People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1896-08-21
THE MACON NEWS
SEES THE HAND WRITING
ON THE WALL.
ACKNOWLEDGES THE FRAUDS
OF Past ElectiOns-Warns Demo
Gratis That They Only Have
One Vote This Year.
From the Macon News.

FROM inc macon news,
There is no sense in trying to deny
that the Populists have put out a
strong State platform and ticket this
year, and that they are going to give
Georgia Democrats something to do.
The time has passed when victories
for Democracy can be won in this
State by merely claiming them. We
have learned from experience that
Populism cannot be laughed dow
and the sooner we quit ridiculing GU.
political foes and go to work to con-
qler them, the sooner will we win
the fight and stop the growth OF
Populism.
Now, let's get down to brass tacks
and see just how We stand. The
Democratic plurality in this State in
1894 was only 24,l6l. We must all
admit that it is much easier matter
to cut down this plurality than to add
to it. A great many people voted
the Democratic ticket two years ago
who will not vote it this year. A
great many people who never dream
ed of voting the Popu'ist ticket will
vote it this year because of that
party's attitude on the prohibition
question.
1t is all very we'll to sit back on
our dignity and claim majorities of
fifty and sixty thousand for the party,
but none know better that these
figures are gross exaggera!ions than
the men who give them out.
The fact is, and We must admit it
and go to work on that basis if we
expect to win, that there is q dis
agreeable element of uncertainty in
the outlook even at this early stage
Of the game. The chances favor q
Democratic victory and we expect to
see the party victorious, but we
know, and everybody else knows,
that Democracy will have no walk
over. >.
In the first place, the Populists
have put out ticket the personnel
of which is hard to improve upon
We risk nothing and surrender no
principle when we say the candidates
Of that party ara men OF high oharao-
ter, recogniz d ability and standing
With equal frankness we can say the
Democratic candidates, go FAR as their
personal characters are concerned,
are neither any better or any worse
than their opponents,
The issue then must be between
the parties and the principles which
they advocate. This, in the opinion
of old-time Democratic bosses, may
be dignifyiag the PoPulists by &C.
cording to them too much import
ance, but such talk is mere sentimen-
tai vaporing and not sense. The fact
is, whether they be right or wrong,
the people have dlgnifed the Popu-
list party by giving it a very great
number of their votes.
Righs here in Georgia it now has
the sanction and influence of some of
the best men in the State. Not Dem
Gratis, it is true, but men whose pa
triotism cannot be called into ques.
ton. The Populist party has gathered
strength and character, and to deny
it is to be guilty of foolhardineds.
To treat with Populism as an unim-
portant, Irresponsible movement is to
make the same mistake that was
made with the free silver crsze-to
be callous and facetious until a little
fame has grown into a great conti4-
CATION, sweeping all before it.
If Georgia Democracy continues to
treat with Populism as our goldbug
friends treated the free silver craze,
they may expect to stamp it out with
quite as much success.
What then is to be doneP Onlv
this-woRK Work for the Demo.
cratic ticket and every man on it
Don't let your personal auimositv
allow you to scratch name on that
ticket. To do so is un.Democratic
and unfair to your party. Every in
dividual Democrat has a work to do.
All that is necessary to bring about
Democratic defeat this year is for in
dividual Democrats in "solid Demo.
cratic counties to depend on the
other fellow to do the votino-to