The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1895-04-26
THE CLOUDS PASS BY
THEY DIDN'T MEAN II AND
PEACE RElGNs-
DR.. Fish Takes His Pen In Hand and
Discusses the situation-Populism Has
Passed Its Period Of Danger-Now Al
IL Clear Sailing.

II Clear Sailing.
Populism has just passed through .
period of crisis and danger. 1t has
passed through safely-comes out
heart whole and body sound
OF cours every one familiar with the
current literature of these days knows
that a serious effort has, been made to
at least modify the peoples party plat
form. Whether it failed because the
Reform Press association was stanch
n imm0vabIe or because those who
suggested change did not mean it is OF
slight consequence. The peoples
party remains true to Omaha along gi-
gantic lines Of reform-and today it is
one united body .
This is a matter of great rejoicing.
And not only because the party re-
mains intact and immovable, but be-
cause the very men who suggested
change remain true to the pole-star
after the exciting attack and riposte
between apparent factions Mr.. Dun
ming, Of the Watchman declares again
his fealty to Omaha. He is, of course
a strong man, and his journal has a
strong hold upon Populists. That he
will cling with answering devotion tc
his first love is gratifying to all re.
formers. He was terribly severe or
socialists and the reform book makers
of the age. But every one can forgive
him for these attacks. and welcome
him to fraternity. 1t was an hour of
supreme temptation. The two gigan-
tic ~carcasses. or party Dagons, had be-
gun to smell in the nostrils of the
world, and a parting between the toiler
and the pawnshop was at hand. De
mOcracy was wrecked. Now came IN
opportunity for the great movement to
yield it's identity and sink into the
lesser sea of storm-sWept democracy,
and win-win not our elemental princi-
ples-but power.
The great abyss which has swal-
lowed up party after party, and disap-
pointed humanity for ages yawned be-
fore us-at the bottom gilded prom
ises for the Office seeker. Victory was
almost sure by yielding to the dissStis-
fed of the old parties, DESERVING our
platform; and taking up an issue
foreign to our substrat constitution
the silver issue! And, to urge us on
to this dangerous course, we were told
that the other reforms would come
after-that as soon as one issue was
settled they would take up another!
When, in all the cycles of political his
tory, has that promise been kept?
Never. 1t is impossible to keep it.
Again, through struggling years of OPP
pressiye warfare, and amid sacriicial
tears, would the new party have to be
organiZed-run the gauntlet Of the
same dangers and temptations-brave
the same abuse and meet the same
tyrannic dogmatism-before the second
reform could be brought to a consum-
nation by another new party. Gener-
ations pass away in these almost hope
less efforts. But thank God, over, and
over, and over again, the gulf was safe
ly c~rossed-the party saved-and it
is saved intact, with every man faith
fully returning to his duty and his toll.
And what next? Why, the silver
democrats at once organize a fourth
party! Yes, and at it's very birth it
staggers to it's grave. 1t announce
that it is not a party, after all! 1t
declares that il either of the old par
ties will nominate a silver coinage man
on a free coinage plank, this new bant-
limo will rnoco fn #oviof H# (Nraot E0I
whatafarce! And wasi it to such a fraud
as this that the peoples party was to be
tied? Thank God, over and over again
that "populi populorum" remained true
to Omaha. The new party" died a
bornin'. 1t is now dead. Being dead
1t leaves nothing to bury. Silver coin
age Is not ali issue. A wrong, a bar
barrie garniture Of historic crime, can
never become an issue in the progress
sive history Of man. Silver coinage
may be a temporizlng policy of deal
Ing with a mighty issue of self-bank-
Ing national credits. But the real issue
to-day, upon which parties must build,
or expire, is this: Shall the miserable
fiction of a metal currency remain at
all? The secret, unWritten, unspoken
but tangible spirit Of populism-shriek-
Ing and moaning from the million ave.
nues Of Wrongs hecatomb-cries No!
Aye, II sits upon the throne builded
by tbs Am, when Yesus and Iris were
only craven upon Serapian rock-and
cries out for the day and hour when
poDniism shall destroy the crime OF
metal money. P0pnlism declares for