The Louisiana populist. [volume] (Natchitoches, Natchitoches Parish, La.) 1894-1898, 1894-09-07
To the Voters Of The Fourth
Congressional District.

Friends: Another election day is
about to dawn on us, and we are
to exercise that blood bought right
of American citizens-the use of
the ballot, in choosing a represent
ative in the national legislature
who shall be called upon to act for
the people of this district, and
represent their views on all pend
ing questions OF national govern
ment.
Believing that the time is at hand
when it behOoves men who have an
interest in the welfare of their
country to get together into one
party and to work for the welfare
of those dependent on them, we
beseech you to consider well the
matters we present to you in this
address. For many years the only
issue between the people Of the
South has been, which race shall
control the affairs of state, the col
Ored or the caucasian That ques-
ton has long since been settled,
but while the attention of the peo-
pie of the south has been directed
to the danger of negro dominance.
and that Of tile people of the north
to the possibility of the dominance
of the Confederate Brigadier, there
has grown up a mOneyed power
through combinations of capital
and Aggregation of speculative in
terest, that threatens to enthrOne
power more detrimental to the
southern people than carpet-bag
government, and more injurious to
the northern and western producer
than the much feared Confederate
Brigadier power. While the eyes
of the people have been watching
their imaginary enemies, the trait
Ors In both sections have banded
themselves together to deliver over
to the money power every vestage
of the wealth that can be stripped
from the people through corporate
taxation, usury, speculation, tariff
and currency contraction. Through
excessive railroad tariffs the cream
of the farmers products lis taken
for transporting the balance.
Through the national-bank monOp.
oily, nsury has put its clutches OH
the homes and farms of the people.
Through speculation the products
OF the farms are sold, and their
prices fixed before the farmer has |
the seed in the ground. Through |
currency contraction, the cost of
money is carried so high that the
products of labor do not bring half
the price they should, and thereby |
the debtors of our nation are rob-
bed by bad methods for the benefit
of creditors.
All these evils are matters sub
ject for legislation, and it is the
duty of the voter who has any in
terest in the welfare of the people
to do all in his power to rectify
these matters, by casting his vote
fol man or party pledged to labor
for the abolition of the evils that
we have pointed out. The Peoples
party stands pledged to work to
reform the abuses that we have
named, and We point with pride to
the good work done by the mem.
bers of the Peoples party, who
have made record in the House |
and in the U. s. Senate. They
have stood unflinchingly by the
principles they were chosen to rep
resent. How is it, with the Demo
cratic party or the Republicans.
The abuses of power we most COM
plain of were inaugurated during
the time the Republicans had CON-
plete control of the government,
but since the Democrats have had
an influence they have made no eff
fort to repeal the bad laws. Our
people trusted them upon their