The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-10-13
be Voters of North Carolina:

To the Voters OF North Carolina:
MANGUM. N. G, Sept. 80.
In view of the complicated political
conditions by which we are surrounded
I deem it proper to state fully my pc
eitioD.
1 believe the approaching election is
the most important one that you have
been called upon to participate IN.
Whatever may be the result, the strong
common senc?of the manhood Of Amer
lea viii array itself on that side which
belive3 in the arbitrament Of the bal
lot, and while this election may not be
accepted as final, recourse wilt continue
to be had to the ballot until prejudice,
ignorance and precious thought shall
have been eliminated from the contest
and By a process OF judicious reasoning
0na side has gained a permanent vic
tory. The silver forces will not dis
bend, Il is a battle Of the great com
mCl people for the peoples money and
their banner will never be furled until
the victory is won Gnd they are pros
porous.
Financial reform overBhadows aIl
other issues ir this campaign, and until
that - settled the people cannot be
driven or cajoled into political by ways.
VINO that is not for the rehabilitation
OF silver is against it, nor can a profes-
sion in favor Of silver to day and for
gold after next March hoOdwiRk even
the most iguoran5. The issue is ~sQuerely
With Us ard must be squarely met.
I am a silver Republican, and as such
am constrained to cast my vote for
Bryan for President as the only feasible
. way to secure the free coinage Of silver,
and with this declaration gees my sup
port of every man down to constable
who is favorable to that cause, l fail
to see any honesty in a genuine silver
man eupporCiDga goIdOug for President
or for any other offs whereby he may
be enabled to further retard the course
Of silver money.
Unlike Mr.. Mckinley, I have not
changed my view on this question.
Oaly about f0ur yearsago, in Congress,
he voted for silver-to-day he stands
for the gold standard and for all the
evil it carries along with it. I have
never been fer the gold standard, and
while / regret the necec3ity which com
pels me to saver my connection tempo
raIi}y with a party that he's honored
me, ard one which 1 have gone out in
all weather to serve, yet my conscience
tells ne it is right in order to sc cure the
end in View-fnancial reform at the
hands OF the friends, not the enemies
Of enger. Furthermore, in advocating
5he cause I do not feel lonesome in
company with a Grant, g Blaine, q
Matthews, e Teller, a Dubois, and even
q Mckinley up TO four years ago. Nor
90 ! consider myself more Of a traitor
5hGn the aforesaid illu8tri0us Rapubii
can s~tatc2n1en, and McKlnley's eye,
servants and satellites, Pritchard, Pear
son and Russell, vino within q twelve
months were setting the woods efre
for free silver, but having been Han
naized are now goldbugs. Only last
spring their cry was Mckinley and
silver, ard it is well known that a gold
bug had little chance to be elected as a
delegate to the St. L)uis Convention
the aforesaid combination swept this
S5a.e anj went 10 St. Louis for silver.
Why this precipitous change Of base?
How much bTezan effrontery does it
require to denounc3 others who did not
60 to St. Louis to become hypnotized
by Hanna in q short interview and
then flop over to the gold standard?
At u State Convention just one
month before, the platform, q creation
Of Senator Pritcharc, and supposed to
be Inspired from Ohio, said:
We favor the use Of gold aud silver
as standard money and the restoration
of silver to its functions and dignity as
a money metal"
Whereas tho creation Of Hanna at
the 5ehesC OF the gold syndicc -, says:
I'VE are unalCerably opposed to
every measure calculated to debase our
currency or impair the credit of our
country. We are, therefore, opposed
to the free coinage OF silver except by
international agreement with the lead
ing commercial nations Of the world,
which we pledge ourselves to promote,
and until such agreement can be OBJ
tanned the existing gold standard must
be preserved"
Mr.. Mckinley in a speech by him in
] tho D-roaiAnnt;n nnmnnsnn a 1000 La