davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-04-12
THE RAILROAD COMMISSION.

The Chatham Citizen says:
80 the Governors claim is that he
favored no trade or compromise with
out giving the people a voice in it. He
also boldly stands for the peoples
rights In the matter OF reduced pas
senger rates. That is good. Now if he
will show that he means it by calling
for Caldwell's resignation the public
will have confidence in him"
Good. II the railroads can give good
reasons to Commissioners Caldwell for
having high rates, then these reasons
will hold good when told to the people.
This is said to be a government OF the
people, and arguments that fail to con
vince the people should not convince
officials.
We do not mean by this that Com
missioner Caldwell is not acting con
scientiously. He is doubtless working
for the right, as God gives him to see
the right" But we had rather trust
the judgment Of the great common PEG
pie than all the railroad commissioners
in Chris sendom.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-04-12
A SURRENDER THAT IS NOT A
SURRENDER, BUT SEEMS
TO BE A VICTORY,

The yelling Of certain newspapers
about the Governor surrepdering the
lease fight, is so stupid that it is amaz-
ing that anybody should be deceived
by it.
Where did he make the fights 1t
was before the people and the Legisla-
ture. 1t is right there now. Simon
toms decree does not in any way tffact
the fight before the people and the Leg
islature.
Every man who comes out as q can
didate for the Legislature has got to
say whether he is in favor of the lease
or against it. He he's got 10 say wheth
er he will vote for a law that will com
pei the Southern Railroad to pay ten
per cent. for the North Carolina Rail-
road or give it up. The Seaboard of
fered ten per cent. the Southern got
it for six and a half. The license law
which passed the House in the last Leg
islature said to the Southern that they
should not operate the North Carolina
Railroad without a license, and that
they could not get a license unless they
paid what it was worth.
Let the people see to it that the can
didates answer the question: Are you
in favor of letting the Southern have
this property at six and a half percent
when other people offer ten per cent?
Are you in favor of throwing away out
of the State Treasury a huGdted and
forty thousand dollars a year for the
benefit Of the Southern Railroad?
When this next campaign is on and
the Candidates are out for the legisla
ture, we will see whether the Question
is settled.
The Governor simply gave up a law
suit which he did not bring, and gave
TO the Southern a decree which they
virtually already had, and by doing 1T
saved big money to the State. There
was no surrender about it. The whole
thing is just where it has been all, the
time, that is for the people to decide
through the Legislature.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-04-12
THa FARMER IS TO BLAME.

In one Of our exchanges we f66 a
letter from a farmer complaining Of
the little influence which farmers exert
in legislation.
tine farmers voice." he says, "ie
almost smothered in this government,
now that all the machinery thereof is
run in the interest of corporations,
trusts, ~monopolies, and J. Pierpont
Morgan's banker clan. Is the farmer
yet to have possession OF what he
Greatest Will the time come when it
will not be legfslated from his handsG'
These are important questions. We
are glad that farmers are thinking over
these matters and asking questions. 1t
is a healthy sign. The reply Of Farm
ers' Voice TO the letter referred to above
is strong and convincing. Il gives us
pleasure to read such wholesome ed
vice. Farmers and la6orers must be
taught thGt they must work out their
own salvation; that ''by their right
arm the conquest must be wrought"
THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER has been
roundly abused for it's strong defence
Of the farmer. A newspaper recently
said that we had done more than any
other North Carolina paper TO array
the farmers against other classes, 4" and
insisted that We are stirring I'D class
hate. We deny it. We insist that
farmers must be organized not to en-
croach upon the rights of others, but
to protect themselves. In this age,
every one works for self, and the unor.
ganized farmers are the prey of classes
which are organized.
True, il the farmers were organized.
they could get much not righrfully
theirs. Were all the farmers of the
country, producing, as they do, SO
many Of the ne~cessaries of life, united
in one organization, they could become
a terror to other classes and out Herod
Herod as q cruel monopoly. Osher
trusts and combines would pale into in
significance when compared with such
an organ alton.
But u purpose is not to labor to
bring about such q state of affairs. We
do not strive to ARRAY farmers against
other classes" But we do say that with
J all this power Ia the hands of the farm.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-04-12
ERRORS

