The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-01-18
BRO. LINDSAY GIVES US THR
BENEFIT OF HIS REFLEC-
TONS.

from the pen of the author, and, in
passing sive some thoughts of my own.
We quote:
''They have also proved that the PEG
pie, though even ignorant to q degree,
have been more often right and safe
than the majority of their learnedO
and statesmen"
Yes, the people, though to a degree
ignorant, are safe, etc etc. Why's
Because they are better, have better
consciences, their moral intuition is
finer, their honesty of purpose more
uuselfsh. This is made true from their
environments. Tue people have ave
destroyed their own rights and libar-
ties save through the leadership of am
bilious and designing men. They have
not done it in the past and so we have
right to expect them to do it in the
For this reason we can give
them all the privileges Of the initiative
and referendum without any dread of
consequences, and until they do get it
and party favor is nuGral we have no
self government.
In Lombardy Street, London, at Del
monico's, New Y )rk, or among the lob
by at Washington, the questions for
party dispute ISSUES &C CRlled) may be
framed, and then we have it: Demo,
cratic meanness" and Republican per-
fdy" rignging all through the land
the hired press and the partisan press,
the great slangwhangers and the little
slangwhangers, party men and the
trined bands good, and true taking it
up and taking it down, fighting the
enemy hip and thigh and all this, par.
maps, at the suggestion Of British bar
kers or at the suggestion Of bankers
associations or boards of trade in our
own land. The whole thing in the
main is an egregioUs farce.
This picture not overdrawn, proves
that this government is a government
of parties, for the parties and for the
benefit OF certain interests, and not a
government of the people, for the PEG
pie and their benefit. 1t is not an ex
pertinent of self government as our
statesmen have 30 often called it. To
make it an experiment of self govern
ment, the initiative aud Referendum,
for one thing, is needed. Another thing
is needed the spoil system must be
abolished This can be done by divid
ing public patronage (Which is very
dangerous and corrupbing) between all
the parties according TO popular vote.
This will kill this dog dead. Then We
will have party peace and sometimes
truth. Thomas Jefferson said that all
he wanted to know concerning any ap.
plicant for office, is, us he competent
Is he honestV" These two things will
go far towards making this a govern
ment of the people-a self government
The trainers of our Constitution did
not anticipate party intrigues, monop
olies, trusts and combinations of gigan-
tic intests, and this people will be pru
dent and wise if they attend to this
matter at once.
In addition to what We have said that
the common people have never, by
their own will and volition, destroyed
their own rights and liberties, we will
say more: that no government has
ever protected the rights and liberties
Of the common people from the stron,
ger and mightier interests of the more
Influential and less nmerous class-not
excepting our own free Republic under
all administrations. On this point we
defy debate. Hence, the urgent need
Of the rule of the people which our
present systsm doesn't give.
AS, Bro. Archer says:
The people have blindly followed
parties, politicians, bankers. corpora:
tions, leaders, bosses, wise memo and
other fools, until until our country is
almost ruined and the people are
broughtunder systems of abb act servi-
tude wherein the rich are growing
richer while poverty is alarmingly on
the increase"
What do our wise statesmen say to
this condition of eff .irs9 They say,
the people have the ballot and can do
they choose. They can, If
nave manhood and sense enough,
$50 an END to all these special priv,
Ps And so they could; but how2
NJ e away IN The Same old wev9
They + not allowed tn
soee on questions that directlv $50
suelr interests often, and then :
'Doy 40 vote on comes down to tbeno