The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1895-06-08

Some Reflections ON the Burning
of Secretary Carlisle.
(Natchitoches Enterprise.]
One night last week four or five
of our most jealous Populist
friends burned-in efigy -Secre-
tary of the Treasury, the Hon.
John Griffin Carlisle, of Kentucky.
The event had been Industrious
" advertised during the day, and
its projectors doubtless thought
and hoped that the usual large and
respectable audience would assem-
BILE to witness the suspicious open
ing of the Populist campaign in
the parish of Natchitoches, which,
we will remark en- PEASANT, having
begun in fire will end in smoke.
But the audience was very small,
and the enthusiasm was a good
deal smaller, and we are quite sure
that if the gentlemen who engin-
eered the demonstration had it to
do over again, they wouldn't do it.
While there are a great many
good men in this locality, Demo-
Gratis and Populists, who do not
agree with Mr.. Carlisle in his
views on the financial question,
they do not approve of such red
hot methods of expressing their
sentiments on the subject.
There can be no sort of doubt
about the proposition that a vast
majority Of the people of this COM
munity, which is the home of the
great Normal School, and justly
noted as a center of refinement,
education and culture, do not APP
prove of such things.
They are entirely out of joint
with the nineteenth century civil
zation, and the American scheme
of free government, and far too
suggestive of the time when it was
considered proper to broil a man
who was foolish enough to make
an argument which was hard to
answer. It is but just to the gen.
tlemen who managed the afore-
mentioned pyrotechnical display,
to say that they did not burn the
Secretary of the United States
Treasury because he was a gold
bug, but because, as they allgee, he
has changed his view on the ques.
ton.
Even admitting that the charge
they make is true, we protest tina!
the penalty which they have in.
ficted is far too severe. If all the
men in the United States who have
changed their opinions about pub.
lie questions within the last Is
years were burned, the competi.
ton between this country and that
presided over by his satanic ma
jesty, would be very brisk indeed
and the ratio between the temper.
atures of the two places would b.
maintained at a parity with bu1
little difficulty. Nay, nnless W.
are much mistaken, the very par
ties who burned Mr.. Carlisle thu
other night, would want to move t.
some place where fire is cold.
! But seriously, the event, in it
self, is insignificant, and scarcely
merits 80 extended a notice as vi
have given it. It does, however
indicate a spirit of intolerance
which will render a just and cor
rect solution of the great problem
now confronting American people
extremely difficult, if not impos
sible.
The primary purpose of thi
article is to call attention to thi
problem, and to invoke for its so
luton, the calm Judgment AM
broad patriotism of the people. A
the outset we desire to state tina
there are three classes of peopl
for whom this article is not in
tended.
First The man who sees, @
thinks he sees an opportunity t
ride into Office on the wave of poI
ular sentiment, and without refet
ton or preparation, espouses tn
side which he thinks the stronges
utterly careless of the consequence
to his people and his country, an
mindful only of his selfish aim
and purposes. This man has OF
d supreme contempt.
Second. The fellow who thinl
that when he has read "Coin
Financial School," or the answt
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