People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1892-09-30

owed you. (Applause ana laugnter.)
The lending of money is an Incl
dent. The government is the lender,
and we propose to get it among the
people by any plan that will not give
a monopoly to any class. We propose
to give the raiser of cotton, the raiser
of wheat, the raiser of corn, or any
other staple commodity, the same
chance as the holder of bonds. We
propose to destroy the monopoly now
existing, and give other classes a
chance, with reasonable limitations
You propose to remedy the evil by
adding another privilege to a class
that is already in existence and to
perpetuate an injustice by which the
vast majority Of the citizens are for
over shut out from the equal enjoy
ment Of that which belongs equally
to all. Our plan contemplates a cur
rency good in every State, stable as
the government itself, costing no roy
atty in the way of discount or inter
est on its way to the people. Yours
demands that no currency shall issue
directly from the government to the
people, but that there shall always be
a special class standing between the
government and the people, and that
this special class shall receive the
money from the government on Its
own terms, and then impose on the
people at large just such terms as
they please. We propose currency
that will pay debts and taxes, coming
to the people untaxed. You propose
a system of due bills issued to a
special class, and that the people of
the country shall pay these men for
the privilege of using their due bills,
and at the same time these due bills
are not and cannot be money-can-
not be used as money to pay off the
mortgage on your farms or transact
any business except by special con-
tract, and even in your private bust
ness is subject to be rejected by any
man who chooses. In this age Of
progress, when the man in Thomson
trades with New York, when the
man in Augusta trades with Chicago,
and a sound, uniform currency is de-
manded by every principle of bust
ness, the Democrats propose to do
the crawfsh act and go back to the
practices which Jefferson denounced,
by issuing a currency which is only
good in the State where it made its
debut. We say give US a currency
that is good everywhere. You pro-
pose to give us money that must be
used at home. How? By having
money so cheap that no one will have
it. So weak that it's delicate limbs
will not carry it across the State line.
So mean and worthless that the great
satraps of finance do not want It,
while the lesser satellites of State
banks do.
Now, if our people want that sys-
tenn, let them take up with this fu-
neral which followed this crepe ban
ner to-day. (Great laughter.)
I wish l had time to show you that
our land plank has been misunder-
stood and misrepresented, and that it
is the correct idea. [ would like to
show you that the purchase of rail
roads is not what they claim, but
strictly in harmony with the theory
of government embodied in our con-
stitution and laws, viz: that the
great channels of commerce should
not be monopolized by private par
ties. l have not time to do that.
In conclusion, my friends, let me
beseech you, as Peoples party men,
as gentlemen, to listen to Mr.. Black
with respect and patience, and no
matter what the provoeation may be,
leave him to me, in my fifteen min
utes, to take care Of him. tell you,
friends, in this government no unfair
means can flourish permanently, and
every time that | am howled down it
will make me stronger. If he should
be howled down it will make him
stronger. The great body of the
people are sound to the core, and you
cannot get them to adopt the unfair
conduct of unfair men. Our platform
represents our wishes; our fight is
for the right; we have nothing to
fear from open and fair discussion !;
and if 1t is wrong we ought to be
silenced and driven from our position.
AS for myself, | have no doubt but
that every day our movement grows
stronger. Every time they try to
check the progress Of this flood it
gains in strength, and 1t is going on
and on with the impetuosity given by
the stout hearts of brave men and
the prayers Of Christian women.
And l tell you that the prisons of
fair womenhood and the thanks even
Of our enemies will follow us for the
blessings we have brought them.
The time was called at 11:15 and
the speaker took his seat in the midst
Of enthusiastic applause and a CO.
pious shower Of flowers.
Mr.. Black was introduced by the
chairman of the Democratic execu-
tive committee and received with
great enthusiasm by his followers,
while not an insulting word was
leveled at him by the Peoples party
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