People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1892-09-16
NUMBER 81

treated you with perfect respect
was addressing myself to your intel
igence and reason, and
a voice. Go ahead, Mr.. Black;
never mind him.
Mr.. Black. Now, here is that
record. If I understand the distin-
guished gentleman, the claim is now
made that in 1888 there was no
choice between Mr. Cleveland and
Mr.. Harrison, and that it was Hob
sons choice.
A voice. Well, amt that the way
it was?
Mr.. Black. There was another
choice; there was another oandi-
date; there was another political
party; and you take the platform of
that party and the platform of this
and put them side by side, and you
will find them in substance and
essence, Identical. The platform Of
that party is the platform Of the party
he is trying to lead you into to-day.
(Great cheering and counter cheer
ing.) Going back Of 1888, you had
a Greenback party with financial
plank in that party almost the same
as this plank in your party: My dis
tinguished competitor has pro-
nOunced a glowing encomium on
that plank in yours. Again, in
1875, you had party, and that par
ty, in its platform, said that labor
was deprived Of its just reward by
the ruinous policy of Che govern
ment. In 1880, you had the same
party platform, and that platform
not only adopted these other fnan-
cial schemes, but, so far as I am
able to gather, there appears what
seems to be favorite idea with thae
party, and that is, that every citizen
of sound mind and not felon
should have the right Of the ballot.
In other words, it was plank in fa-
vor Of women's suffrage. Now, that
platform you not only had with all
these demands now put forth, but
also you had General Chambers, OF
Texas, for vice-president. You have
been told that your party was the
first that had the courage to nonni-
nate a Northern general for presi.
dent and a Southern general for
president. Not so does the
record speak. As far back as 1880
you had the same platform and the
same doctrine, essentially, and SO
your party is not new party, And
so the choice was not "Hobson's
choice" You had the same candi-
date and the same platform. Why
did you not follow it then, If it is
worthy Of your support now
Many voices. Hurrah for Wat
son! Hurrah for Blackl Hurrah
for our Tommy and hurran for our
Kentucky gentleman.
Mr.. Black. You had the same
platform, substantially, in 1884. It
lodged the question of the tariff, it
favored an amendment to the Con-
stitution in favor of suffrage regard
less of sex. In that convention, the
resolution in favor Of gold and silver
was discarded too. Who was nomi-
mated for president.
A voice. Weaver.
Mr.. Black. Who was nominated
for vice-president?
A voice. Butler.
(The speaker evidently overlooked
the mistake made by the gentlemen
who responded to the questions.
Butler was the presidential candi-
date in 1884. Weaver did not run
that year. Reporter.)
Mr.. Black. What was the plat
form Of the Labor Union party In
1883? It denounced both the old
parties, it declares opposition to land
monopoly by alien enemies; it de-
mands forfeiture of unearded grants;
a graduated income tax; that money
should be issued directly to the
people; the establishment Of postal
savings banks; declared that the
right to vote is inherent in citizen
ship irrespective of sex; the abolition
Of usury, monopoly and trusts; and
denounced the Democratic and Re-
publican parties alike for creating
and perpetuating these immense
evils. Here you had % party az
late as 1883 that denounced the
Democratic party equally with the
Republican party. Now, in the
face of these facts, my distinguished
friend, and his followers, followed
the old venerable time honored
party with Mr.. Cleveland at its head
until you sent him to Congress. Tn,
til he carried your flag to victory
two years ago, and ak you, Is ID
asking him too much to require Of
him an account of his stswardshipg
To ask what has he done with that
fag9
Voices. Yes, what have you
done with it?
Other voices. We sent him with
that flag to fight for us.
Mr.. Black. You cannot say that
you have just found out these things.
They are a part of the records of
the country. Gan any intelligent