The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1892-10-14
The Populist Candidate for
Congress talks Politics.
SILVER is THE GREAT ISSUE
A Synopsis of the speech delivered in
the City Hall Thursday evening by
Capt. Gum on Political issues.

Capt. James Gum, the Populist
candidate for congress, addressed a
large audience at the City Hall
Thursday evening. AS tile Popu
list idea is not so well understood
as those of the. other parties, we
give space for the following extracts
from his speech:
The members of the peoples par
ty in North Idaho may be some
what anxious to know what follow
ing their principles command in
other parts of the state. We claim
that we can carry the following
counties in central and southern
Idaho-Custer, Alturas, Logan, FL
more, Owyhee, Washington and
Ada. Bingham, Bear Lake, Onei-
da, and Cassia are in doubt The
speaker said he would not specu-
late on the northern counties until
he had finished his campaign, but
if the people here would stand by
themselves as faithfully as people
in other parts Of the state, Idaho
would be redeemed from the en-
shaving power of Wall Street. !
have been heretofore very ardent
republican. For that reason many
seem to think that my going away
from the party now is the act Of a
sorehead or Of a disappointed pol
itician, when nothing can be furth
er from the truth. Nolene was ever
treated any bettes. v i party than
| was by the republicans, Had She
relations existing between myself
and my party associates was always
of the most pleasant and agreeable
character. We did not part in an
ger but with regret. left the
party because | could not endorse
the Minneapolis platform. When
they voted silver down they voted
me out.
The tariff has been discussed by
the American people from the in
ception of our government to the
present time with one short inter
mission commencing about 1850
and running down through the fif-
ties and sixties. At that time the
slavery question loomed up and be
came the al-labsorbing topic Of po-
litical dispute. Until that issue
was settled tariff discussion ceased
There are issues before the people
of far greater importance. than tar
iff. Let us do as all did once before
in the history of our government
lay tariff discussion aside unit
these more vital questions are dis
posed Of. 1t is a difficult matter tC
tell lust what the difference is be
tween the democratic and republi
can parties on this issue. Grove
Cleveland says that "the democrat
shall not be frightened by the spec
tire of impossible free trade" AnC
Benjamin Harrison boasts that un
der his administration a create
; percentage of foreign goods came il
free than ever before in the histor.
Of the country. Thus with dem
ocratic candidate for the presidenc,
saying that free trade is spectre
and a republican candidate for tn
presidency boasting Of the size G
the free list, we may well feel just
flied in saying that the tariff is n
longer an issue.
Whenever a great national re
form is to be worked out, it is ney
!. er done inside of the old party lines
but by creating a new party to az
compiish that end. When the RI
publican party came into existenC
there were two organizations a
ready in the field. The Wings an
the Democrats, but the people bC
) come satisfied that as they wei
then constituted they could not Sc
tie the slavery question, so the
L went outside the old party lines an
created new party, endowed
with the functions necessary to wi
success, and, in its day, it becan