The Progressive Farmer

ABOUT THOSE PROMISES.

The Charlotte News of the 5th inst., said:

"It will be remembered that just after the election, the office of The Progressive Farmer was deluged with tears, and the paper fairly bristled with promises to confine itself strictly to agriculture and simon pure Alliance matters. Its last issue was about as mean as any it got out during the campaign. It fairly heaps abuse upon the legislature and says 'it insulted the people of the State every day it was in session.' The paper which makes this declaration is the official organ of the State Alliance, and has ever since the legislature been trying to show that it was not in politics. It is working all the while for the Third party. It says to-day of Cleveland: 'The people who voted for him in the West and South will curse their own action in less than four years.' This paper has, or has had, a large circulation in Virginia and has been poisoning the minds of Democrats in that State."

The statement about the tears is imaginary, THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER has done nothing to cry about. The promises made have been kept. It has been confined to "agriculture and simon pure Alliance matters." The editor did not sell his soul nor liberty as the News would have it believed. So long as the Democratic or any other party lets the Alliance and its principles alone, there will be no trouble. But when the party, through its representatives or press, jumps on the organization as it has done and is doing all the time, THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER stands ready to throw grape, canister and shell into the camps of all opposing forces. As organ of the North Carolina State Alliance THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER would fall short of its duty if it did not condemn and expose all such treachery and contemptible measures. We have nothing to say against the rank and file of any party. But we cannot remain silent when the North Carolina legislature, the party press and its two by four politicians attempt to destroy the Alliance or abridge the liberty of our members. We shall not mince words, either. We have commended the legislature when it did anything worthy, but that was not often. It had some good men in it. Some of the Democrats were as fair and as honest as any men in North Carolina. But somehow a majority of the members, without regard to party, lacked both sense and fairness. THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER belongs to no party. No party can dictate its policy. Neither does it belong to the Alliance. The officials cannot dictate its policy. But at the same time we are always ready to counsel with any of the Alliance officials, the executive committee or individual members of the Order as to what is best to be done in Alliance matters. But we do not counsel with party bosses in any party, and that is the trouble with some people. Doubtless many members of the Alliance do not agree at all times with the matter in the paper. We do not try to please everybody. But we get many letters commending our course, and but few condemning it. The objections invariably come from political papers or politicians. This is proof that we are in the middle of the road, and we expect to stay there.

The News complains that we have "poisoned the minds of Democrats." We have no desire to poison the minds of anybody, no matter what party they affiliate with. But if telling the truth and exposing wrong poisons their minds, all right. We don't propose to fall short of our duty because truth happens to "poison" somebody's mind. People have been hanged or burned at the stake for telling the truth. Some of the political bosses in North Carolina want to adopt that style, the News for instance.

The News also complains because we do not praise Cleveland. We have asserted time and again that Cleveland has done more than any one man to engraft a policy on his party that is highly detrimental to the welfare of the agricultural, industrial and business interests of the Republic. We have backed the statements up with proof. Until we begin to wear a collar (which will never be) we expect to express our opinion freely about men, parties or anything else. If we choose to praise a man or a party it is nobody's business. If we criticize them it is nobody's business. There is nobody inside the Alliance ranks nor outside them that can put a collar on the editor of this paper. So the News and organs of the other parties in this country can prepare for hearing the truth every week.

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