The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-12-01
THE CONFLICT OF 1896.

between the sovereignty I money anu
sovereignty of the people is ended at
the ballot box. Seemingly and by
arithmetical count of votes, the money
power has gained the day and that
power, naturally enough, asserts it
self q the victor for all time to come.
Since that battle is over, the parties
in the COZ fl ct can, without prejudice
to themselves, each one ask: where
are we n0w2'
The Republican party having been
the open and avowed champion OF the
single gold standard Of course claims
the lions share OF victory and together
with their allies, the goldite Demo
Gratis will, among themselves divide
the Office spoils, but they have lost
about 45 votes in both houses Of Con
gress.
Toe Democratic party with their
chief, although outnumbered and there
By defeated are by no les crushed
in principle nor destroyed in purpose.
They have gained in the lower house
of Congress % Congressman, aud with
their four million voters will stand up
again for their bimetalic standard ana
the rights of the people on the Old JET
fersonian principle.
The Populist party, whose very eX-
isteuce IS the embodiment OF these
principles which constitute monetary
and economic reforms demanded by
the great Industrial people, while de
feated by the common enemy in the
general conflict, iJ is by no means van
pushed nor destroyed, bat has esCab
llshed itself TO be more than three times
as strong in the next Congress, where
it will have p members instead Of Z
as il now has. With q gain Of Is mem
bers IL the lower house, 1t will almost
certainly have double It's present mem
bershi0 IN the United Senate. ICs
gain is not only steady and solid, but
it is rapid. Notwithstanding the IL
fortuuate fusions brought about by its
omce-seeking leaders, the rank and
file Of the party are marching forward
and upward on alignment with the
principles set forth IN the Omaha plat
form of 1892. The Congressional Rec
ord of the next Congress will more
fully and frequently than ever, pro
claim to the people the demands held
to financially, commercially and po
litically-by the Peoples party.
This is our national situation, and
when we turn Our eyes TO North Caro-
lima, we see the result Of a conflict
most peculiar. The Peoples party cast
its vote for Bryan and free silver, car
rying the State By some II. 900. Tnen
on the State ticket the PJpulists gave
the State to the Republican, Ropulist
fusion ticket by a large me )rity. Yet
the Populists elected five Congressman
and one free silver Democrat, getting
six free silver men out Of nine Con
gressmen from the State.
We cannot help but think that if the
Populisss had been left to manage the
aft airs Of each district untramrGeled
they would have sent nine free silver
Congressman, including six Populists
from North Carolina, and assured the
election Of a free silver Uoi5ed States
Senator.
Instead Of this, the Populist people
have been made to o-operate with a
a great party advCc sting a fuudemen
tai principle which the old veterans of
that party uniformly opposed for more
than twenty years; that is a single
gold standard. In doing this, it seems
TO me there was neither consistency,
expediency nor honesty il the manage
ment. Being q P0pulist, | was made
to vote for Bryan as free silver Presi.
ident to execute the laws, and for Con
gressmen TO make gold standard laws
for him to execute.
This ~chow-chow ticket reminded me
of the idolatrous worshipper mentioned
in the 44sh chapter of Isaiah who
could not deliver his soul, nor say, is
there not a lie in my right hand9"
One United States Senator is still to
be elected by our legislature and yet
there is g chance for a large majority
of the people of the State to have their
will carried out by the election of a
free silver United States Senator. The
populists hold the balance of power in
the Legislature and those of them
who have not personally take that
unholy pledge to vote for a goldite
Senator, it is hoped, will assert their
manhood and the sovereignty of their
consistency and send a populist free
silver man in whose mouth there is no