The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-08-25
CHANGED TO SPEAK THE TRUTH.

nIaced now that the storm and strife of
the political battles of last fall are past
and the result is seen, desire to congrat-
ulate the party on its wonderful success
in electing Russell Governor and Prltch-
ard Senator; and its marvellous achieve
m4nts for the confusion of laws, the eX-
trayagance, riot and incompetency that
prevails in the legislative, executive and
judicial departments of county and
State.
We have secured to the white citizen
the right to cast one vote at all pubic cleo
elections to the negroes and cOnvlctS ana
imported Virginians and South Caro-
linians to cast two votes and sometimes
three. and to have those votes counted
as cast we have also trebled the cost
of hold elections.
We have taken the public schools out
of the hands of competent patriots and
put them in the hands of ignorant partl
sans and have given the negroes voice
in selecting teachers for white schools.
We have turned over the counties and
cities of the State into the hands of
venal gang, some of whom have had to
skip the State to keep out of the peni-
tpnI1dTys dHu given W ii Couh'S pOIilAN"i
ring the control of the schools.
We passed laws to turn over the States
charitable institutions to partisan politi-
clans which failed only because we did
not have enough sense to draw the bills
so they would hold, and we have convert
ed the penitentiary into dumping
ground for political tricksters and dis
graced political parsons.
We have removed the judiciary of the
State from the plane of learning aud
fairness, and divorced it from even a sem
blance of learning or fitness.
rive have taken the State government
out of the wise and capable hands of
honest men, and turned it over to Rus
sell and the negroes. ""
By our endeavor these fundamental
principles and primary rights Of Ameri-
can citizenship have been conferred ex-
clusively upon anOllygOsters, incOmpe-
tents and demagOgues, denying to the vir-
tue and intelligence of the State any
voice in government.
But your committee would be derelict
in its duty if it did not warn you; that
if these diSgraceful doings are to be
preserved to us and transmitted to pos
terity. it must be done by and through the
organization of the Peoples party in
conjunction with the negroes.
The cry of distress has reached the
ear of the American people. Their only
hope is in the Populist party. To win
success there must be the utmost harmo-
ny, united action and persistent effort.
No petty differences growing out of the
election Of gold-bug Jeter Pritchard to the
Senate by POpulist votes in North Caro-
lima, no personal pique caused by the
purchase of our party by Mark Hanna
in Ohio. no local policy of selling out
enough Populist Senators to the Southern
Railway to enable them to carry their
point in the last Legislature against our
platform, should be allowed to mar the
harmony in our ranks.
The Peoples party is a young giant
scarcely five years old. 1t has secured
more Offices for its leaders in that time
and less good for its followers than any
party ever organized except the Repub-
Ecan party.
It's achievements in this State in restor-
ing new life to the Republican party; in
bankrupting the State Treasury; in eX-
travagant appropriations; in creating
new Offices and in elevating bribe-takers,
bigamists and knaves to fill them;in Civ
ing the county officers more power than
John had before Runnymede; the eleva-
ton of the negro to the point of con-
troll of every public interest in the State,
even to having a voice in the selection
of teachers for white schOOls;-these and
other things of equal character show
that what we have done, or helped Re-
pubHcans to do, are almost equal to the
achievements of Littlefeld and Holden
in the notable years of 1869.
That we should have made mistakes is
but human. But in spite of them we
believe if every true Populist will push
the work of organization, our party will
get enough additional strength to enable
its leaders to keep the offices they now
have and create enough more for those
who join us for Offices.
We believe the sentiment of the people
of the State to be in favor of the reduc-
ton of freight and passenger rates cor
responding with prices prevailing under
the single gold standard, but the Railroad
Commissioners, two of whom were elect
ed by Populist votes will not give the
people relief.
We re-affirm the condemnation of the
100 year lease" of the North Carolina
Railroad, though the failure to secure
legislation that would give an opportuni-
ty to annul it is due to the votes of Pop
ulist Senators, who went against the bill
after private conferences with the
great railroad boss of the State.
We suggest that the Railroad Com
missioners should be elected by the peo-
pie. We have elected two by the Leg
islature and we want to try another
method.
We have no condemnation for , the
Dingley law which Senator Teller says
is the worst tariff act ever enacted; we
favor free coinage at the ratio Of 16 to
/; the abolition of National banks, and
government ownership of railroads.
To make good the foregoing declara-
ton of principles, we shall in the next
. campaign use every lawful means to
AID us in accomplishing these reforms, "
and to that end we invite the co-opera-
, ton of men of all parties that we may