The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-06-19
A RIGHTEOUS CONCLUSION.
lRoxhoro Couricr.l

Editors Couricr:- Please allow me
space in your valuable paper to express
my feeling in regard to the political
situation.
1t is known by most Of the people in
Person county that l have been Pop
ulist ever since the organization of that
party. We have had some bad leaders.
have made mistakes and have been Sc
vercly criticized Yet / must say the
Populist party has done great good, but
| think the time has come for change.
Now | think the rank and file of the
Populist party are good, honest men and
want to do what is right and best for
the country Brother, lets sacrifice party
rather than principle. We must remem-
Der that it doesn't pay to bite off our
nose to spite our face
have read the platform adopted by
the Democratic State Convention very
carefully, and | think every true Popu-
list can. and ought, to endorse every
word of it. But some POpulist will say,
that Convention was ruled by the gold
bug Democrats, and while the platform
is good enough, it will never he carried
into effect. Brother, if that is your idea
then you should he more determined to
JON in and help those that are faithful.
We know that there are good. honest
men IN the Democratic party and we
also know that the Populist party is too
weak to ever accomplish anything. by
itself.
But one will say, we offered to coop
crate with the Democrats and they
would not accept our proposition. Wen,
| don't blame them for that, for il / can
understand right, there was Il certain
clause in that proposition that meant to
put certain men back in office in 1900,
and ! think any honest man would be op-
posed to anything Of that kind.
But another will say they would not
offer a proposition to us, bat merely in
Yited us to come over and ioin them.
and besides said harsh things about MS.
Brother, the Democratic party is not
responsible for what a few hot-hcaded
men say or do, and we cannot afford to
stand off ON that account.
Christ offers only one way to saliva
ton. VIII you be lost because you
can't go your way?
We seem to have some very good
Populists during the campaigns, but if
you had been ut the meeting Of the last
General Assembly of North Carolina
You would have thought nearly the whole
crowd were Republicans They would
not have been much more alike if they
had been dressed IN uniform.
All true Populists anG Democrats
agree on the main issue, and that is
the free coinage of silver. Then why
not come oyer and help fight the enemy
now and get ready for the campaign in
1900.
We all agree that the free coinage Of
silver is very essential to the Prosperity
of our country; and we all agree thar
this is a white mans country ana that
it is very essential that it should be
ruled by white men. Then let's get to-
sether. II the Democrats won't meet
us half way. let's 90 back and save our
Nation, State and County. We cannot
afford to stay in the middel of the
road-that is just what the Republicans
and GOdbug Democrats want TO see us
do. Neither can afford to fuse with the
Republicans, our principle will not per-
NIT it.
! have been Populst for about
seven years and have tried TO he n true
one. | joined the party because
thought it was right and not for the sake
Of office, although my name has been
mentioned in several conventions for Of
fee. | have never yet sacrificed princi-
pie. ] think every true man will sac
rifice office rather than principle
For fear some one will saw | was
prompted by the hope of office to write
this letter, | will say / don't ask -,rI
any office, neither do / expect any. All
that want is to get the people together
md be made to feel easy and at home
while in the Democratic ranks.
n. J.. WAGSTAFF.
Winstead. n. G.. Innn Z