The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-02-08
ENDORSES "SENAToR" BUTLER;
DENoUNCES "CHAIR-
NAN" BUTLER.

correspondence of The Progressive Farmer.
want q word with you. / want to
ask you some questions, and / would
like TO- have you answer them. My
excuse, it an excuse is necessary, for
directing these questions to you through
the columns of your paper, is that you.
invited your readers to attack you
when they cidn't agree with you, and
I am one who does not know whether
! agree with you or not, because ! do
not know, and cannot ascertain by
reading after you, how you stand on a
certain vexed and vital question.
Now, / am not going to attack or
question in any manner, your creed, or
editorials, for I believe them to be
sound. With the chart OF Polk as your
guide, and his patriotism, zeal, and
loyalty as your example, you could
not, end would not, I know, through
The PROGRESSIVE FARMER, the legacy
of Polk, hold and disseminate other
than the principles of reform.
But what of your policy9 Why do
you peacefully acquiesce, or acquiesce
at all, in Buffers policy as National
Chairman Of the Populist pRrty3
Has he not In 18 short months as a
self constituted dictator of the policy
OF the party almost completely ami
hilated it2 And especially where his
policy prevailed in the late State cleo
tiou7
As a result>of his policy, and direct
efforts and advice, has not the Populist
party disappeared in Iowa, and its
composite elements been absorbed by
the parties from whence they originally
came3 And even after the Democrats
mad scorned and spat upon the Popu
lists 10 Ohio, and left them no other
honorable course to pursue, than to
0A5 up a ticket OF their own, which
they did, did Butler not stoop from his
high pedestal of honor to oppose and
&C. Islander it, Did he not heap con.
tumely and abuse upon his own party's
convention, and it's nominees in that
State9 Did he not sing the siren song
of Union to beat Hanna" which
meant abandonment of the Populist
party and a return TO the old Brice and
Mclean Doodle party of Democracy
Did not his policy of opposition to in
dependent action on our part, smash
Populism in Kansas and Colorado, and
wipe it off the slate in Kentucky and
VirginiaQ In all this has he not abused
and betrayed the trust the Populists
reposed in him in ST. Louis7
In advocating, or rather secretly in
~augurating fusion, Butler is doing the
~enocratic perty more resi- and last
ing service. and Populism more unpar-
donable injury than any campaigner
who VI faced a voter. He is build
ing up Democracy at the expense of
Populism. Everywhere, diminished
Populism is the fruition Of his policy.
This is overwhelming evidence of his
unfaithfulness, and incapacity as the
leader Of a once great and growing
party.
Our own State that to day calls for
the unity of her defenders to rescue
her from the impending disaster Of the
~reescension of bourbonism, beholds
them riven into four factions under the
rule or ruin hand of Butler. There are
the straight PopulisSs, the Butterflies,
the Skinnerites, and those who have
lost hope and confidence and have gone
out of politics.
And In the nation, when and where
and what party has ever been so wo
fully disorganized7 Torn, mutilated,
and bleeding as it might be said, an
arm lies here, a leg yonder, the head
here and the body yonder, and over
this scene hovers Butler like a ghost
with his chilly influence commanding
to those who would dress the wounds
OF Populism, and minister to it's life,
s'hands off, you Hannaites and Road
ers. Hush be silent and wait, and let
the rents and wounds heal. Let the
pieces grow back together, and the
past be forgotten" (and with a wink
at ia. Ka. Jones, $50 / can fuse 'em
again in 1902 and then a Satanic
laugh.)
After so p~ersistently bending the
party to his own stubborn will, instead
of yielding to the judgment of the
party. l suppose it is natural that ne
should wish to avoid the ~searchlight
of a national conference and to escape
the action of an early National Conven.
ton. But how absurd for him to ex-
pect the factions to re unite without an
effect, the pieces to crawl back with,
out assistance, readjust themselves,
and grow back together like the pieces