The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-03-15

on the o naha and ST. Louis platforms,
fighting for ell the tenets of populism,
who can bear the banner of fusion9
who can bear the shield Of "Chair-
man" Butler3 Let him rise.
BIT Mr.. Wilcox insinuates that I
am a Skinner or a Mckinley Populist,
and that ''true Populists" are Skinner
or Mex inley Populisss, who combine
with Republicans and elect goldbugs.
For myself I could reply very accu.
rately by saying that M. Wilcox is a
Chicago platform and Sewall Demo
crat, but then I am no Skinner or Nc
Klnley Populist. I could reply, equally
as accurately, by saying that Chairman
Butler is now Senator by virtue of q
fusion deal with Republicans, which
elected goldbug Prichard Senator,
and several goldbug Republican Con-
gressmen, but then the 'true Populist"
are not Skinner or Mckinley POpulists
and the insinuation needs mo reply.
The true Populists are those who did
not lose their rudder and their COM
pass In the storm of 90, who have not
since been wasted out to sea by the
fusion gale. They have not been
caught like suckers with the bait 5of
hypocricy on the Democratic ma
chine hook. They r men-men Of
stamina, hrmness and prieciple. They
stood over the cradle of Populism,
nourished it, defended it and fought Its
battles. They freely gave it their
time, substance and labor. They never
raised the white flag to any enemy, but
they contended every inch Of ground
on the battle fields. They do not
change like a weather cock with every
squat of wind, but firm, u~nfalteripg,
and ~unyielding as the tide, they ever
raise the banner Of Populism and point
onward to complete and triumphant
victory, as the finger of the shepherd
boy to Waterloo. Does the old veteran
Alliancem9n recall that In 1890, Ibe-
lieve il was, the Democratic party pro
fesssd second birth-a regeneration
in the South, and endorsed the Alliance
Demands, and just itched for a chance
to ingraft them into laWi You be-.
lieved them and trusted them, and you
elected to Congress some thirty odd
Democrats, pledged solemnly to your
Demands What did they do for you9
They betrayed you and laughed at
your Demands. Oaly one stood by
you-Tom Watson, Of GeorgiR-and
he stands with you t today. He doesn't
ask you to go back into the Democratic
party, to be betrayed again, but to go
forward and battle for Alliancemen
for populEsm.
Mr.. Wilcox not being satisfied with
his defence of Mr.. BuEler's record az
Chairman" goes back to 81 and '99
and .'94 and extolls and defends the
record of plain Mr.. Butler, aud sena-
tor Butler, and then comes on down to
Chairman" Butler, and Gays in appar-
emit despair : He may have made mis-.
takes as Chairman. I don't know
about that" Now, I did not attack or
disparags the record of plain MI. But
Ter, or Ssnatar Butler. I attacked only
his usurpstion Of authority and mis-
management nc Chairman" which
Mr.. Wilcox admits Mr.. Butler may be
guilty Of; that he don't know about
that" Then why attempt to defend
"OhaiTm N" Butler3 Why attempt to
hold up the hands of him whose policy
is crucifying the PJpulist party on the
silver plated Gross Of machine Democ-
racy, and thereby sinking populism
into the gravel
1t is all very we'll to exclaim in q
burst of enthusiasm, ST care not un-
der what name or leader I fight if he
carries the banner Of free coinage, and
the peoples rights" BUTT is danger
GUS to carry it into practice without
reason and judgment, because some.
times the livery of heaven Is stolen TO
serve the devil In. and so, the Demo
cratic machine has stolen q part of the
livery Of populism to win the Offices.
to serve themselves. the money king
the enemies Of populism, and liberty.
Fusion with the Democratic machine
that Is controlled by goldbugs this
year, and will be again in 1900" means
death to the Populist party and pop
ulism.
Populists, soldiers of the rank and
file, che q lestion In before you, fusion.
or no fusion, Whichl
P. L. GARDNER.