The Louisiana populist. [volume] (Natchitoches, Natchitoches Parish, La.) 1894-1898, 1895-03-15
CONGRESSMAN OGDEN.
On His way Home from Wash
ington.

Congressman Harry w. Ogden
of the Fourth congressional dis
trict of Louisiana, is stopping at
the Pickwick. He leaves to-day
for Shreveport. Talking with a
reporter, Mr.. Ogden said that the
people in his district were glad the
bounty had been granted by con-
gress. There was no opposition
to it he said, and the press up there
was unanimously in favor of its
payment. He hoped, be SAID. it
would prove a great benefit to the
planters and people of the city and
surrounding country. He was
sure it would be of great value to
the entire state.
Congressman Ogden said he be-
lieved that the silver question
would be paramount in the next
national election.
''For the past ten years or
more," he said, ''the tariff has been
the leading issue, but that is worn
out now and the entire country has
tired of tariff agitation. l don't
think there will be any more gener-
al tariff bills, but there will be
changes wrought in special meas
ures. There Is no doubt that a
general tariff revision or agitation
upsets and unsettles business. Bus
mess necessarily suffers from it,
and the financial and commercial
interests of the country, as we'll as
others, have about concluded that
it should stop. The political par
ties will, therefore, turn to the
silver-or the financial issue.
''The movement of the bimetal-
lie league l don't think will have
the effect of creating a new party.
1t goes to the country on a single
idea and consequently can't count
for much. The movement is nom
partisan and is led by men from
the ranks of the two old parties.
/ believe in bimetallism-in giving
silver an equal chance with gold.
| don't believe the matter will 90
long now without settlement.
My district is for silver, but /
don't believe the people up there
will leave the Democratic party.
The Democratic party being the
party of the people, they must look
to it for the success of measures
subservient to their general inter-
ests. No; they won't 60 off after
the strange gods which new crea-
tons set up for worship"
Notice that he does not say the
tariff has been settled or properly
adjusted, but that it is worn out
because the people are tired of its
agitation. He admits then that it
was merely a hobby for politicians
to ride into Office on and not the
''robber tariff" which it was pro-
nnunced by all his party in 1892.
He says the bimetallic and silver
party will not amount to @ch.
''The movement is nonpartisan and
is led by men from the ranks of the
too old parties" Yet some folks
want the populists to break up
their party and run off after this
''nonpartisan" scheme of the two
old parties. We want to say right
here that the populists are not 60
ing TODD anything of the sort.
Mr.. Ogden says, 81 believe in
bimetallism." = 81 don't
believe the matter will go long
now without settlement.
Guess be thinks it will Just settle
itself. We fail to see any other
way for it to be settled on his
theory. The democratic party
won't do it, They were elected
for thatpurpose and didn't do it,
and he says his people Jus fool
folks here In the 18th district) are
not going to quit the democratic
party, though they want silver
mighty bad. He says, ''The dem
ocratic party being the party of
the people, they must look to it for
the success of measures etc. Wheth-
er they ever get the success or not,
they must look no other way. To
look elsewhere would be treason,
in6delity, false idolatry.
He says, ''No, they won't 60 off
after the strange gods set up by