Some Of our correspondents occ
sionally complain of u Dumero
typographical errors. Sometime D
one editor of this paper writing Oh '
Luetgert murder trial, said that v
bones in the vat were those OF a +"
man" Oar printers made 1t:
bones in the rot we're those OF & ToFu
This is lone of the many" A Loo"
paper once said:
Sir Robert Peel, with a parry
fends, is shooting peasants in lreiaD'
They intended to say that ne' "
a party of friends, was shooting puS
ants. i.
MacMillan's Magazine says I"
shortly after the battle OF InK9Eu
one of the morning papers intoFmeo
readers that ''after a desperate SUI
gle the enemy y as repuleed with 81,
laughter" The absence o. the .
fore Laughter" was to blame
An editor recently wrote tna'
a wedding, handsome brooches '"
worn by the ladies'" The printer ~
him say that handsome OE0'O
were worm by the ladies"
On another occasion a reporter W,
LAT these words the entire auo'
r lsa and rent the air with their sno'1
Tha printer made it ''snouts:' ~,r;,Ii
We are also indebted TO Macm -
for the story Of an enthusiasm l.
who began his leading article Oh
election campaign with tng TN
The battle is now opened.
tunately the composition transto
battle into bottle, "end his reaoI
that they had suspected iE ali aa
"a poet once wrote: $50 TTit
under the silent stars me Pr
changed the line into lie
under the cellar stairs
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-04-12
PROSPERITY IN THE WEST

Most Southern people urgass, y.
farmers in the West are proeUe,onI
But such does not seem to be tbp %,
There is great unrest in that parsM =
country, as we'll as in the South
the demand for financial reform
doubtless growing in many Quart.
The Western PloWman Of Caicsn
leading farm newspaper has & red N
editorial in a recent number Under N
caption, '"Fhings Must Chaugan I'd
editorial is all the more remarkable
that it comes, not from 8 uid 81
woody calamity bowling Kaa8gs sha
but from a conservative, truthful sD
non partisan paper. The P.owna
says:
the Western Plowman is not
parEizan paper, but i5 is the people
paper and will stand by the peop1
whatever becomes Of the political pal
ties. In the last presidential campaig
We were told over and over again tbd
prosperity was a6 hand, il the paopI
voted thus and so. Mr.. Mckinley sell
it was better to open the factories thai
the mints. Employ ers told their bell
that unless the election went as the en-
ployers wanted it to go, they would b
compelled to cut wages, and if it did s
their way, wages would be raised
They lied. Time has shownit Neltha
the factories nor the mints have Zee
opened. Wages have been cutaDd On
serious strike has resulted in o0ngt
q1ence. Cotton mills have shut dowr
thousands upon thousands are out
employment and the man who say
that we have prosperity or anythln
like prosperity would make merry in
charnel house. What we have said
the conditions is simply history an
present facts. 1t is not history OF on
own creation. and We r respcnslo
for the facts. But this prophecy is our
Capital cannot fool the American pc
pie any longer; nor can the villlaDcp
politician; nor the subsidized capital.
tic and party press, nor the IyH
platforms OF political parties. NeA
fall the people will vote and they ~
vote for themselves and Eheir own u
~terests."
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-04-12

