Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1893-08-15
ST. JOHN GIVES HIS VIEWS.
The Noted Prohibition Leader
Says That the Country is
in the Wilderness.
THERE Is NO HOPE WHATEVER FOR
RELIEF FROM EITHER THE DEM
OCRAT OR REPUBLICAN PARTY.


OCRAT OR REPUBLICAN PARTY.
1 Both Old Parties Are Controlled BY
Money. Rum and Monopoly, and Cam
not Therefore Antagonize These Pow
ers - A Financial system Wanted That
will be as Good for the Poor As for the
Rich - The Prohibition Party the Hope
Of the Nation.
NEW YORK CITY-(Press Bureau Cor
respondence)- )-Ex-Gov. St John was
In the city to-day, and your correspond
ent thought that an interview with
the well-known Prohibition leader
would prove of interest to your read
ers- / called at his hotel. and in an
swer to the question, Where are we
politically at?' he replied:
''In the wilderness, and if we are re-
lying on the Democratic and Repu bill
can parties to get us out we'll always
remain there"
What do you consider are the
differences between the Repu 0lican
and Democratic parties of to-day" we
asked.
There is no difference" replied the
| governor. They are the same on the
money question, on the liquor ques-
ton, ON monopoly and land. There Is
very little difference on the tariff
question, and both SO shape their poll
cies with the sole view of catching
votes"
To what cause do you attribute the
political revolution of last year"
TO the fact that the people had be-
come disgustcd and that any change
would rather better things than other
wise. The people had become tired Of
! hrnkan al foru, al ad oae nd n aCid Ad IN
give the Democratic party Q chance,
but no relief will come from that quar-
ter. Cleveland has called an extra ses-
sion of Congress-, and that body will ap-
ply a bread -and-milk poultice that will
temporarily relieve the financial trou-
bles, but, as said before, will give NO
permanent relief"
"Why?''
Because both parties are ruled by
three Influences: First money; second,
rum; third, monopoly; and they are
not going to antagonize the powers
upon whom they depend for support "
ITO what cause do you attribute the
financial distrust and troubles Of to-
day." yi. -. .os..,o, .., T.,
the issue of government bonds payable
in coin,' which was afterwards declared
/ " Nohk iCso w ihO0h OAo SSAhs eA>~ eAAA'
was followed by the demonitization OF
silver in 1878; and from that time on
legislation has kept up the discrimina-
tion against silver and papor money.
All money issued by the government
should be upon an equality before tho
law and be legal tender for all pur-
poses There should be no more bonds
payable in gold All indie bted ness
should be liquidated by the same class
Of money that we give to tho farmer
for his wheat and pork, and to the Ia
boring man for his days work. France
floats a great deal more silver than we
do, although she has only little ovel
half of our population; and she floats
it at par, for the reason that it stand!
upon an equality before the law will
all other money"
Country's Immediate Need.
What do you consider the immedi
ate need of the country?'
"A financial system that will be al
good for the poor man as for the rich,
that will deal with all classes alike
Then we want to blot out the liquor
traffic and turn into legitimate chan
nels of trade the $500, 000 900 that is
to-day wasted annually under the pres
ent Democratic and Repu blican policy.
| No people can avoid bankruptcy that
perpetuate a system that robs them
every year of an amount of money
nearly equalling the assessed valuation
of all the taxable wealth of great
State like Pennsylvania One of the
first and most important steps to take
to.briug about the reforms the country
so much needs is the total and ever
lasting annihilation of both the Repub-
lican and Democratic parties They
are responsible for the disorder, pau
perism and the greater part of the
crime that exists in our country to-day,
and the quicker the people rid them
selves Of such political influences the
sooner the dawning of a better day
will come. Never were the people OF
the United States, and especially in the
West, SO thoroughly aroused to the
danger that confronts us"
Why do you champion tho cause OF
the Prohibition party?"
Because it is the only party tina,
stands for the suppression of the liquor
the overthrow of monopoly, popular
| education and honest government in
the interest of all the people. Cur party
| IL growing, too; the increase in its vote
in 1892 was greater than that of the
Democratic and Republican parties
| com bined"
In your opinion, will the Fepubli-
oan party ever win another national
| victory?"
Never. because it has no jssua upon
which it can go before the people. 1t
| has exhausted the bloody shirt; the
| colored man; sectional hatred and it can
NO longer fool the farmer on the wool
question. The Mckinley bill has been
twice repudiated by overwhelming ma
| jorities; the American tin dodge is
played out; and the great politica!
Tamascsl mines which had such run
through the press in 1892. was sold last
winter under the sheriffs hammer for
S110 Notwithstanding all Repu blican
| pledges to farmers and laboring men,
wheat one of the greatest agricultural
staples, was lower last week than at
any time for forty years Wool has
been lower for the past seven years
than for any like period in half q CEN
tury. yet the farmers were assured that
the Mckinley bill would give them bet
tor prices for both wool and wheat.
There have been more labor trou bles
since the passage of the Mckinley bill,
and there are more la boring men out of
employment to-day than at any time in
the history of the nation. Private