Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-09-29
WEAVER AND FIELD.
They Write a Joint Letter Of Ac-
Ceptance.
They Declare For Free Ballot and Fair
Count-The Success of the Peoples
Party Held to be the True
Remedy.

PENSACOLA, Fla, Sept. 10. - Gen.
Weaver and Gen. Field, the peoples
party candidates for president and vice
president, have issued the following ai.
dress:
To the People of the United States:
Having been nominated respectively for the
Office OF president and vice president by the ma
tonal convention OF the peoples party which
assembled at Omaha july 4, 1892, we take this
method Of formally notifying the public of our
acceptance OF the nominations and of our ap-
probation of the honor conferred upon US by
the action of the convention We are heartily
in accord with the platform of principles adopt
ed By that convention, anC If elected will en-
deavor to faithfully carry out the demands in
letter and spirit
We have been requested by the national COM
mittee to visit the various states of the union
so far as it should be within our power and to
address the people upon the political situation
and issues preSen ted in the pla torn We are
now in the discharge of that duty, having al
ready one or both Of US visited fifteen states in
the northwest and south and If health and
strens tn are spared We intend 10 continue The
work until the campaign is closed. We have
been received with cordiality. The enthusiasm
everywhere is without parallel and extends TO
every part OF the union have visited b.
contact with the people we have become &C
quainted with their wants and sufferings and
have been brought face to face with the mani
1oio perilS which so seriously threaten our civ
ll1zat1on ana the overthrow OF popular gov
eminent We wish to express our judgment
freely and without reserve in order that we
may stand acquitted before our fellow and
our own conscience touching the whole matter.
The people are in po7erty- Their substance
is being devoured by hearileSs 1nonopolists.
trusts pools and money sharks. Labor is
largely unemployed, and where work is obtain
able the wages paid small and the products
OF labor not paying the cost of production
This is matter OF serious concern to the whole
nd 81
parties are every where controlled by the great
monopoly and money centers aud manifest utter
disregard for the wants ana wishes CT the people
The parties are hostile camps arrslyed on sec
tionai lines, and represent the bitterness and
cruelteS Of the past, every four years discussing
the issues OF the late war which should long since
have been allowed pass from The political dis
cuSSlonS OF the day NotwithS landing the bit
terness existing between the old parties they
vie with each other in their subservience TO
cdpitalistic and corporate greed. They are in
capable OF dealing sincerely with the vast prob
lens evolved bv the growth of the last quarter
Of century. Upon the great economic oues-
tons OF the age they are practically one in pur-
pose, differing just enough 10 enable them
carry on sham battle, while the work of rob-
berry ana spoliatfOn proceeds unabated In the
meantime the farmers and planters, north and
south, and wage-earners everywhere are pro-
scribed, ulaltreated, brought into competition
with convict labor. and in many instances shot
down by n1rcd InercenarieS acting under order
of arrogant corpora tions who have UnbluShingly
usurped the functions of the government and
presumed in its stead These corpor-
ations dominate the daily press and control the
lines of daily communication with the people.
- still greater peril-we hold that The right
of free ballot and fair count are rights pre-
seryatve OF all rights, and upon thei- inviola-
-biity rests the perpetuity OF free institutions
and representative government We are
panied to discover in the public mind of the
southern states through which we have passed
a widespread loss of confidence the part OF
lions in receiving the ballots OF The people and
counting them for the candidate Of their choice
We think that this evil must be corrected by
the intelligence and integrity of the people OF
the country. otherwise scenes of riot and per
haps bloodshed may follow these efforts
Of parties in charge Of the ballot boxes
to defraud the Will OF the voter They
viii lead to n serious collision. and that
quickly. After consultation with The people
believe it to be true beyond reasonable QusS-
ton that the majority Of white voters with
the peoples party in every southern state thus
far visited. and our information leads Us To De
lleVe that the same thing IS true in the other
states also The white people leaving the
old parties and casting their lots with u.s. and
numbers are constantly increasing We
are informed by q large number of intelligent
and reputable people that in the recent state
election in Alabama Capt. Kolo was chosen
governor by over 4O.OJO majority, and Yet his
opponent was counted in by q majority OF i, 200.
County tickets throughout the state were
counted out and others counted in
By the same unblushing methods we are in
formed that in the state election. which oc-
Cured in Arkansas the 5th OF September, at
least $500 qualified voters OF the state were
deprived If the right of suffrage, that the re-
turns were inaccurate: and at this election the
peoples party, though polling large vote in
the state, were denied representation in the ap-
pointment OF judges ana commissioners by
whom the election to be conducted In
consequence of these methods the viii Of the
authorized voters have been defeated The
only thing that trends in that state have TO
guide them is IN the few counties that had an
honest count. In every one of these counties
our vote ran fully up TO expectations
In Washington, Independence, White,
Clark, Nevada Crawford, SepaStion,
Scott and White counties the peoples party
had an immense vote, their ticket leading the
republican largely and was about equal with
the democratic We believe that a fair count
would have shown similar conditions through
out the state These frauds and Irregularities
in the state referred to, though local, are yet
matters worthy of the serious consideration OF
the people of the United States This deplora-
bic condition of affairs cannot be remedled
from NlihouL. me solulioa NUS Soc1te tro.i
the people within these states supporter py
healthy public sentiment everywhere, ana we
regard TO section, 10 stand cy these none peo-
pic OF the south who have risen Up to demand
good government and honest elections
After an experiment of MANY years 1t is ap
parent that neither the republican party nor
the democratic can or will accomplish the much
desired end, to-w1t: The restoration OF the
ballot to i fair and honest basis in the states of
the union The peoples party alone can secure
country rho desire honest elections and the re
peal of class laws will rallT 10 the support Of
his great Industrial movement and place the
party in power under whose banner the
white people of the country are naarshaiirSE
themselves to battle for the right a1u
win the ~ il November With the aggres-
siocs of capital On the one hand and the over
threw b. fr.ui Of free elections the other
how IS 4 possible for our civilization TO last.
The new party has its face turned to the clOri-
Gus iutnre in its sublime mission 10 usher IN an
era of fraternity ard justice among men, IN
the presence OF such opportunity TO emancl-
nate cur country from niSrUle OF every kind let
marty lines lie forgotten AMI let the general
fame Of n common patriotism nerve every
.:eart and move every scU'.
ISignedl JANIS B. WEAVER
JAMES G FIELD