The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-08-11
THE SITUATION.
How the North Carolina Delegation
Stood at St. Louis and How Some
Things Were Done.

CONCORD, N. &.
Think the Peoples party has reached
that point Of it's existence where it Can,
by taking advantage of certain oppor-
tunl6ies, go forward to greatness and
victor! or, by being eutrapped by GER
tain leaders and influences, it car be
oO~l1terated from the face of the earth
IN a very short time. 10 be or not to
be, that is the question" I know the
millions of it's champions all over this
country would rush forth any day to
tight Its open enemies and die in their
boots rather than see a single thread
torn from its silver banner. Yet, sirs,
there Is a secret enemy, a silent, de
vIous devil that is today lurking 9
the heart Of u party which is setting
It's net to bind the party in it's iron
grasp SO that it can rally from
this deadly effect unless we, the masses
OF the people, rush forth and snatch
our loved party from the hands Of this
sulking devil and place it beyond the
reach Of suspicion.
At St. Louis the other day our whole
party organ Z 91ion for q time hung
upon a very tender thread-hung be
tween life ard death-and it was al
most an accident that saved it from an
lgnomiaIous death. The leaders who
were entrusted with the safety Of the
party came in an inch of leading it into
that valley Of desolation-the Demo
cratic party-yea, they even lead it
there, and only the almost superhuman
work Of the masses saved it and
snatched it all torn and bleeding from
such detestablo comparionship. Do
we want to longer trust this party in
the hands of such men2 II they will
ruin US onc won't they do so again?
Under its present leadership our forces
are being disorganiz d, every wheel
has been held fast for months and
months, and u people are d fitting
away like the leaves of autumn, and
our big" men sit back at the LindelI
Hotel and caucus with Democrats and
listen to Democratic promises and
hearken to Democratic lies while the
tue patriots of the Peoples party are
ignored, their wisdom is scoffed at,
their demands are Kissed, their plead
irg5 are unheard.
ask every delegate to St. Louis if
these things are 0 true. I believe
that the Peoples party should be for
POpulists. 1 believe that there are
!, many Of our leaders today who at
heart are enemies to our party. II not,
whv do we see the sad spectacle of our
leaders working and voting for Mr.
Bryan, the chief of Dem 1crate, and
Mr.. Sewall, the prince of Democrats,
Whl!e they cuss u every man with
manhood and patriotism enough to
publish their t~raitorous actions2
l appeal to the Populists Of North
Carolina if they are not tired Of such
Democratic rule? l have been sneered
at for months because I told the people
wherein they were being crucifed upon
a cross Of ambition, but I am glad that
my course is now being vindicAted by
every day events. Every day some
honest man says we'll, Kestler, you
were right about this matter, and from
now on I'm going to do a little think
ing for myself. Didn't l tell you all
months ago that our leaders were go
lag to land us in the Democratic party ?
Are we not landed there if you vote
and work for Mr.. Bryan, q Democratic
nominee? In St. LOUIS the middle Of
the road men agreed, in order to pre-
vent the Bryan Democrats from STAN
peding the convention and nominating
Mr.. Bryan and Mr, S3wall, to nominate
the VIce-President first. The North
Carolina delegation had in caucus
agreed to support the minority report,
i e to nominate VIce President first.
Our State leaders, being Bryan Demo
Gratis, came to our delegation and
argued very ~eloquentIy and at length
with us to vote for the majority report.
5ucn was the pleadings and promises
that IS of the votes were cast as they
dictated, but ten Of them would not
yield to their solicitation and were cast
for the minority report. After some
Cime the majority Of the delegation saw
the wisdom of the ten delegates and
they came over to the middle Of the
readers. Then our leaders, seeing that
they were defeated, jumped on the side
of the minority report and claimed the
victory as their, alters they had done
all in their power to win SO as to take