Election 1898 Political Cartoons in the Progressive Farmer
The Progressive Farmer was the official organ of the North Carolina Farmers Alliance, and was an open advocate for the Populist party. Under the editorship of Clarence Poe, the paper had initially stayed away from political issues through the summer and early fall of 1898, focusing instead on practical advice for farmers. However, by late October of 1898, with the Democrats seizing control of the campaign, the paper began to address the political struggle.
The Populists Make Their Case Against the Democrats: November 4, 1898
This editorial, originally published in the Progressive Farmer, was reprinted in the Charlotte People's Paper on November 4, just a few days before the election. The Populists accuse the "aristocratic" Democratic party of favoring business interests at the expense of poorer North Carolinians. While the paper does not appear sympathetic to African Americans, it does argue that the cries of "negro domination" are used to distract from the real issues of the campaign.
People's Party Handbook.
The Official 1898 Platform for the Populist Party. (Digitized by Documenting the American South.) Full transcript available.