The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-12-22
FROM ALAMANCE COUNTY.

Bosses Traded Themselves Into Office.
Correspondence of the Progressive Farmer.
MEBANE, N. @.
We have not written anything for
your paper in a long time; yet it is al
ways full of good reading matter, per
haps of more interest to the general
reader than anything I can write. But
Alamance alphabetically heads the list Of
counties. It was in this county the
first battle was fought and blood shed
in defence of American freedom. Ala.
nance contains a greater number Of
manufactures Of all kinds than any
other county in the State, and we are
told that the people are the most thrifty
and prosperous of any in the State,
which may be 80. But God pity the
people where times are harder than
they are here.
The elections are over. We had
fusion in this county. The R9publi
cans conceded to the Populists the
offices of sheriff, treasurer, orone
and two county commissioners. The
Populists conceded to the Republicans
the remainder of the county ticket.
s. A. White, however, did not get the
full POpulist vote, simply because Of
HE position on the silver question. All
of our county officers gave good bonds
without difficulty, that we're approved.
But they started with an empty
treasury and the county in debt SO 600.
And it must be remembered that our
county has had a Democratic board Of
commissioners for more than twenty
years, and that four years ago two of
our best commissioners were turned
out because they we're Populists. We
had in this county a finance committee
all Democrats. Now it is said the books
do not balance very well. Somebody
could not calculate well. But the
boards and commissioners have all
been Democrats; all good men, and
there can be nothing wrong. If so, it
was not intended
Tue Populists in Alamance mostly
voted for Kitchen, because they did not
like Mr.. Settles Congressional record.
When the ''book of records was opened
and read" it was found out that Tommy
had done nothing for the people of his
district. Second, Kitchen had the
manlinets to say on the stump that the
Populists were right on the financial
question.
When the Democratic National Con
vention was held in Chicago, aud
the financial views of the Populists
adopted, and a Maine banker
and trust man nominated for Vice
President, hope departed from us. Had
a good man like Judge Clarke
or Senator Morgan, of Alabama,
been nominated. or had they
gone a step further in the right
direction and left the Vice Presi
dency to be flied by the Populists, all
would have been well. But alas the
Democrats, as usual, did the foolish
thing, and threw away their last oppor-
tunity for keeping in or getting into
National power, for in the future who
will trust them or give them another
chance9
Ali of the PopuIists in this section
voted fer Bryan for President, but
somewhat against CUR Wills, Many Of
US voted because Of cur high regard
for Mr.. Bryan; others simply on &C
count Of the free silver sentiments !;
others that the Democrats in the future
may be without excuse; others because
they had nothing else to vote for, they
not being believers in McKinleyism.
Now it is hardly worth while for any,
one to say what he will do politically
four years hence; there are so many
contingencies. But we do sey this:
We are tired of bossism. We left the
Democratic party for that reason. We
ere tired OF county, Congressional,
State or National boesiem. If We com
mon farmers can meet in our cross
roads Alliances and two months before
the Chicago Democratic Convention
unerringly predict that the convention
would adop5 q silver platform, why
could not our National Populist Com,
mittee see i<2 When committee
were written to, and urged to hold
early conventions, why did they not
give heed2 I will not say that they
were bribed far from it. But I must
say that the committee greatly erred,
the victory was 81 nigh. Yet, alas!
now 50 far away. Four or five years
hence will be too late for a man Sc
wars old tn ho much henefted bv II