The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-08-11
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD

correspondence of the Progressive Farmer.
have just read with pleasure your
report of the great lawyers conven-
ton at Chicago, and want to say to
you ] was much pleased with it. You
are right when you say the Populist
who will vote that ticket will buy a
gold brick made Of blue mud and
painted yellow. We have some of the
mongrel herd in our land who are say
ing, I'VE must unite on Bryant, J"
claiming that he is a good silver a
They say the same of Mr.. Sewell. This
is enough to cause our torefathers to
rise from the grave. l claim that there
is not a true friend of silver to be
found to day among the leaders of
either of the old parties, and | this by
three credible witnesses: % their
platforms for the last twenty years;
~ their Congressional records; 81
their actions in their recent cOnven
tions. OF the two, the Republican
! party is the most honest and fair. They
make an open and fair fight, while the
other is lodging behind every refuge
of lies it can fnd-not only are they
guilty of telling falsehoods, but have
resorted to theft as we'll. How does
the platform enunciated at Chicago
compare with their platforms for the
past ten years. Anyone not knowing
better, would never suppose that they
had been written by the same party.
No, sir, the Populist party can W
be caught in no such moDgrel trap as
they had set at Chicago. They will
never be a tail to anyone's kite. If
we don't have a hand in steering the
vessel we don't ride, that's all. We
have already accomplished a part Of
our great work rs a party, which was
to uncover the treachery Of the old
parties and to drive them out into an
open field fight. This we have accom-
plished in part. The goldbugs had
uncovered one wing of their forces,
but the other they are making a great
effort to keep concealed for the pres
ent; but they are not foOling any of
the old and true Populists, for we know
their tricks, which are to keep our
forces divided until they can slip in
another man and fasten the cords
tighter if possible. Then they will say
the Populists ratified the gold stan
dard and that will be the end OF the mat
ter. I, for one, will never ratlfy it. l
set cut to fight them to the last ditch
and will never turn back. The gold
gene rails had planned wisely. They
expect to make use of the Democrat
party in this fight to keep the silver
forces divided until they get Mckinley
in and then they will have no more
use for it. You will never hear of the
Democrat party any more as now Or
ganized. They, as a party, are noW
in their last fight. The great ques
ton for the American people to decide
is which shall control. the people or
the dollar. That is the great issue now
for them to decide. 1 for one expect
to die on the side of humanity, and I
know that when l fall l shall have
many brave comrades at my my side.
What l want to say to you is, be of
good cheer, for the victory is ours
sooner or later. You and many others
have already accomplished a noble
work for the cause, although it has not
been appreciated as it should have
been. Yet the people r getting their
eyes opened from day to day. So let's
SOW the good seed and the fruit will
come in Gods own good time and way,
and although the sewers may go forth
weeping, they shall clme again rej0ic
ing, bringing she8ves with them If
we expect the hand Of the Lord to be
u helper, we must stand on the side
of truth and justice, leaving ourselves
out Of the scene entirely. l know it is
a hard thing for some men to do, for
we see it every day and on every side,
even in III own party. But we must
trust them as the Lord did Peter: Tell
them to get behind.
1 want you to tell Bro. Butler to keep
a keen eye on the professional silver
bugs at st. Louis, for they will be there
in their best attire. They want US to
swallow their Nebraska bug and then
thew will swallow US, and then l would
like for you to tell me, where will the
Populist party be9 They can neither
kick nor squeaI, but 1 have all conf
dence in u leaders; they will do the
right thing. We must have Maj,