The Louisiana populist. [volume] (Natchitoches, Natchitoches Parish, La.) 1894-1898, 1895-03-15

and a president on this issue.
There is no hope whatever that
the Republican party, as a party,
will change its policy, give up the
gold standard and restore the BIZ
metallic standard. There are no
grounds for such hope and we be-
lieve they are deluded who look
for such a change of policy by this
party. The Republican party is
committed by its leaders, by its
record and by the press behind it
to the gold standards supported
by gold bonds and to the retire
ment OF the greenbacks and the
surrender of the issue and control
of paper currency to the banks.
No less persistent and effective
is the control of the money power
over the organization of the Dem
Ocratic party. While, undOubted
| ly large majority of the members
of that party are opposed to the
gold standard, they have been
pOwerless to control the party or
ganizatiOn against it, and much
less to secure through it the restO-
ration of the bimetallic standard.
While this is the case it cannot
be expected that Republicans will
abandon convictions of lifetime
on other questions and go into the
Democratic party in body, or into
a wing of that party; not will
, Democrats give up convictions they
, believe to be essential in govern
ment and 60 over to the Republi-
can party, or to division of that
party. Nor is it possible to induce
Republicans and Democrats to-
gether to go into the pOpulist par
, ty for the reason, if for no other,
that the platform of that party
. contains declarations and the par,
. ty advocates theories to which they
!. cannot give their assent. But we
y must in some way come together
q on this subject. No old party ever
q carried through great reform,
a anew bottles tor new wine.'
:. Therefore no course seems possible
f but to subordinate for the time be
b ing other questions and come to
r gethcr in new organization t.
r fight the great battle of 1896 OF
b the one great issue on which thu
:. prosperity and happiness of thu
e people so largely depends. 1t il
e believed that this cause can be wOl
s in no other way and that to con
: tinue to contend for it only within
s the lines of existing parties, is tt
4 court defeat at the outset and tt
e lose the battle in the end.
: The purpose of this movement
e is not to array section against sec
/ ton, nor class against class, nor tt
e require anybody to give up hi'
n convictions on other questions Ol
n to sever his party relations for any
: other purpose than to unite in
common cause, the cause of jus
S tice against injustice, ofprosperity
l. instead of forced idleness, or abun
Q dance and happiness instead o
}, want and misery.
d There can be no doubt, more
e ever, that a return to the STANDARD
d Of gold and silver will promote ir
the highest degree the bushes
g interests of the entire country
q while the continuance Of the pres
y ent policy must necessarily be at
. tended by further fall Of prices
imperiling business enterprise
= still more and prolonging indefi
nitely the present stagnant condi
o ton of trade and industry. Bette
= prices under existing condition
!, !. cannot e expected. A debtor ma
u ton cannot maintain an even lcve
% of prices with creditor nations
J The single gold standard can b.
maintained in the United State
e e only by forcing down the pric'
g level of commodities here enough
below the price level of other coun