The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1898-05-12
AS A FARMER
SEES IT.
His Reasons Why the Populis.s
Should Msks a Proposition
10 Cooperate
GOOD GOVERNMENT ASSURED

Il H.nsr.i.i- Term. are >ah,ai,i-i tho
Democratic Part, ..a Accepted Al
k-m~,iisI Liquidation ~ b.r Gsia-d
WIN h- Augmented u, Farther G-forus.
Demanded in the People. Part, state
Platform L-t the Ma..-.' n-tt~rn-pt L-
Considered Above once aud >roIi.-
EpITok CAUcasIAN:-I have just
read SENATOR Butlrr's open letter To
Mr.. George L. Jones, OF Fender county,
pU blish.d i n the last Issue OF TBKCAC-
CAsiAN. 10 my opinion, 10 cover. the
St"und fuzzy and will reach every fell
lew ,hat - not bent on cooperating
wtn The Republicans regardless OF
r~s-"'. parry policy or the consr-
quenc.-
oar folks generally lose sight OF the |
fs,, 'hat n proposition To 60 operate
aui actusl cooperation is two 81 -rent |
things. They have fought Democrats
Aid ben abused by Democrats and have
lratn-d 10 hate them, and con, equ-n'ly
feel nor. kindly towards the R-pub-
ucSr. by cooperating with them than
. Natural and proper view Of the stu
alton in the State and nation would
Justify.
Actual cooperation with the Demo
Gratis upon the terms laid down in SEN
atOr Buffers letter would mean 10 re-
tain for the people all remedial State
legislation SO far gained by CO.
operation with the Republican party,
and in addition secure TO the people VI
the State all the reforms demanded by
the State platform of the Peoples
party. IL this could be secured, and il
would be q condition precedent TO our
| cooperating with the Democrats, then
every honest Populist in the State
| would have secured all that he has SO
much labOred for, SO far as our State
| reforms are concerned. This Is the
situation as il presents itself to the
unselfish voter who is honest for re-
torn; but suppose We consider it from
the standpoint of partisan who con-
siders the interests Of his party rs q
political organization as the paramount
cOnside ration, then the reasons for
ingly strong and convincing. 1t Is
difficult to predict exactly what effect
it would have on the Peoples party 70
cooperate with the Democrats, but il il
not difficult to predict what effect j,
will have on the party il We refuse to
offer them cooperation. The first il
speculative, but the latter is certain. II
We refuse to make them the PROPOSE.
ton upon the lines indicated, then i,
would show to the people of the State
and the honest men in our own party
that we are not sincere in what we ad.
vocate, and love party and Office better
than the principles We profess to be-
li.vr in; and the result would be Il
scatter our forces and disint. crate Out
party, for We cOn'd not force the
nuue,t voters in the awkward attitude
IN which We had placed ourselves OF
meet our political enemies in de.
ost. on the stump. 1t was good
politics to make the Democrat.
proposition to cooperate in
1896 and it vas a telling card in thu
campaign and he'd in our party al
POpulists of Democratic learnings fcI
they were Disguised with the Demo
Gratis for refusing. The reasons FOL
making proposition to them are ever
stronger now than in 1896, and the pro
position suggested in Senator Butler
letter is much more extensive and far
reaching than the one of 1896; but i
is one they dare not refuse, but On,
which judging from the dissensiOn
and demOralized condition of the Dem
Ocratic party is sure to be refused
Then from the standpoint of good poll
tics and political saGacity all the ar
gument is in favor of making the pro
position. If we meet in our State Con
, ventiOn and refuse to make them pro
, position and adjourn and 20 home
: then all factions in the Democratic
: party will become united and they viii
meet in their State Convention and b.
sure to make US fair proposition wit
= all the reforms included that the mos
/, sanRuine patriot could desire, q pro
: position which we could not then &C
, cept and one which they would no
. have offered If We were in q position
!, to accept it. Armed with this advan
= tage the Democrats would chase u
: over the State with that prOpositiO
s and practically drive US from the FIELD
Suppose we in our State Convention
: make the Democrats a prOpositiO
upon the terms indicated above wins
. effect will it have on the Democrat
party if they don't accept il? | be
, lieve we will win thousands OF Demo
cratic votes for l am inclined to b.
lieve that at least four Democratic pa
pers in the State and their fOllowin
will turn their guns upon the Democra
tic machine and join us for the sake @
humanity and decency, and We will wi
in the campaign. suppose, on the othe
hand that the Democratic conventio
} accepts our proposition, then the RI
form forces will win, but the Demo
-. cratic party will divide, for the gold
} bugs and silverplated brigade woul
u leave the party and join the RepUbl
o cans, or join that lonely band Of PIs
a mer- BucKnerites. At any rate the
, would desert the party and while III
8 State would be saved for good govern
q ment yet the Democratic party as no
l constituted would divide.
g Therefore, to sum up: honesty an
h a desire for good government at HON
= and silver legislation for the natiO
cOmpels us to offer the Democrats
l. proposition for cooperation, for b
q doing so the State would secure soil
% silver delegation in Congress, and th
y State would be controlled by the bel
. element of it citizens pledged for q
;; the remedial home legislation that on
G party demands. Besides that it wOul
J.. mean q division in the Democrat
party, with the reform element uni
l. ing with US, and the corporation ell.
3 mept going to the Republican part
where they properly belong. 1t woul
unite all the reform forces in the Stat
give US "white mans government
| 8uu pIcetIkC W tuc ORuust Z
we'll as strength for it would be on
victory, and it would divide the Demt
d cratic party with the better element {
f an adjunct to US. Not to refuse I
h make the proposition means to consol
date the now shattered and divide
3 forces of the Democratic party, IN
o perhaps win for them q victory the
c do not deserve, for they would gain n
). cruits from US by reason Of their sho
y of honesty and superior advantaG
, over US in the campaign.
u A FARMER.
d taison, n. c., May 9TH, 1898.