".
l Y.


and file Of the Populists felt immediate
l., after the election in 1892, there
would perhaps have been little more
enthusiasm worked up for the new par
tv. For they were in a hopeless minor
nv and there was nothing in the out
Loot for those who did most OF the vot-
mo hut defeat as often as they should
attemnt 10 elect nominees as they did
in that election.
But those who set out some years be-
fore to entrap the good farmers OF the
State into snare that would work
out great advantages to tho fe" VINO
we're thus plotting, were not willing to
give it up. So they kept up their
senseless TRADES of abuse Of any and eV-
ervtbing that did not clamor with them
for "reform, y as they said, until the
wave of enthusiasm began to grow
again.
Now, most of the farmers OF the
State who had thus far espoused the
cause OF the new party had gone from
the Democratic party. This weakened
that party considerably. Place-hun-
tiers and office seekers still kept up
their howl for reform, with an occa-
sional addition to their numbers from
disappointed or .oured Democrats.
MANY of the evils which these ca
Iamity howlers portrayed were real
ones, but such as no political creed nor
power of party on earth could remedy.
They were purely and simply logical
effects which follwed certain causes.
Many of the evils also complained OF
were simply imaginary and did not OK
lst at all. For instance, one year ago,
many laboring men III North Carolina,
who labored for monthly wages, were
amongst those who were lOudest in
their clamor. for "a new deal," because
they said they could not live on the
wages they were receiving, because
foreooth, cotton wa, selling low, and
perhaps they had never sold bale in
their lives The truth is, the man who
was receiving monthly wages was in
better condition than he had ever been,
because he was receiving almost as
much as he did 10 years before and
could purchase twice as much with a
dollar as he could 10 years before But
the larger the number dissatisfied the
better it promised to WORK for the
shysters and tricksters so they howled
on and encouraged every body else to
howl.
The Democratic party, it will be re-
memb ered, had been in power in North
Carolina fer many years and although
there was a great howl all over the
State, not single man could lodge an
intelligent objection against our State
government. The Republican party
was glad enough to see so much un
rest throughout the State, for they
began to hope in the adage that at il
an i'll wind that blows nobody good"
So 1t began to appear that mas
much as the new party could not pos
siby gain anything like enough
strength to carry an election, the
Republican party might make prop
osition, either directly or Indirectly tc
JOIN forces ana mus peat the Democrats
Such suggestions were made to the less
wary Popullsts, but they resented such
an lntlmation. They remembered toe
we'll the lessons they learned under Re
publican rule just after the war to en-
terrain any thought of afiinating with
that party. And tuey were honest II
their protests and declarations.
1t was not long, however, before
many Of those who had unsuspectlnp 81,
committed themselves to the demand.
OF the new political creed found tina,
they were being led into the ranks O.
the Republican party. MANY say YET
that 1t IS not SO, but we shall see later)
Some men of backbone stood ou1
against such a combination and re-
turned to the Democratic party. hu1
many-indeed most of those who had
gone, were under too great a mOmen.
tum to stop.
And here we leave them, RepubIi.
cans ana Popullsts proposing union.