The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-02-04
LEr's BUILD UP THE ALLIANCE
To the Brothers of the Alliance--BrOther
M. L. Wood, of BERTHE, Writes the
Truth in All Its Purity.

correspondence OF Inc EIOBECoS1NC T dA AAC4
LEWISTON, N. Q.
l congratulate you upon the fact
that the angry passions engendered by
the two last political campaigns have
subsidized, and prejudice is dying out,
and throughout all the ranks of life in
our grand old State, there is a DISPOSE
ton among the people to exchange
ideas, to hear arguments and listen to
facts, to the great end that we may
have better government.
The duty of Alliancemen under these
propitious circumstances is plain. We
should inform ourselves upon all q1es-
tions pertaining to the welfare of the
people, and to disseminate such infor-
nation as will enlighten them upon the
tenets, principles and demands Of the
Alliance, affording to all an opportunity
to form an intelligent opinion, as to
how a free government should be eco
nOmically administered to the end that
equal justice would be melted out to all
aud class supremacy avoided.
The motto stamped upon our banners,
equal and exact justic9 to all men
and especial privileges to none," con
tain all of the essential demands of our
brotherhood, and should be not only
earnestly supported By our members,
but should have the sympathy and
approval Of every well-Wisher Of his
country. All political thought and
action Of the people have been, and are,
to a certain extent, formulated and
controlled by a partisan press, which,
with few exceptions, advocate princi-
pies detrimental to the interest of the
masses and in behalf of partisan dog
mas that in most instances are for the
the agrandizement of the classes over
and above the masses in the interest of
''orgauiz9d capital" and against the
farmers and laborers.
For the last twenty sever years
nearly, the entire legislation of
country has been directed toward
building up giant monopolies to the
suhjugation and oppression of the la
borer and producer. The currency"
of the country, the money Of the peo-
pie, has been transferred from the
government, where it belongs, to cor,
porations
One OF the metals forming our circu
lating medium, and that one chi, fy
used by the people in everyday bust
transactions, has been demonetiz9d,
80 debased and curtailed in circula-
ton, that to day our lands, our horses,
u cattle, and the products of the soil
have so deprecated in value that in.
stead of having beautiful homes, of
being surrounded with an abundance
of this worlds goods, and all the con
comitants that go to make life desirable
and happy, u people are in debt,
land mortgaged, taxes in many instan-
ces unpaid, the products Of the soil lot
bringing in our markets barely a suh
cheney to pay the cost of produc
ton.
Instead Of our country being a ''home
for the free and the land of the brave"
and an asylum for the oppressed of all
nations, it is fast becoming a home for
the favored few and serfdom and
slavery for the many. Nor does there
seem t. be prospect for a change in the
near future, nor can there be a change
until the people become aroused to the
true condition of things and hurled
from place and power, and all those in
authority who have ignored those in
spired principles to be found in our
Declaration of Independence, life, hap
piness and the pursuit of happiness,
principles for which our ancestors laid
down their lives and poured out their
blood like water!
The close Of our late war brought a
new era in American history. From
the beautiful simplicity of her previous
history there has dawned an era of
class legislation that has Slapped the
very foundation of our government
and threatens to enslave a people whose
record has been that of freedom for
400 years. From a government of
the people, by the people and for the
people" it is fast becoming a Republic
in mama only, trampling upon the
birthrights of the people, and creating
monopolies aud great corporations,
which are relentlessly destroying all
the rights guaranteed the people by
that great charter of human liberties,
tine Constitution" One of our wisest
men, whose name shines brighter and
brighter upon the pages of his coun-
history as the years mark their