Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1895-05-28
POLITICAL SHIFTINGS.
Gam Jones Reviews tho Present
Situation and Outlook
Nation Run by Professional Politicians
Uncle Sam Held Up by Money and
whisky-Dawn of Hope In Awak-
ening People,
,coPYRfeHr. isee.I

through almost every section of the
Ueited States, and have been thrown
with many Of the leading politicians
and business men. The crisis In which
we are now passing naturally attracts
conversation and rasiiy turns the drift
oflt tewardpoiitics, for it is the common
Idea that recent legislation is to blame
for the present state OF thipgs. There
has never been a tiine since l cast my
9rst ballot when there was so much
confusion in the political world.
If you ask a man now IL he IL a
democrat he begins to tell you ut once
what kind of democrat he Is. II you
ask man Il he is republican he
answers by defining his position. A
few years ago we had solid south and
democrat was democrat and the vot-
ers of the United States walked up to
the ballot box, and, with very few ex-
ceptions cast democratic or repub-
lican ballot-a straight ticket without
scratching; but great questions have
arisen which have torn party lines to
flinders.
For the past twenty years the rank
and file of citizens have given very lit
tie attention 70 politics. Our rapidly
developing country, the various COM
mcrcial and agricultural interests, have
commanded their attention, every man
has been busy with his own affairs
watching his opportunities In the busi-
ness world. We have literally turned
the governmental machine over to the
politicians and for years the profession
al politicians and tricl1stcrs have ma
nipulated things to suit themselves,
and oil they had to do was to write
out their platform and write democrat
ic or republican above it, crack the
party whip and the people fell in line.
As long as the old governmental cow
gave milk enough for the family no
body cared how many calves sucked,
but when there was not milk enough to
go in the coffee the question was raised.
The people have attended to their own
personal business and tarned govern
mental affairs over to pot politicians
and tricksters and they ha re managed
things their own way until the govern
ment of the United States is literally in
the hands of set of political trick
sters, office stealers and government
robbers.
The only question the average politi-
clan Of to-day asks Is: What plank
and what man will capture thu most
votes?" The vote hunter has made ap-
preparations wherever he could capture
Q vote, and every old follow who got
scared ut the sight of soldier or
gun during the war, or who had a bad
cold or stumped his toe, has got his
pension and gone to town to whittle
white pine, while few of the honest
toilers are supporting nearly million
of Uncle Sans loafers and white pine
whittlers. The question now is how to
get a public pap to suck. When the
democrat calves are sucking the repub-
lican calves stand around the lot and
bawl. When the national election
opens the gate and turns out the demo-
cratic calves every little republican
calf rushes in, grabs tit, shakes his
little tail and goes to sucking.
The people looking on tho depleted
treasury, gazing on their property re-
duced to one-half its value, putting
their grain and stock upon the market
at half price, pouring their hard-earned
money into the depleted treasury of
the United States, in heavy taxes, are
beginning to look square in the face
the question of the absolute bankrupt
cy Of the United States unless some
thing Is done. They have waited four
years ON wrangling congress, cross
lifting with each other and the presi-
dent and bringing no relief. They have
stuck to old party lines till hope has
died within their bosom, and now al
most every thoughtful citizen in the
United States has got his ears backed
and is prepared to kick the filling out
of any fellow that cracks party whip
over him.
The old party lines are fading out
and the country Is organizing on the
brains and the common sense OF the
common people; organizing on basis
to secure speedy legislation on the
questions that most need immediate at
tention. l look upon this as the most
fortunate thing that could happen to
our great commonwealth. This is q
republican government. We need an
Intelligent citizenship. To have this
we must have first free press, with
brains and craftsmanship at the head,
not bought and bribed and dominated
by a party lash, but governed by patrl-
otism, intelligence and sense OF right
instructing the people honestly and i'm.
partially on the great governmental
questions OF the day. The common
people are beginning to think more
than ever on governmental questions;
they are beginning to read more; they
are beginning to doubt, investigate
and examine, and the time is coming
and ought quickly to come, when the
masses Of the people will cease to De
driven into line by party lash welded
By q corrupt, selfish and designing pol
itician.
III should maize a cartoon OF the gov
ernment of the United States, would
picture Uncle Sam standing with his
bands thrown up, saying: Anything
you want, gentlemen, to the liquor KING
with his gun presented on the right,
and the money king with his gun pre-
eented on the left. Money and whisky
have got tho politicians, and the poll
ticians have got the government. MY
hope has always been in the people. !
have never had any hope in politician
except as he feared the people and act
- fcr the neople. People are aroused