ers, their failure to use it to protect their
! own interests is one of the greatest
mysteries OF the age, and future his
| torians will doubtless regard it as such.
And this is why we agree with the
Voice in saying
Whatever the future OF the Ameri-
can farmer is to be, it will come largely
as a result of his own line of action. AS
long as he looks upon government" as
an abstract thing, quite removed from
the sphere of his own activities, and
permits 1.-THE other fellow" to make
and execute laws, can he in justice
blame anyone but himself9
''The American farmer needs to IN
derstand his own power and learn to
use it with patriotic, courageous wis
dom. He casts IS per cent. of the total
vote of this country, and can absolutely
control elections. Whose fault is it,
then, il he is taxed out Of all reason,
while his wealthy brother in the city
escapes payment of his just share7 At
the Wisconsin Institute at GAINESVILLE
last week Governor Schofield spoke
upon this question, and declared that
80 per cent. of the personal property OF
that State escaped taxation, while the
farmer, whose property was in sightat
ell times, was made to pay his own and
his rascally fellows taxes, for the State
does not lose when men escape taxa
ton; the honest tax payers must make
up the loss. "Just as long as you
farmers listen to the demagogue, and
don't study these great questions for
yourself" exclaimed the Governor,
Just so long will you COZ tinue to be
taxed for the shortcomings of those
who by some trick or other escape
taxation !"
1.-The farmers voice is lusty enough;
it has the vigor and power to compel a
hearing. And when it is put into opera
ton no man or party will be able to
smother it. But actions the thing,
and now is the time to ac5!"
One of the things needed is a leader
"a brave, unselfish man, a man whom
the spoils of Office will not buy, " a man
whose heart is in his work and who
will labor his country's good and not
for self alone.
The one other thing needed is indi
vidual action. The farmers must be
made to realize that on them as indi.
vidusls depends all. Each one must be
made to say Il must work" When
this is done, success is assured.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-04-12

Raleigh, Tuesday, May 17sb -
o'clock p. m, for the purnooo 'S
ing with such measures and ~
Of such measures as may c,,as
the convention.
sit is the unanimous inst.
the State Convention that ~ 1870
man respectfully suggest to II.
bers of the party of the varion.
ties, Congressional and judi
tricts, that nc nominating Cow
of any character be held until ~
meeting of the State Conventioa
"All who are opposed to tho,
financial system of our govasp
who are in favor of the free cois'
both gold and silver at the ros, 4
to 1; who favor a further inc,,.
our legal tender currency wish
teTEention of banking corpo,sS.
who favor a graduated incoma
who are opposed to having the ~,
tive, legislative and Judicial br,,%
of our government dominated ana
trolled by trusts, combines and nm,
olies; who favor the freedom !
sanctity of the ballot, and wa !,
willing TO CO operate with the Penn,
party and secure and perpetuss Il
reforms, are cordially invited tn,
ticipate in ali Peoples party ptin4
and conventions.
E FOUNTAIN
Chairman Peoples party Ssats 7
ecu5ive Committee"
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-04-12
The NED OF ORGANIZATION.

It does not seem that thinking men
would need to hear this subject dis
cussed. It does not seem that an ordi-
nary onlooker seeing the prosperity of
the bankers and the monopolists and
other organized classes and the poverty
of the farmers and the unorganized
classes would need to be told that sin
union there is strength" And one
would think that the farmer, having
both seen and felt the evil effects of
lack of organization would be the last
man to whom it could be necessary to
repeat this trite AKIN.
The farmers do not need q partisan
organization, for a partisan body has
no influence for good with other par.
ties. We need q good strong, well
supported farmers organization here
in North Carolina. The Alliance should
have not less than 100, 900 members,
and shose who are members now,
whether Democrats, Populists or Re
publicans, should go to work and stay
at work until the Order reaches this
high water mark. Every honest news
paper should jim in this fight. The
Alliance is not q partisan orgsniza
tion, and newspapers of all parties that
feel an interest in the welfare OF the
farmers are invited to join in the good
work OF reorganizing this great organ
cation.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-04-12

1t is amusing to see a few Palmer.
Buckner and monopoly organs who
represent about one per cent. of the
Democratic voters Of the State trying
to dictate the policies and platform of
the party. The Democratic party has
made some big mistakes in the past,
notably when it nominated and elected
Cleveland, but we don't believe it will
this year make the mistake Of allow
ing q very small bobtail wag the whole
deg. Patron and Cleaner Oem.).
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-04-12
The OYSTER FRAUD cAsRs.

