The Louisiana populist. [volume] (Natchitoches, Natchitoches Parish, La.) 1894-1898, 1895-03-15
NO. 80.


ifs, much less by face trade. In
the payment of annual dues to 9th
er countries we must compete with
other debtor countries, with the
Argentine, with Egypt, with India,
with all the colonies OF great Brit
an, and worst of all, with Asiasic
races, with industries stimulated
as never before by the low price
of silver. These conditions from
which there is no escape as long as
the gold standard policy is pur-
sued intensifes the gravity of the
situation in this country to such an
extent as to compel the serious at
tention of all patriotic citizens
How idle in the presence of such
conditions to expect to maintain
the gold standard by an indefinite
issue of bonds, and how unwisc, if
not reckless, such a policy must
seem to thoughtful men every
where. 1t is estimated that al
ready the rise of gold by increasing
debts has absorbed from $40, ,000,-
600 to $50, 200, 900 of tho Worlds
wealth.
The Inauguration of movement
for relief from these enthralling
conditions must spring from the
people, politicians never institute
great reforms, and it was idle to
wait for them. This cause is the
cause of the people, and it is be-
lieved that it more profoundly
concerns the welfare of the great
body of the people than any ques-
ton since the civil war, if not In
deed since our independence was
gained, so in it's ultimate outcome
the question of a sufficiency or scar
city ofmoney is question of free
dom or serfdom for the mass of
the people.
While not unmindful of the in
terests of the people of other cOun-
tries in this question, it is not an
issue that can be safely submitted
to the decision of foreign govern
ments or be made to depend on
what other countries may do or
may not do. When our monetary
system was established, over a
hundred years ago, with popula-
ton of less than 100000, our
future did not wait for or invite
the concurrence of other powers:
Nor did the trainers of the consti-
tuition contemplate any such action.
They legislated for the United
States, and we now, as Americans,
must legislate for ourselves.
Beware of entangling alliances
in this as in other matters, and es-
, pecially of allurements of interna-
: tional conferences, to delay action
in our own behalf in the deluslvei
y hope that other countries will care
, for our interests better than we
can ourselves.
7 No other country has asked our
! approval of its financial policy. 1t
f is believed that the United States
has power enough In the CONNER
: cial world to alone restore the link
l between gold and silver, broke in
1873, but should gold for any reas-
S on temporarily 60 to premium, it
will none the less operate on prices
: generally, and certainly premium
: on gold here would, like a fall in
|, the gold price of silver to silver
S countries, inure on every side to
: the advantage of the United States.
: Fellow-citizens, the power is still
r in your hands to right by the bal
s lot the great wrong of 1878, and to
: save yourselves and your children
j from the thraldom which the gold
!. standarn policy, if persisted in,
e will surely bring upon you and
S them. We pray you, therefore,
Q not to let the settlement of this
b question 60 beyond the election of
: 1896, but subordinating all qnes-