Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1895-04-23

What says the Populist PLATFORM
awhile our sympathies as party Of
reform are naturally upon the side of
every proposition which will tend to
make men intelligent, virtuous and
temperate, we nevertheless regard
these questions-important as they
areas secondary to the great issues
now pressing for solution"
Intelligence, virtue and temperance
of secondary Importance.
What the advocates Of some other
reforms think about an omnibus
movement to cure at once sall the ills
of the body polite may be cleaned
from a symposium in the New York
World of March "a, 1896.
Aunion of Republicans, Democrats
and Populists Uho think alike on the
money question is the only sensible
course left us."-Er- Coz. Tiiimdn.
"There is no other issue (bimetallism)
for 1896 and there can be no other.
There is notr in this country but one is
sue."-Gen. A. j. Warner.
Had they 1.-THE Populists) made
their fight upon the money question
eliminating all other issues there can
be little doubt that they would have
polled more votes last fall than the
Democratic party."-Er- Congressman
j. c. Sibley.
IF the kindred but now divided fac
tions shall have the good judgment to
apnaDk ~ hA 81
gestion, stripping themselves for the
time being of everything else, no matter
how important, they will close the Gen.
fury with victory."-James B. Weaver.
''The Peoples party at it's next Ma
tional Convention will declare in favor
of making the money question the
great central idea, with no otter planks
except those which add strength to
this one."-H. E. Tdubeneck, Chair
man National Committee Peoples Par
ty.
1.-THE great and overshadowing issue
is now, has been, and always will be,
the money question. Hon. Marion
Butler.
These utteranccs smack strongly of
the dominant issue" idea and leave
small hope that those who are seeking
financial reform through either the
Populist party or the Silver party will
consent to commit those organiza-
tions against the liquor traffic. A
union of reform forces today would
mean a party with a dominant issue,
and that issue the money question.
Such party might put Prohibition
into it's platform, but it would relegate
it to position of minor Importance
and sacrifice it if necessary to win a
victory.
With every earnest reformer /
would rejoice at any honorable union
of reform forces that gave reasonable
assurance of fastening the overthrow
of the saloon, but candor compels me
to say that SEQ no immediate pros
pect Of such union.
Am opposed to the idea of upionY
Not at all if it can be successfully and
honorably accomplished. Personally
1 could 60 into union movement hon.
estly and thoroughly pitted against the
saloon even though it might advocate
financial views may deem unsound,
but could never consent to identify
myself with fiat money, treasury
aggregation that only consented to
tolerate Prohibition plank in it's
platform. The party that can COM
mand the support of Prohibitionists
must be willing to stand or fall by the
principle Of Prohibition, must prefer
defeat in its advocacy to victory by It's
desertion. To this sentiment every
Prohibitionist assents and such assent
leads to the necessary conclusion that
at present there exists no political par
ty with which we can with any degree
of self respect contemplate an organic
union.
1 am not belittling other reforms.
Many of them are important and some
of them are certain to largely and i'm
mediately absorb public attention.
The money question" will be fore
most in the public thought for the
next campaign and no union of forces
can be accomplished which does not
involve the depreciation and almost
the desertion Of other reforms. 1t is
this fact that renders SO improbable
any union satisfactory to Prohibition
lists. This question, from the nature
of the case, will be speedily settled.
Either of the older parties will be both
able and willing to take any position
on the issue that may be demanded as
condition Of success.
It may be unfortunate, but it is
nevertheless true that our party is not
in situation to contribute materially
to the settlement of this financial is
sue.
We may be obliged to fight for time,
but we must not desert our standard.
AS party VS. haye compelled re-
spect because we have not run after
strange gods nor espoused the vagaries
that have characterized so many So
called reform movements.
The Prohibition party has become
mighty educational force In the
country. The principle of Prohibition
has been recognized as a reasonable,