For some time THE PROGRESSIVE
FARMER has been making it warm for
the oyster fraud cases in Carteret
and Pamlieo counties, which, accord
ing to u information, are amongst
the most transparent frauds ever
known in the State. We have not
only denounced the real perpetrators,
or would be perpetrators, but recently
criticized the attorneys who, we are
informed, undertook to recover the
court costs from the State for part OF
the money.
Some days agoex Judge W. R. Allen,
Of GoIdsboro, one of the attorneys, who
have been trying to cov costs from
the State, addressed a letter to the
editor of this paper asking if he would
be allowed space to reply to edi-
torials in regard to the oyster cases.
We promptly informed him that he
would be given a hearing at any time.
In our issue Of the 9Th he had an article
nearly two columns in length giving
his views as to the justice Of the claims
against the State. We replied to this
vigorously and pointediy. and again
questioned the moral right Of the at
torneYs to undertake to c elect these
costs from the State. In doing so we
did not intend to convey the idea that
the attorneys were guilty of attempt
ing to defraud the State "a the
that the perpetrators of the frauds
are, but did emphatically condemn
their action in trying to recover money
from the State on these accounts which
we are fully convinced are fraudulent.
We claim the right to express such opin
ions al any TINA, and do not believe that
we went beyond the legitimate limits OF
newspaper discussion in doing so. II
60, then the usefulness Of the press is
gone, and every editor of the land Is
guilty of libel in some form every time
he expresses an emphatic opinion
which may not be complimentary.
It seems that Judge Allen let his
temper get ahead of his idea of the
right to express an opinion, and on the
7Gh he took cut a warrant for the editor
Of this paper charging libel. The editor
went to Goldsboro Friday, waived *
animation and gave the required bond
of $500 for bis appearance at the next
term of Wayne county Superior Court.
Judge Allen and everybody else are
hereby notified that libel suits cannot
suppress the right to express opinions
Tee editor OF THE PRoGREssGvE FARMER
has been treated to all kinds of at
tempted intimidation before. Il it be
comes necessary, we can stay behind
locks and bars and keep up the fight,
and the OF ster cases will and shall be
fully ventilated. A thousand libel
suits will never swerve this paper from
what it believes to be it's duty. The
people must and shall have a paper
that cannot be purchased nor fright
ened. In doing Duh duty we may make
mistakes, may do unintertional ipjus-
tice. But no paper is more ready to
correct mistakes when we are con
vinced of the fact.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-04-12
n. e. p. A.
EDITORIAL NOTES.

The Kinston Free Press now appears
as a daily. The Free Press always
keeps near the front rank, and we o
graduate it upon its success.
We regret to learn that Bro. J. T. B
Hoover is rot improving as rapidly as
mis- friends hoped for. We hope he
will soon recover, however.
Don't let a boss grow up in your
party. The absence Of the boss is
sufficient to make a pretty good
party out of a party that has no one
else in it.
Elections were held in numerous
cities in Ohio and Michigan last week.
National issues cut no figure Eleven
Ohio cities went Democratic and eight
Republican.
It you wish to raise artichokes for
your hogs, get good seed, Toe wild
variety is Of no value. Try the White
French or Jerusalem Rrtichoke. They
cost money, but will pay you.
Simple, unadulterated, unpurch
able, unbulldozsbIe manhood" is the
single plank in the platform of n
candidate in the Southern States
When a man really believes in and
works for this doctrine, men Of all
parties should support him.
Don't be content with simply raising
your own vegetables. Raise your own
fruit also. An exchange wisely re
marks that If '~'auybody's table ought
to be supplied with all the delicacies
of the season it is the farmers, and he
has only himself to blame if it is not
So"
Flowers add so much to the beauty
Of the home that we feel inclined to
call the attention of all readers to the
advisability of planting more Of them
this spring Beauty is no more out of
place around the farmers home than
in the grounds around the Governors
mansion.
Don't let your orchard die out. Give
it careful attention. Raise raspber.
ries, blackberries, strawberries, grapes,
plenty of fruit, flowers and watermel-
ons, and it is not at all probable that
you will envy your city brother when
old Sol makes it ''hot enough for u.s.
next summer.
A terrible food, resulting from break
ing of the levees, which let in the Ohio
river, at ShaWneetown, I'LL, recently
As a result, twenty three are known to
be dead, a possibility that the list may
reach 80; 1 500 people are in actual
need of the n~ece0saries of life; 700 peo-
pie are homeless. About 5000, 600
worth of property was lost.
Mark Twain in his new book tells of
a man who took q drink of Whiskey
on q ship before going on shore. He
was fined a small sum for import duty,
$25 for not declaring the goods; another
$25 for falsely declaring that he had
nothing dutiable about him, $25 also
for concealing the goods and $3.50 for
smuggling. OF course, all this simply
occurred in the gray matter deposited
In Marks Uranium. Mark says he can
never tell a lie that any one will doubt
nor q lie that any one win believe.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-04-12
AN SPEECH.

