People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1895-10-25
Union VS.. Absorption.

ready made party. alt Is much easier
to utilize a great party like the
Populist party than to create a new
one" That's so; the creation of a
new party, whether in politics or re-
lgion, is a slow and lanorious process,
as every one finds out who under
takes it; and, perhaps, for this very
reason the Populist party would have
some little objection to being uncere-
moniously "utllized" and otherwise
appropriated. 1t would perhaps want
to make conditions before the trans
fer was made, it might want some
sort of say in the matter. ave all
should unite and go together" Even
30. If reformers do not pull to-
gether in '96 both they and the coun-
try are 'goners--more or less. No
doubt the opposition will pull together
regardless of party names and asso-
ciations, and if reformers don't, then
they are left. But it is much easier
said than done. How are we to
unite and how pull together "The
Populists duty is to confne them
selves to money reforms upon which
all can stand, and the silver people
stand ready to 60 with them, shout
der to she u der, into this fight"
Well, that looks more like PopuIists
going with silver people, than the
other if silver people will adopt the
Populist pla form we will go with
them, cheek by jole, and through
thick and thin. 1t seems that all the
Silver people ask Of the Populist
party is to furnish the votes they
will furnish the platform and do the
rest. 1t is quite possible the Silver
knight mistakes. The Populist party
is not party OF pie hunters; it is a
peoples party whose only interests
in the party are its principles and the
legislation that is to follow.
How is this? Silver Knights
'stand ready" to unite with Democ-
racy if it adopts the 16 to / plank.
They don't ask Democracy to re-
nounce its other principles. But
Populists must "confne themselves
to money reformers." There must
be something very Objectionable
about the other reforms proposed by
the Populist party. What is it? My
idea of what the Populist party's
platform in '96 will be is something
hks this:
/. Silver 16 to l.
Q. Legal tender non-redeemable
paper money, direct from the gov
eminent.
8. Cumulative tax by the general
government.
4. Government ownership, by con-
struction or purchase, of main lead.
ing lines of railroads, telegraphs and
the like by way of competition to pri-
vate monopolies in these things.
5. The manipulation of tariff and
kindred taxes with reference to es-
tabllshing manufactures in the South
and West.
What insuperable objections have
Silver knights to the last three
planks, which prevents them going
with party that agrees with them
on the first two?
Monetary reform will do the peo-
pie little good SO long as they are
devoured by monopolies and extreme
wealth, so long as freights eat up the
profits and so long as the Northeast
does the manufacturing for the South
and West.
What good is money to the people
if it is at once taken from them by
monopoliea, BY spectators, by trans,
portstion and by Northeastern man
ufactures Coin all the silver you
may and very little of it will reach
the people SO lorg as these obstruc-
tons ami drains exist.
Suppose Democracy sound on sill
yer 16 to /.
What better do they propose than
Populists in the balance of their
platform. Is state banks and the