The Louisiana populist. [volume] (Natchitoches, Natchitoches Parish, La.) 1894-1898, 1895-01-11

nessi Why should such rash steps
be taken, and such unfair meas
ures adopted, if not to create ex-
citement and center all interest in
this side issue which might have been
settled by this parish 20 years ago !
Listen! 20 years ago, and up TO
3 years ago, the war and the ne
gro, furnished all the campaign
thunder needed 10y demagogues,
and the Peoples party was unheard
of, and at that time All impossible
ty, but recently-Oh, very recently !!
the people of this parish laid aside
the war issue, and saw nothing to
fear from the negro, and voted
sensibly-for themselves-fOr a
man who eats bread in the sweat
of his face, just as they do, and
the parish was carried by the peO-
pie for the first time in 20 years
And there was serious danger OF
their doing it again and that too,
in an election where it would
count-where they have about
500, 1000 worth of offices to give
away. and unless there can be
Matched up q side issue, and that
made intensely hot, so as to enlist
all sympathy upon one or the other
side, the people are just liable to
pick up some old One-gallus farmer
and put him in one of these good
fat offices, and turn IL lot OF folks
out to Craze.
When asked Why he wished to
anticipate the law and stop the
saloons before their licenses ICON
tracts) had expired, and their
stocks were yet full and thus break
an honest man who was acting i'll
good faith with the laws of his
country, a police juror replied, that
we had as well break him as to
allow him to break the poor 4
cent cotton farmer.
This reply shows the demagOgu-
cry of the movement, while we be-
lieve there are many good men in
the movement actuated by the
purest of motives, we will wager
that before the election in Februa-
~, farmers will be made to believe
that all their troubles are due to
the sale of whisky in this parish
and that the stopping of it would
make this country blossom as the
rose.
Already the leaders of our party
are ranging themselves upon Op-
posite sides of the issue y and the
politicians are rejoiced and almost
frantic with delight over the ap-
parent success of the scheme.
The illegal steps that are now
being uselessly taken will prOlOng
the fight in the courts until long
alter the next state election-lOng
after the politician has gotten what
he sets out for, the Ofices,-and
the farmer shOrn of his strength,
can organize for years more, only
to he side-tracked again.
Populists of Natchltoches, let us
appeal to you to exercise little
common sense. Do not be drawn
into this fight. 1t will not give
you free silver, fair elections, nor
raise the price of cotton. We have
just come from a parish where we
lived for 10 long years under pro-
hibition, and people are selling
cotton there now for 4 cents, and
silver so far from being free is as
scarce as hens teeth. 1t gave us
nothing but prohibition and you
have that already with present
prices.
We tell you in al candor land
We might be an office-seeker if our
term of residence here would per-
NIT it under the constitution that
the issue VIC must solve for our
prosperity is, more money which
means better prices for our pro-
dnce, and fair elections which
means liberty.
Now will you be sidetrackedi
VIII nor, IA h., m, hu oOaI ouaip for