Fridays dailies report that repre-
sentativea of the six great European
powers, Great Britain, France, Ger
many, Austria, Russia, and Italy
called upon the President, and had a
conference regarding the outlook.
The President received his distin-
guished visitors in the blue room, and
Sir Julian Pauncefote acted as spokes.
man. He said:
Mr.. Presidents:
1--WE have been commissioned by
the great powers of Europe whom we
represent here to day to approach
Your Excellency with a message OF
friendship and peace at the present
critical ~juncture in the relations be
tween the United States and Spain,
and convey to you the sentiments ex-
pressed by the collective note which l
have the honor to place in your hands"
The note is as follows:
"The undersigned representatives of
Germany, Austria, Hungary, France,
Great Britain, Italy and Russia, duly
authorized in that behalf, address in
the name Of their respective govern
ments, a pressing appeal to the feelings
of humanity and moderation of the
President and Of the American people,
in their existing differences with Spain.
They earnestly hope that further nego-
tiations will load TO an agreement which
while securing the maintenance OF
peace will afford all necessary guaran
tee for the re establishment of order IN
Cuba. The powers do not doubt that
the humanitarian and purely disinter
ested character Of this representation
will be fully recognized and apprecia-
ted by the American nation"
The Presidents reply which throws
a ray of light upon his feelings in the
matter is as follows:
''The government OF the United
States recognizes the good will which
has prompted the friendly conmunica
ton of the representatives. Of Germany,
Austria, Hungary, France, Great Brit
ain, Italy and Russia, as set forth in
the address of your Excellencies. and
shares the hope therein expressed that
the outcome of the situation in Ouha
may be the maintenance Of peace be
tween the United States and Spain by
efOrding the necessary guarantee for
the re-esgsblishment Of order in the
island, so terminating the chronic con
dition of disturbance there, which so
deeply Injuries the interests and me
nances the tranquility of the American
nation by the character and conse
quences of the struggle thus kept up
at our doors, besides shocking it's sen.
timent of humanity.
THE government Of the United
States appreciates the humanitarianand
d~isinterested character Of the commu
nication now made on behalf of the
powers named, and for its part is con
fdent that equal appreciation will be
shown for it's own earnest and unset
fsh endeavors to fulfill a duty to hu
manity by ending a situation the in
definite prolongation of which has be.
come insuferable."
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-04-12

81 am standing noa0 Just behind the
sErtain, and En TtsU gIOtO Of the cOnsSHg
sunset. Behind ne are the shGdoUS on
Sc track, before me lies the daTk VALLEY
aad the riser. When I mGDgLe tC&th sts
lark iUuteTs I s1dHt TO cast one LtTgeT-
tsg0 look upon q country SehOse govern
assnt is Of the people, for the people,
sad By the people, "-L. L. Polk, july
Ffb, 1890.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-04-12

Reading Congressional and other
political proceedings suggests thatpub-
lIc officials think they swore TO support
a political party instead OF the consti
tuition of che United States Farm
Stock and Home.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-04-12

Chairman Peoples party Sssts =,
ecu6ive Committee"
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-04-12

The editor 10 not responsible for the
views of correspondents.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-04-12

The Progressive Farmer 10 the oHciaI
Organ Of the N. c. Farmers' State AIIianee