The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-08-24
RUSSELL SPEAKS
AT the Alliance Picnic, A & M College,
Raleigh, Friday, August 2oth--Some
Hard Hits.

E1aEO G14GSS
Governor Daniel L. Russell made a
strong and forcible speech at the ALI
ance picnic. We think it will make
good reading for all our subscribers. In
introducing the Governor, DR.. Cyrus
Thompson said:
I'VE have protected every live issue
now before the people. We are here,
we are here to stay, we are here as q
force. Now 1 am going to do what no
man W. did before. am going to
introduce a Governor of North Caro-
lima to speak at an Alliance meeting.
l don't know exactly how much we
had to do with making him Governor,
but I do know that down deep in his
heart there is a throbbing in sympathy
with the people and the principles for
which the Alliance stands"
Tnen he read the resolutions which
the State Alliance adopted, endorsing
| the course OF Gov. Russell in regard to
the SO yearlease. These were published
in our issue of last week. After this,
Gov. Russell assembled the platform
and was welcomed by cheers.
b GOVERNOR SPEAKS.
Gov. Russell said:
Now, my friends, it occurs to me, as
it occurs frequently in the case of very
many public speakers, to say first and
to talk first about that which is the
biggest and most important in their
minds, and that is themselves.
Ny friend, DIR. Thompson, by what
he has said, has compelled me to say
something about myself. I don't like
to do this, but I am bound to do it nos
I know that somebody is thinking, after
hearing him, that Thompson and Rus
sell and all on the ground are getting
up some scheme to boom Russell. Now,
some fellow thinks about like this:
Russell is after our votes and Russell
is after going to the Senate and getting
Buffers place, and he is after some
thing more than he has got" Now, if
you think that, you are badly off. I
Am not a candidate for any eff ee in
this world. Idon't know but that I would
rather be president Of my rice planta-
ton than be President of the United
States. I am satisfied with the honors
which have been conferred upon me,
and I would not lose one moment of
sleep or suffer one pang or pain if 1
could read the irrevocable decree that
/ should never hold another chce. I
am satisfied. Yes, I am Satisfied to
serve the people Of North Carolina,
whose destinies, in a measure, have
been entrusted to me, and then retire
to my home on the Cape Fear and there
commune with the God of Nature as I
look upon its turbid waters as they-foll
to the sea.
And you are mistaken, my friends,
whoever you may be in this crowd,
when you think I am talking for my
own advantage. am not; and I will
serve that notice. I will serve another
notice upon you. That is, 1 am here
in this cm3e as Governor of North
Carolina for that time, and as long as
I am here 1 will, without regard to
party, Democrat, Republican or Popu-
list, stand by the men who plough their
own fields and pay the taxes.
Now, I am not going to make apoliti-
cal speech and certainly not a partisan
speech. I recognize men of all parties
and say they are entitled to their opin-
ions.
FARMERS lust BE ORGANIZED.
You can do nothing without organi
ization. It is dangerous to tell the
truth. But look at this as showing the
po wer of organized wealth. When l
made that speech lest January to the
Legislature, taking the side of the peo-
pie against organized power, in favor
of your right to govern your country
or State in all that pertains to your
interest-When / made that speech to
your legislature, 80 per cent. of the
Representatives were on my side-9O
per cent. agreed with what / said, and
in less than thirty days after, organ
il d wealth, the money power, got
after them and when they came to vote,
IS per cent. were against you and me.
If the vote had been taken on that day
the measures that were advocated on
the eide of the people and against cor
porate power and organized wealth-if
the vote had been taken then they
would have passed. The corporations
got together, or nearly together, not
quite, though. They sent their orders
out for lobbyists to comehere-brought
here on free passes-paid these lobby
lists to work this member and that one
promised them pie az big as this