Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1895-09-18
STEAL OUR THUNDER.
DEMOCRATIC JONAH TRYING
TO SWALLOW THE WHALE.
There Are Now Only Two Parties In This
Country: The Populist and Republican
Democracy Has Been CleveIandized-
People Are in Earnest.

While pretending to lecture their
party and threatening great bolt, the
democratic silver papers cannot help
betraying the real object Of their
friendsip for the Populists. They want
the Populists to come and help them
save the old party. The Chicago Dis
patch is one of the papers delegated
for the work of corralling the Populists,
and the following extract is fair
sample OF its advice and policy:
"The great growth of the Populist
party is proof that the democratic
party has departed from the people.
The republican party stands for mo-
nopoly and the money power. Democ-
racy must get back into line with JEFF
fersonian principles or it will perish.
It's platform in 1896 must be broad
enough to include all wholesome Pop
ulist doctrines"
Democracy must get back" = oh,
yes! Democracy is going to reform it
self and do better. Don't you see?
1t must have a platform that will
keep the kickers in the party-and it
must be as nearly like the Populist
platform as possible, because that is
the party the boilers will join if they
leave the party.
Then, many Populists once belonged
to the democratic party, and it is fair
to assume that, having once been bam-
boozled by the glamour of glittering
promises, they can be fooled again.
But the Pops have learned some
things since beginning their career as
kickers. They have learned that the
promises of leaders are worthless, and
that the people must depend wholly
upon themselves instead of upon poll
ticians.
What the people promise themselves
depends upon their own efforts to ac-
complish.
Let the democratic party perish if it
will
Jeffersonian principles will not per-
ish, neither will the people perish.
Men who believe in Jeffersonian
principles must get together in a party
that votes for Jeffersonian principles.
When the party of Grover Cleveland,
Carlisle, Hoke Smith, Brice, ct al,
adopts Jeffersonian platform, with
gold-bug candidates, the Peoples party
will run men of Jeffersonian princi-
| pies on the Omaha platform-not on
mere promises of the candidates, but
upon pledges and with instructions di-
rect from the people.
Then If they are elected and prove
false to their pledges, there is a grow
ing sentiment among the people that
such traitors should be met at the
| trains when they return from Washing
ton and hanged to the nearest telegraph
pole.
The people are getting too much in
earnest to be played with.
They talk of abolishing many of the
| Offices by which we have heretofore
| been able to control legislation.
They gather in mobs and defy the
federal army and militia, declaring
that the civil power is greater than
| the military.
The laborers have combined with the
farmers to organize new party foreign
to the spirit of the money power, un-
acknowledged by the great daily press
and menace to our most shrewd poll
ticians..
They declare themselves in favor oi
trial by jury, and insist on the rabble
having voice in the government.
They threaten to annull sacred con
tracts entered into by foreign syndi.
Gates for the protection Of bankers ono
exporters of gold.
! They talk of confiscating the lands
of foreign investors who have placed
their capital in American estates.
They threaten to abolish our charter.
and franchises. and alter fundamental
ly the methods of government.
They are at this time circulating
papers, books and pamphlets and send
ing forth agitators to infame our mos
devoted vassals against our most cher
iished means and methods Of amassini
riches.
In every stage Of these uprisings ant
murmurings Of discomfort we have trie,
| to persuade the people to be patient