The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1896-10-22

Popuhsts. They reasoned this way:
eff the Democrats were honest and
square in their professions they woald
not object to letting us stay On the
platform which We have erected at
the expense Of 60 much toll and
hardship. They would not try TO
steal our structure and leave us with
out babitation and name. Ii our
house is good enough for Democrats
to 1--we in, we are good enough for
them to live with. If Democrats are
not willing to this, then their only
object is to get possession of our
house, and after getting such posses
sion they will debauch it first and
then destroy it. We will not submit
to this political brigandage and van
dalism. Before we will consent to
being scattered to the four winds by
the Democratic party, under these
conditions, we will do what we can
to see the Democratic party as dead
as the stamp of death can make it"
Well, full elaboration is not ne
cessary here. The action Of the DEM
ocrstic party in hi, State will illus
trats the story everywhere. The
frat thing that party did WAS to try
drive out Of Congress every Populist
Con grsssman from this State. If
the Democtatic party had been hon
est, it would never have made this
attempt. The Populists found friend
ly forces in the Republican party of
such strength as to be able to defy
the Democrats to do their worst.
And then tor awhile the dlsappoint-
ment Of the Democrats found vent
in all sorts Of abusive e1pletives
against the Populists. But they
kept up a vindictive fight. They
denounced the Populists as ''gold-
bugs" Hanna hirelings and every
thing else. They made Themselves
hosrse by these bowls, and their can
vassers and speakers called upon the
people to help them run away with
the platform THEY HAD STOLEN from
the Peoples party.
! But these Democratic speakers and
canvassers miscalculated the stuff
that the people of North Carolina
were made Of. The people-as many
as heard these speakers-did not rush
in to help the Democratic party stea
somebody else's platform and prop
erty. The only answer these speak
ers got was an expression on thu
countenances of the people which
read plainly in this way: "No, VI
I won't help you run away with tn
Peoples party platform. You be
long to party that made US as strong
promises four years ago as you ar
, making now; and all through thes
four years (until a few months) yo7
have been pralsing Cleveland gold
E bug) and trying to get Matt Ransom
returned the Senate. No, we hea
; you, but We do not believe you. Yo'
can't fool US aesin."
Such was the reply which thes
speakers read in the faces of tn
people. And then what? Thes
! Democratic speakers came to Raj
eigh pell-mell. They went to Dem
ocgatic headquarters and reporte
g that they were not convincing tn
people of Democratic honesty, an
that the people were against then
!. And then INsTANTANEoUsLY, an
NOT UNTIL THEN did the Democrat
bosses become convinced that it wa
"EXPEDIENT TO UNITE THE sILvE
y TOkCEs!! A man with the bin
- staggers can see the inwardness {
= this Sudden conviction on the pal
, of the Democrats.
n 1t seems unnecessary to say mo,
80 to make this matter clear. But en-
# phssis may be laid upon these fact
70 That the Democrats set out to d
J. atroy the Peoples party and wipe
O from the face Of the earth. But Il
n ?. P. would no. wipe out.
:. They called Populists blathe
h SKIES, trlcksters, unpIlnclpled pc
ticians, go!dbugs and anarchist
AND THEN MADE A PROPOSITION .
al fuse" WITH ALL THESE vARIETI,
q. OF PoPULIsTs.
lie And when the Populists could n
70 and would not s'fuse" with the1
u they sent up yell that the Pop
&c lists had proven treacherous to silv
,e and traitors to principle! Oh,
ut gods and little fishes! A Populi
O. traitor to principle because he ca
Ne not fuse with q Democratic! II
I'd yah! YAH! Uumph!. Phew!M Stin
in stsnk, stunk!! Scat!