The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1910-06-02
SOME DEMOCRATIC HYPOCRISY
Mr.. j. l.. Ramsey, in a Strong Article
Tells Why He Left the Democratic
Party, and Why He is Now a Re
pubiican-A Review of Political
Conditions I'm North Carolina.

Conditions I'm North Carolina.
Editor of The Caucasian-Enterprise: {:
believe that question of person
al privilege takes precedence over
everything else in most legislative
and deliberative bodies. Without
consent of the presiding officer no
member or delegate has the right to
speak or take the floor for any pur-
pose when another member Is speak
ing. | do not know that the floor Is
occupied now. II it is. | rise to a
question of personal privilege and
the other gentleman will please take
brief rest.
For some years l have been mac
tive in politics. This is OF but little
consequence to either of the great
parties, the public or myself. political
ly speaking. But citizen, no mat
ter how humble, has certain rights
and privileges at any and all times
privileges that cannot be denied him.
| believe that 1t is now my privilege
and my duty to join the Republican
party and exercise my rights as a
citizen in and through that party.
In a matter of this kind no public
announcement is necessary. If pub
lie notice is given at all, a dozen
lines might be sufficient, especially
when, as in this instance, the citizen
Is a mere "hewer of wood and a
drawer of water" But, having TAX
en- advantage of the almost sacred
personal privilege parliamentary rule,
am going to say few words about
myself and about politics, that
seductive and unknown quantity and
quality that has been, is, and may
be, of grave Importance to each and
every one of us. for in a government
much to do with our general pros
perity Bad crop years, low prices
of labor and of products, financial
panics and other things, may bring
on serious trouble at any time. But
a weak and unstable government may
cause crash, even when natural
conditions appear to be good, that
will shake the country to its very
foundations.
Being a native of this State, and
having been to some extent in public
view, and knowing many people from
one end of the State to the other,
and being personally known to a
large number, it should follow that |
need not attempt to give more than
a glance at my personal history. But
as I have been so persistently and SO
unjustly maligned by certain social
ed Democratic newspapers during a
period Of many years, much of which
1 passed unnoticed, l am inclined to
think 1t best to say few words
though the hour is late.
Some years ago. when | was quite
young man and was engaged In
farming, this entire country was al
most crushed by long period OIL
business depression. Farmers, mer,
chants and every class of our citi
zens were well-nigh paralyZed.
Prices were we'll up in some things
| But the price of the principal farm
products, such as corn, wheat, cotton
tobacco, and most other things
reached the lowest level recorded IL
modern times. Up to that time the
average farmer knew but little abou
politics or the science of government
The average politician and the aver
age newspaper had taken grea
deal of pains to see that the farme
did nothing except the voting ant
the heavy tax-paying. Now and thel
when a red-hot campaign was OF
they would ask the farmers to g
out to the speakings, ride in a horse
back procession, etc. The FARMER
would then hear a lot OF rant an
cant and a lot of talk intended t
arouse sectional and partisan preju
dice, much Of it mere rot. In tn
fall they would be allowed to vote
+ provided they voted Democratic. Blu
more glorious than all, the farmer
would be allowed to pay taxes in tn
fall, too.
I grew up in a Democratic neigf
borhood and naturally was poisone
by the deadly miasma that usual
1 infects the atmosphere. tried to
+ conservative, reasonable. At the FIR
election after 1 passed the age of
I voted the full Democratic tick
from President down to townsh
constable, with one exception. o.
I of the Democratic nominees for Il
r Legislature, though very good ma
Y in most respects, had formed
% strong feeling of prejudice again
the Farmers Alliance, an organic
tion to which belonged at the tim
T was Secretary of my local lod
also Secretary of the county organ
u zation. At the election that fall
ID scratched" the name Of the woul
r. be legislator and twenty-odd of t
m free American citizens who voted
the same box did likewise. Tn
" were all Democrats, too. At the til
this gentleman had rather f1atteri
political prospects ahead of him. E
OF the scratching of his name unt
al the circumstances caused the pa
IT managers to hesitate and the gent
man finally drifted back to the 10
some squad of 'has-beens" 8
IL "might-have-beens."
A little later I went to Rale
and was editor of the State organ
M the organization mentioned abe
, a for several years. or. until the