The Louisiana populist., 1895-10-25
C. KEARBY.
HIS GREAT SPEECH ATT THE BEL
TON FAIR.
Appropriate Manner - Recites the
Grimes of the Century - Autocratic
Power vs. Dependent Helplessnesa


the Fair association and the Populists
of Texas, delivered speech on the
live issues of the day. He discussed
the faith and platform OF the party in
line with the other platforms. The
following Is that part Of the speech
devoted to the financial issue:
wish to congratulate Bell county
ana all the people of Texas upon this
superb display OF the products of in
dustry, OF enterprise. of the energy of
the people of this section of Texas.
Peace has her achievement, as thrill
Ing, as grand, as heroic and dra-
matte as do times of war There
perhaps has been no period OF the
worlds history characterized by such
marked advance, such marvellous de-
velopment in agriculture and other
lndustria. pursuits as the preceding
twenty-five years. Factories abound
everywhere for the making of i'm
proved machinery to subserve indus
trial purposes. to subserye organized
and unorganized money, to multiply
the productive capacity of individual
labor and to diminish the cost OF pro-
ductiou, until we are to-day confront
ed with the realistic condition of war
by the machine on man. In the midst
oil this panorama of real life, in this
revelry of luxuriant abundance, with
these testimonials OF thrift, happiness,
contentment and prosperity, with the
earth around US burdened with its fruit
ful yield to the plastic touch of labor,
your granaries filed to their capacity,
your larder overlooking. your stores
groaning with their plenty. your
warehouses overtaxed with their re-
serve, surrounded and enveloped as
you are with wilderness of plenty,
surfeited with abundance. think you
there are any hungry in this land?
Think you there are any naked in this
land? Think you any lives are per-
ishing from sheer want of the abso-
lutte necessaries of life? The first
criminal in the worlds recorded his
tory answered these questions by ex-
claiming: 'Am | my brothers
keeper" These conditions, their
cause AMI the remedy for them are
some OF the questions | am here by
invitation OF your Fair Association to
discuss. We are in the midst |
OF revolution. The most sa- |
cred traditions of the past,
institutions hitherto revered for 1
their antiquity, policies which to
heretofore question was political bias
phemy are to-day challenged with
hippaucy and audacity. The spirit of
unrest is epidemic throughout the
land. discoutent prevails everywhere,
more than 100000 wage earners
without employment, the cry OF hard
times, sarce money, low prices, COM
mercial stagnation, bankruptcy, per-
sonal distress, souphouses, organized
charities are heard of every day and
everywhere. These are words OF new
coinage in this country. On the
other hand. the very few luxuriating
in fabulous wealth. Less than 80, 900
men own more than 80 per cent OF all
the wealth of this nation of
7O,O00.000 Of people. A half
dozen land foreign and domestic)
syndicates own land enough to make
eleven average states of this
union. Four thousand banking corr
porations control every dollar of the
money in the nation, not a new dollar
is injected into the channels of COM
merce and trade without their agency,
their consent. The circulating volume
OF money is contracted or expanded
by them, as their own avaricious will
or personal cupidity may suggest
There is not an industry, not CON-
modify. not an article OF commerce or
trade, whether it be raw material or
manufactured product, the purchase
and sale OF which is not controlled by
money trust, created and protected
by law. These are conditions OF new
birth in this country. 1t is now an
opportune time to call hault; take
an inventory Of our affairs. Govern
ment is science. Politics is the
method by which government is ad-
ministered. There should be as much
business and intelligence in your
politics as there is learning and phi
losophy in your government. Com
bine all science, business. method and
intelligence and you have the nearest
opprooSu W pCEicCecu eo'Ofumcub
All governments are the products of
concession or force is the re-
suit of concession. Our politics are
product OF selfshness. prejudice or
ignorance.
We are living under a constitution.
bill of rights, a declaration OF inde-
pendence which declares: "All men
were born free and equsl.' This
does not mean all men were born in
palaces, or In cottages. or in tents. or
in novels, or in managers. 1t does not
mean all men we're born rich or
poor. 1t means that in this republic
there is no caste, no class. no divine
reference, no government bonus or
exclusion. All men have equal OPP
portunities before the law in the