The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-04-21

Of them were reluctant, but they all
now see that it was the thing to do.
We again take q position on this ques-
ton Of e straight fight without waiting
to hear from orr constituents It may
not please you, friends, but it is right
and we expect to stand by the right.
If honorable cooperation can be Sc
cured we shall not oppose it, but we
cannot, and will not, commend the Of
fers that have been made.
Now q word as to the outlook. We
believe that North Carolina is over
whelmingly for financial reform. The
old parties will nominate gOldbugs for
President. Ole or both may eXpress
@ frjendlinoss for silver Tem0netiza
ton. and financial reform, but you
may rest assured that they do not
mean it. In North Carolina the Demo
Gratis may get 50, 900 votes fer their
State and National ticket. The RI
pubIicans may get il the naighborhOod
of 100, 900 votes, certainly not more.
Tbs leaves she Populi55s with a fight
INK chance and almost certainty Of get
ting ia tie neighbOrho1d of 125 900
votes, alloaiug nearly CT quite 25. 900
to stay &C home and not vote at eli.
Some may think this an exeravagan5
claim. But we Gre willing to risk our
reputation as a gucs3aT, aad 0ur read
ers ought to know by this time that we
have done sCma very close guessing in
the past. Heace, if cur estimate Is
anyw here near correct, the PgpuIi5ts
will Cle35 oil the State Chicers, & ma
j5rity Of the Congressman. State legis
Ia5Or5 and county officers. Ina straight
fight the PopuIists will make Immense
gains. Il is the only party that can
bank on the full support OF the beat
voters in the Safe. The other parties
are losing rapidly not only in the State
but ali over the country. II the Re
publican end Democratic leaders in
North Carolina did not know that our
party is the strongest they would not
be trotting after us asking Us to co
Operate-8nd we can make @ deal in
side of q hours with either Of them.
Would We not be foolish to do it, even
if our strength were not half so great?
In conclusion we want to say q word
about Senator Butler, upon whose
head the plutocratic Democrats, Re-
publiCans and some misguided Popu,
lists are pouring the vjals of their
wrath. We believe the only true charge
they are bringing against him IS that
he is q middle Of the road Populist. As
a loader he is q power and they are bit
ter against him because he crushes
their dishonest schemes as easily as he
would On egg she'll. No nan in North
Carolina has o cleaner political record
than Senator Butler. We have been
on intimate terms with him for
several years, and while we have
d II red with him On details, have
never known him to suggest
e dishonest move, politically or other
wise. We have published articles criti
cisjug him, not because we endorsed
them, but because the writers wanted
to exhaust themselves, and the Uest
thing 10 do with such people is to gite
ehcm a great deal Of rope. Senator
Butler he's mover had any idea Of
''fUsin5' with the Democrats in this
State OF nation. Certain Republicans
and Democrats, in order to cripple
his influence, have circulated such
stuff privately, but there was absolutely
no foundation for the reports. Nj.
Butler h8s been anxious fer ali who
believe in financial reform TO get to
gether, end has invited them publicly,
jlst as any Of US would do and have
done. He isn't crank enough to
care anything for a party name, and if
the retormers could oil be gotten TO-
gether, any Il of a dczan CT q hun
dred new party names would suit him
just as well, but the man who thinks he
is willing to Din hands with the Demo
Gratis under that name is wasting breath
and time when he say S go. To begin
with, if there were no other reasoD5, it
would be supreme folly for any man to
join a party as weak and as unpopular
as the old Democratic skeleton.
Nowletus all take o calm view of the
situation and stand by principles,
work for the upbuildiog OF the reform
movement, and fight p~;utoccacy six
teen hours q day, and victory viii
sooner Or later crown our efforts.
GETTING PART ENDORSEMENT.
a dispatch from Fredericktown, No,
says: The Madison c3uaty Democratic