S CTIONALISM. 253 



the rising sun of an auspicious and inviting future, and reconsecrate our- 

 selves to the holy purpose of transmitting to our posterity a government 

 "of the people, by the people, and for the people," and which shall be 

 unto all generations the citadel of refuge for civil and religious liberty. 



SECTIONALISM. 



BY HON. B. H. CLOVER, VICE-PRESIDENT NATIONAL FARMERS' ALLIANCE AND 

 INDUSTRIAL UNION, AND MEMBER OF CONGRESS FROM THE THIRD DISTRICT OF 

 KANSAS. 



" In peace there is nothing so much becomes a man as modest stillness and humility." 

 RIENZI. 



Following the thought of the famous Roman orator, I would fain 

 maintain a "modest stillness"; but I see in our country a condition 

 that never could have existed but for the false and pernicious teachings 

 of those who stir up strife and keep alive the fires of sectional hate. 



Do you ask for what purpose is this ceaseless arraignment of the 

 North against the South, and the South against the North, kept up? 

 One who has been chief in the strife, and loudest in his demands for "a 

 solid North against a solid South," says that they have been "alienated 

 by those who sought to prey upon them." 



This is surely a frank admission. He further says that "invidious 

 discriminations have robbed them of their substance, and unjust tariffs / 

 have repressed their industries." The objects of sectional agitators can 

 not be more fully and tersely stated. Some of them, possibly by reason 

 of their ignorance, were honest in their belief; but with the great major- 

 ity self-aggrandizement, and the service of an oppressive and unscrupu- 

 lous combination of public robbers, was the sole end in view. 



So successful have been their efforts that the money power of the world 

 has laid tribute upon honest industry, and the laborer, once king, finds 

 himself a pauper, a wanderer, a homeless, nameless stranger in the land 

 of his fathers. Samson, while listening to the siren song of the party 

 Delilah, was shorn of his locks, of his strength, of his manhood, and 

 virtually of his freedom. But some may say, Has sectionalism done 

 all this ? Gentle reader, let me ask, Could any other thing have kept the 

 people so blinded to their interest, that, having the ballot in their hands, 

 they would have allowed the soul-and-body-destroying, monopolistic 

 influences to wrap their slimy folds around each and every industry, and 

 send the honest toiler shivering to a hovel, and elegant idleness to a 

 palace ? 



