The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1896-06-25
SILVER address TO Tnr rrorLE.

SILVER address TO THE pTorLK.
TO the People Of the United states:
Dbeying the call OF duty, and iusfi-
| fled by the common citizenship 81 this
republic, W. address this comnuuira-
| tion 10 the people and the forthcoming
| conventions OF the nitci states. In
doing 30 we claim no authority or
| right other than which belongs to
every man to rxpye+s personal conyic-
ton: but W. RESPECTFULLY solicit the
cooperation of all who believe that
the time has come for return To the
simpler and more direct method of
naming men for the national service
than has obtained in recent year..
Political party organization is nee
es.ary because without u the indiSid-
ual voter ~ dumb. but the party j.
only the means, not the end: il is the
voice and not the sense. A. the world
advances in this wonderful epoch OF
intellectual Development aud physi-
| cal Improvement there - Il constant
requirement for better things. The
| individual feels that requirement and
heeds it, or he fails in lIfr's endeavOr.
| Parties must also obey the same law.
| 1t follows, therefore, that the moment
| "A party shall choose to stand still or
retrogress. il is no longer efficient to
| achieve the end To which the people
are necessarily destined. There is no
sanctity in mere party name, and the
mark of decay IS set on Individual
strength in a nation when the abso-
lutte rul" Of political organization
cOprces man from the truth for the
| sake of cXpedicHCy and establishes in
sincere submission Ia partisan rule
for the sake of power.
Recognizing the value and splendid
achievements ~ political parties in
this country, "a elsewhere, we are yet
constrained 10 believe that for more
than twenty years no ore Of them has
been entirely sufficient Cor the needs
of the people. The great trend 10 bet
ter things, resting in thr neart and
purpose of all men. has been stayed
during the lAttrr part OF this genera
ton By he failure Of parties 10 eX
press in their achievements the high
est nope ana aspiration of tie
mass Of the Ic0ple who constitute
the parties. And there has been grow
ing in this country-swelling with
eaCi, recurrence OF national election
a great mass Of independent thinkers
and voters, which, failing within it
self to control, has CravItatcd between
the two great parties. Since 1877 (eN-
cepting possibly the election Of 1850
| the pendulum has swung from side to
| side with each four years. In 1872 the
Republican party elected the Presi-
dent: in 1876 the Democracy claimed
the election; in 1850 the Republican
party elected; in 1884 the Democrats
| al. "a, al
ed: in 1852 the Democrats elected; in
1896, until within few weeks, it has
been conceded that the Republicans
would elect. What has been the cause
Of this mighty oscillation of a mass
which this year has probably obtained
controlling proportions?
LACKED CONSTRUCTIVE ADMINIsTRA-
| TION.
| Every man can answer TO himself
If he has been AN observer, If he has
interests that were affected, if he has
felt hope to see greater Justice done
and has seen that hope blasted; if he
knows that the general dissatisfaction
, has arisen from the fact that part,
promises made we're broken to tbs
people by party performance, he know:
that so soon as the election was over
and successful candidates installed
, they became the servit0rs OF the party
and the advocates of narrow ant
non progressive policy within which
alone there seemed to be an assurance
1 selfish safety and partisan approval
), During all this period we have laCke'
c a great constructive administration
: No new social truth has been put for
y ward in an effective way. While in al
: the departments of physical life Their
| have been developments and achieve
O ments of ease and comfort to the ia
;, vored of mankind, in the still create
u and more important domain Of sOcia
reform we have stood still or retro
, crossed.
g 1t is not that the people have no
o felt the STRINGS of determination
: that this inactiOn has endured; bu
because of the rule of party, which ha
largely controlled men in and ont Q
office. 1t has become a source of re
proach to any man that he should dar
to renOunce allegiance to OrganlZa
l. ton. Men have been expected to sui
j nit their views to the dictatiOn c
conventions, although it is cOmmO
: knowledge that conventions have bee
o swayed to views and declarations nc
# the most approved by the mass of tn
, people nor progressive for their we
j. fare.
Il We do not arrogate to ourselves on
!. iOta more of intelligence, patri Otisn
% or courage than is possessed by any
n our fellow citizens. But we feel til;
y the time has come for the peformanC
:. of duty to this country; and for OF
70 part, though we shall stand alone, "
Al will make an endeavOr in the dire
II tion of that duty. Parties may outliN
10 their usefulness; the truth never b.
20 comes obsolete. Every generation
If free men has the right to affirm Il
70 truths of past knowledge and presel
requirements, and if the enforcemel
10 of these truths shall make necessary
r. departure from party Organizatio
r the people have this right, and wi
n. exercise it until old parties shall r
oil turn to the truth or new parties shs
n be created to effect it into law.
" TIME FOR ASSERTION OF THE PEOPLE
*. If the voices which have sounded
no us from every State in this Union a
,e- an indication of the real feeling, tt
ne year is the appointed time for the pc
He pie to assert themselves, through su
nal mediums as may give best promise
cts the achievement of ustice. B
Mt whether we are mistaken or not &C
SUI corning the general sentiment in
on United States, we have not mistak
OBJ our own duty in withdra wing fir,
BILE the Republican convention, teeli
mt that it is better to be light and W
+, the minority in apparent defeat til
to be wrong with the maj GRITTY in ,
parent triumph.
Do We hold that in the great work
Ie social evolution in this country mo-
an tary reform stands as the first requ
= tie. No policy, however promising
good results, can take its place. c.
I. / =. Io to-,