The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1908-05-18
REST OR AGITATION?
A Candid Invitation to More
Agitation, But the People Cry
for Quiet.

Agitation, But the People Cry
for Quiet.
Charlotte Observer.
Mr.. A. H. Eller, of Winston,
writes in behalf of one of the
candidates for the nomination
for Governor, giving ten reasons
why he thinks his favorite should |
secure it. Mr.. Eller is an attor-
ney and gentleman of repute,
was the manager Of Governor
Glenn's campaign for the nomi-
nation four years ago and is, we
see, assisting Mr.. Manning in the |
management Of the campaign for
Mr.. Kitchin. Itmay be assumed, |
therefore, that he speaks by the
book. One Of the ten reasons
he gives why this gentleman
should be nominated runs thus:
18th. Admitted abuses have
not yet been corrected; needed
reforms have not yet been ac-
complished; it is not the time for
the people to yield to a reaction
airy movement and permit a Re-
publican panic to overwhelm
Democratic principles. When
Thomas jefferson and his COM
peers dared to sign the Declara-
ton of Independence, there were
those who said, Don't do it; it
will hurt business. We have
some of their descendants and
disciples with US today, and they
are all against Kitchin.' -
The friends Of the other two
candidates never hoped for so
frank an avowal of purpose as
this, nor can they desire more.
If there is one thing the people
Of North Carolina of all classes
and occupations are tired of it is
political reform, " and here we
have the implied promise of
more of it, of more correction of
abuses. s." There is only one re-
form that is needed; only one
abuse that needs to be corrected,
and that is discriminative freight
rates. Upon this subject the
people are Embellishments,
Republicans, everybody. 1t must
come, but it will come in an Or
derby way, without setting the
State by the ears. 1T is not a
time we are told, for the
people to yield to a reactionary
movement. " If this means any
thing at all it means that this is
not a time for peace, but that
what we need is more agitation,
more disturbance. Panic condi-
tons are not as bad as they can
be but we must aggravate them
by starting another movement to
correct admitted abuses" and
accomplish needed reforms. "
What abuses? What reforms?
The people cry for quiet; they
beg to be let alone; they say,
I Don't agitate any more; there
has been too much of it; agitation
hurts business the mer-
chant, the farmer, the laboring
man, everybody. Give US a rest"
and they receive for reply, 'T'
ell with business! We are out
for the offices bigger ones and
better ones and the only way to
get them is to stir the people up
again. When the State is at
peace, when the people are ask
ing no more than that they be
left at repose under their vines
and fig trees, left to pursue their
business without interference,
the times are compared with the
period when the liberty of con-
tlnent was the issue and the cleo
ton of an agitator for Gov
ernor of North Carolina is
by inference compared in
Importance with the signing of
the Declaration of Independence!
In shining contrast with all this
we present the conclusion of The
Robesonian's report of the speech
OF MIR. Locke Craig before a
great audience at Lumberton
Wednesday night of last week:
He declared that he was
tired of the spirit of agitation and
that he wanted to do something
to set the wheels of industry.
whose idleness has thrown MANY
men out of employment, in mo-
ton"
And that is what is needed in
North Carolina-to foreswear ag-
ltation and do something to make
the wheels go round.