The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1895-09-12

lieeus man knows that this IL an era
Of great and almost universal popular
disronsent. To quote the words Of DIT.
Josiah Strong, The discontene Of the
people is more significant nov than
ever before, because now the
PEOPLE ARE prrxRMIxxp TO RULE
When they were slaves, crushed under
law, customs, institutions and all the
rigid strata Of the social structure,
their discomfort signifed little until It
gathered the might Of an earthquake
sufficient to shatter society with its up
heayal. Now, numbers possess the
power and can exercise IL through the
established channels O! the law. What
king, or emperor, or aristocracy may
think or propose, is Of no consequence :
but what the
MASSES THINK OR PROPOSE
is Of the utmost consequence, for they
are TO determine the future Of civilixa-
lion. The rich and powerful are nat
urally conservative. 1t is of course,
those who are discontinued with their
lot who want to change, hence il is that
ne~ idoas, whether political or religious,
generally gain currency
FIRST AMONG THE POOR
Evidently, popular discomfort has pro-
found significance. What is that sig
nificance? 1t is as true Of society as
OF the individual, that IDENTIFICATION is
a sign Of uprdrd. not downward move
ment. Popular discomfort marks q
stdgndt civilizatiOn,-China Popular
restlessness marks progressirs civili-
ZatIon,--Japan. New wants are rungs
in the ladder OF progress, and civiliza-
ton reaching up to them mounts Ia
something higher. The discomfort Of
the masses means that they feel the
pulsatiOns Of a new life born of
INCREASED INTELLIGENCE.
AS We have seen, to add to q mans
knowledge, is to enlarge his horizon,
to make him conscious of new wants
and to show him new possibilities.
Twice before i'm modern times. has
has there been a deep and widespread
discomfort among the peOple-Once on
the eve of the great reformation Of thu.
sixteenth century, and once on the ey.
of the French Revolution. Certain
conditions which appeared just before
the former, reappeared just before the
latter. 1t is most significant that these
same conditions, among the most i'm
pOrtant Of which is popular discomfort,
have again reappeared!
The first Of these great movements
was primarily religious; the second
was political; the third will be
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC.
The first destroyed spiritual despotism,
the second struck the death blow of
political despOtism. Is it not quite
possible that the third will put an end
to economic despotism?
we have seen that popular discOn-
tent is widespread and deep-seated.
That it will be satisfied with nothing
less than most important and far
reaching, economic and social changes:
and that the restless masses are tn.
power which will determine our flu
ture.
Political "machines" will be sbatter.
ed, and when the masses move i'm the
majesty OF their manhood the advance
ment of great reforms will be accC m
piished,nO through blind, unreasoning
adherence to party, but by
FEARLESS DEVOTION TO PRINCIPLE.
CONCLUSION.
In this nation certain political meth
ods and Federal laws must be changed,
or the scenes of blood and violence of
ether times, and the past financial
catyclysms OF this country will be re-
peated in such degree as to
SHAKE, If NOT TO CRUMBLE,
the pillars of the Republic.
1t will be " ell to remember the DOW.
erful words of Sir William Corbett
mo nation can at the same time write
Misery upon the homes of its masses
and Mighty upon the dome of its
capitol.
The Peoples party, whose existence
Is protest against the treachery. in
competence and corruption of the old
parties, is now fortunately in the field.
The Democratic leaders and press
declared in 1892 that its principles
were, with one or two minor excep-
lions, identical with those of the DEM
ocratic party. This is true.
No change of principle is required
OF him who would leave the Demo-
cratic party and ally himself with that
of the People. Thousands have not
done SO before because they had
HOPE IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
The masses of North Carolina are
81 to in favor of the free, unlimited
and independent coinage of silver.
The Peoples Party is the only Do
litical organization in America that
has had the honesty and courage to
declare for this great principle with
out leaving room to "dOdge and strad-
die" at the dictatiOn of Eastern mi
salists, and think 1t is the only one
hat will.
The Democratic party had stood for
silver, but it was not treated as an is
,ue Of great Importance, until the
Peoples party and the great awaken
ng caused by the Farmers Alliance
made bi-metalism the mighty issue.
he political tidal wave that is to sweepI
he money changers, shylOcks, trait
,rs and heartless hirelings of the
Money Power
RON THEIR SEATS IN THE NATIONAL
CAPITOL.
Threatened with assassination by
dr. Cleveland and his adherents. the
principles Of Jetfersonian Democracy
ave sought protection in the bosom
# the young giant-the Peoples party.
Those who wish to be Democrats
lot in name only, but in fact-those
Who wish to keep tho principles of ]
Democracy "immOrtal"-those who
Wish to keep the fire of freedom struck S
y Patrick Henry, and cherished NV