People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1894-04-13
A Word to Democrats.

You have been flanked at every |
turn by your party and by your presi-
dent. You honestly thought when
you elected a Democratic admins
tratiOn that honest reform would be
put in practice, but instead you have
been treated to dose if anything
more bitter than that fixed up by
your old enemy, the Republican
party. You have seen, instead of the
free coinage of silver, the gold stan
dard fastened upon the country, the
mere favor of the coinage of the
seignorage denied, the first install
ment of gold bearing bonds issued,
while mountain of silver is lying in
the treasury vaults as SO much dead
capital. You have seen all these
things but you still hope for tariff re-
form, Here is what that champion
OF tariff reform, Henry Watterson,
says in the Louisville Courter-Journal
concerning that time-honored conten-
ton of your party, since the bill has
been reported by your committee to
the senate:
Can any Democrat see this battle
end with prOteetiOnism in complete
possession Of the field, without amaze.
ment and disgust? Can any Demo.
crat fail to visit upon the authors Of
this infamous surrender Of a great
cause his everlasting contempt?
When the incapables and the rascals
whom we sent to Washington, charg-
ed with duty as specific as words
could make it, have yielded all that
the people won-when, partly through
a lack OF sense and courage, and
partly through venality, they have
given up to monopoly what was
meant for the masseS-whsn they
have fled inglOriously from victor.
l0us field, leaving guns that were
shotted with the ball cartridges OF
truth to be spiked by an enemy we
had driven before us-and when
bringing with them only the white
feathers OF the coward, or the black
lplumes OF the mercenary, they come
home for their reward, what shall
they encounter, what have they a
right to look for except political dam.
nation and death? The people should
accept no evasions or excuses from
any one Of them. The man who puts
up a poor mouth and says he did the
best he could Is fraud. He could
at least protest. The man who
equiyocates is either a mercenary,
or q delinquent, and likelier both,
with protectiOnist money in his peck
ct, protectionist promises in his ear.
In a word, II the people do not mean
to abandon their right to govern, and
their power to make themselves felt
by the men they put in office, they
will sweep away the whole ships
crew OF them, visiting upon the silent
equal condemnation with the guilty.
II we have government of the pee.
pie 1T is time the fact was made
manifest. If we have merely a gov
eminent of Shams-hOneycombed
with special privileges which we are
unable to dislOdge-let US know it.
II the people are slaves and vassals-
II the Democratic party is merely the
sport Of a few little lordlings wi Q
have managed to sneak into Office on
false pretenSes-let us know it. But
for Gods sake, let US have done with
cOwardice and lying!
Now, Democratic friends, we dc
not wish to say harsh words about
your party, We want to appeal tC
you as friends and neighborS. We
all have common interest. Is il
not time for you to unite your inter
eSts with the people regardless o.
party? We stand for the same re
forms that you do, and there is every
indication that the whole south anC
west are going to amalgamatt
into one grand party soon, for self
preservation. Come now and Join US
and let us forever bury your ole
enemy, the Republican party. TIT
forces of plutOcracy are going to com
bine in an effort to secure a CRANE
victory for the Republican party il
1896, and the only sure way to heaC
them off is for the pure patriots o
all political parties to form a soliC
phalanx against them. Think Ovt.
these things, friends, and let you
best judgment prevail.