The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-11-22
Another Union Conference to be Con-
Sidered.

Another Call is sent out from the office
of the To1ce endorsed by numerous lead
ing workers for reforms, suggesting
convention similar to the Staten Island
meeting held last July. This Call asks
for the National Committees of the
minor parties to take steps to bring about
union of reform forces"
While such meeting can do no harm
and possibly may have tendency to show
the resistance that is made to any method
except by the particular line marked out
by each division, there can be no union OF
these elements. As to the Socialists who
are influenced by their New York organ,
The People, it would be just as profitable
to talk to an asylum of lunatlcs. 1t were
utterly impossible to achieve what this
party processes to be driving for, even IT
it were given both houses and the Presi-
dent. So that factor may as well be elm
mated and given no further thought
The great Incubus weighing down the
people are the monopolies aud class priv
power. While that power holds posses
sion no relief can be had. The Prohibi-
ton party's line of attack is directly at
the saloon. Success on that line is utterly
impossible as contest of twenty years OF
unremitting struggle ought to convince
the most sanguine The government has
made liquor one of the chief sources of its
revenue, collecting over hundred mil
lions from it yearly. What is to supply
this source, the Prohibition party has
never even stopped to inquire. This sum
cannot be raised by duty OIL imports in
addition to what is already raised from
that source The party is also divided on
the money question, which is the para
mount issue of this great popular unrest
reform movement. A party divided on
this cannot advance.
The aggregate national vote of the Pro-
hibition party stands still ; it does not gain
more than its ratio of the aggregate in
crease of the vote of the country. and is
so very small by comparison as to leave
no rational hope of success in the future
What can it offer to the Peoples party
as an inducement to swerve its lines to
approach the Prohibition party? The
goidbug element of the party would never
follow It to the peoples party. There is
Sam'l. Dickie the official leader of the
party, being chairman of the National
Committee, would never follow one inch
toward the Peoples party, for the latter
party is nothing if not opposed in its every
pulsation to the gold (robbingl standard
policy set up by Rothschild and followed
by the national bankers, and Dickie is as
firmly set on the gold fraud as Rothschild.
What practical thing has the Prohibi
ton party to offer to the Peoples party or
any other party? They have absolutely
nothing, except 100000 votes, and the
party could not deliver the goods.
The Peoples party is the only square,
political reform party, having practi-
cable policy and principles, in existence
to-day 1t recognizes this country is now
completely in the hands of the money
power or trust, with headquarters Ill Lon
don. 1t proclaims the American principle
that this country must be emancipated
from that power and rest its business on
monetary system of its own, free from all
alliance with foreign powers and fnan-
cial systems. That colossal money power
stands behind every monopoly, every
syndicate, every corporation, both natural
or public monopoly, such as railroads,
telegraph, etc., and private, such as the
Standard oil, the Armor beef combine.
down to the smallest mercantile estab-
lishment. The beer and whlskey in
dustry" is in its tolls and is but one of its
many sucking tubes.
The Peoples party recognizes this as
thefgreat devil fish body, and all monop-
olies, though distinct fr I'M each other, as
but the tentacles of this monster, and that
not one of them can be cut off while the
central power, the heart which gives Vi
tality to them, lives. This is the broad,
solid basis which the Peoples party occu-
pies, the disagreement about minor de-
tails cannot shift the party from this firm
base. This is the great highway leading
to every reform. There is no other. The
people in their short-sightedness may re-
fuse to accept this road and continue to
try to climb up by-paths, such as isolated
Prohibition, Single Tax, Social Labor and
various other contrivances, but all such
efforts must ever prove failures. All these
special reforms may be achieved if Their
disciples join the grand army; none Of
them will ever be as detached parts. The
Peoples party cannot go to, or join any
detachment of a party. Ifsuccess is hoped
for these so-called parties must join the
great reform movement on the groun6
occupied by the Peoples party. Success
of the Peoples party would give every
reform fair chance to be tried ON 1t
merits by direct vote of the people; nj
other party will give them such oPpor
tuuity. ...-.