The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-04-18
PoPULIsT POLICY.

POPULIsT POLICY.
The speech Of Senator PETER is of no
interest to anyone except as il indicates
the principles of the populist organiza-
ton. A week or two ago PETER an
nounced his opinion that the Coxey
movement was a foolish thing and one
that he had advised against. 1t is well
known that since then he has been
deluged with letters from populists re-
monstrating against this position. He
now faces about and makes an elaborate
defense of Coxay and his army. in the
course Of which he says, as he declares.
We are coming Father Abraham" In
what part Of the Language Of Israel Of
old" Mr.. PETER found this poetic address
to President Lincoln we are not told.
but one thing does appear very plainly.
and that is that PETER is in communica-
ton with leading populists from all parts
Of the country. and that he reflects II cir
sentiments. This fact becomes Of INFER
est when we lurn to PETERS position on
the tariff question. And this appears
very fully in the following extract from
the Washington dispatches:
Il am now pleading with YOU manu-
facturers." he said. earnestly. turning
toward the republican senator's. Ito be
fair with us. If you demand protection
against goods which come into COMPETE
ton with yours. give us those protective
duties which we ask for
senator Gaillnger inquired whether he
CAIr. Peffer) believed that manufactures
could continue on a. free trade basis.
Il am not looking after the manufac-
turing interests declared Mr.. PETER.
Il am looking after the men of the West
and South Kansas can stand free trade
better than the people you represent"
He went on TO argue for a duty on
wool and for free sugar. when Mr.. Cal
Hnger assured him that the people Of
New England were with him on those
two questions. and he thought they We're
with him on all his reasonable demands.
And this is populist doctrine on the
tariff MISUNDERSTANDING with which the
protection benfciaries all agree. The
central features Of Neutrality-suspicious.
wool and free sugar-are the only things
PETER stops TO defend. Not a word
about concessions to the sugar trust.
Not a word about concessions to the
whisky trust. Not word about the
grab of the iron and coal combine. Not
a word even in reply to Hills attack on
the income tax demanded by his own
party. In their Omaha platform the
pOpulist leaders declared that both the
great political parties propose to drown
the outcries Of plundered people with
the uproar of a sham battle over the
tariff, so that the capitalists, corpora
tons, national banks. rings. trusts,
watered stock, the decentralization Of
silver and the expressions of usurers
may all be lost sight Of" And now that
Mr.. PETER stands face to face with the
Representatives of these enemies of the
people what has he to say. IF you
want protection give us those protective
duties which we ask for" Give us the
we will help you rob the people. And
this is what all the fierce defamation
Of populism means-I want to be bought.
We can understand now why at the last
convention of populists in Indiana the
miserable towards did not dare to say a
word on the tariff question.
And now you democrats Of Indiana
who have perhaps thought Of turning to
populism on account of the treachery of
few men in your own party what can
you hope from a party with such leaders
as this? Is there any satisfaction to you
in proposition 10 give the tariff trusts
all they want in return for taxed wool
and free sugar. They gave you that
without asking in 1890 What good does
taxed wool do you. even if you own
sheep? Under the highest protection its
price has steadily fallen for twenty years.
You may say that this was due to the
decentralization of silver, but it was not.
The fall of silver unquestionably records
the fall OF avera ge prices but wool has
fallen faster than that. The fall in sill
Yer from 1872 TO 1892 was "a per cent
The fall OF wool in the same period was
81 per cent. AT the same time the cost
Of your clothing and other wooden
goods has been largely increased by
the tax on it. What does protection offer
you Absolutely nothing. And yet PETER
and the populists stand on the same plat
form with Mckinley on that subject
There is but one hope for the people, and
that is in a purified democratic party
Stay with it and help to purify it.
NnrINc ny NA currr