The record-union., 1896-06-21
ADDRESS ISSUED BY
P0PULIST LEADERS.
Commenting Upon Action Of the National
Republican Convention
In Relation to the Financial Plank of
of the Platform.
Appeal to the Party to Unite With
Advocates of Free Coinage of Silver
and Select Senator Teller as NOm-
inee for President of the United
States.
States.

States.
ST. LOUIS, June 20.-The leaders of
the Populist party, who have been in
session here the past twenty -four hours,
this afternoon issued a circular adj
dressed particularly to Populists and
generally to voters of every party. The
document is signed by twenty-six lead
ing Populists from six Western and
Southern States, and Is in full as fol-
tows:
Expressly disclaiming any purpose
or right to bind any party or person by
the views here set forth, we but yield
to an overpowering sense of duty in say
ing what we do to members of the Peo-
pies party, and to all other good citi-
zens, who, apprehending the approach
of a momentous crisis in our country s
life, are willing to avert it by acts of
exalted patriotism.
I'VE came to ST. Louis as citizen
members of the Peoples party, to be
present at the meetings of the National
Republican Convention, that we might
determine more definitely for ourselves
the true aim of that organization in the
present struggle. Here we have seen
the boss in politics more securely en-
throned, more servilely obeyed and more
dictatorial as to candidates and policy
than has ever before been witnessed in
the field of national po1itics. One man,
the perfection of his type, representing
the millionaires. the banks, the corpora
tions, the trusts and every other re-
morseless and plutocratic element in our
country's life has through the power of
money dictated the nomination of Nc
Kinley and shaped the platform of his
party.
I'VE have witnessed a convention,
magnificent in numbers, pretending to
represent free American constituencies,
moving for three days as if a hand of
terror was above them, whose might
they dare not tempt and whose imperi-
Gus promptings it was impossible to dis
obey This convention, slavishly re-
spending ito the will of the money power,
has forced an issue Which must be met.
1t is a challenge to the yeornan of the
land. If it is declined, or if it shall sue
ceed, the fetters of tyranny, more
grinding than that of Cars or Empe-
rors, will be riven upon the plain peo-
lie of the country; fetters which must
be indefinitely worn with the contempt
ible spirit inseparable from willing serfs,
or in the end be broken with the ire
sistible power of mighty revolution.
THAT issue is formulated in the de-
mands that the existing gold standard
must be preserved, and for the enact
ment of all measures designed to main
tain inviolably the obligations of the
-aif fnar.
coin or paper-at the present standard.
This means that silver shall be perma-
nently degraded into mere money of
change, and that it be deprived of its
legal tender quality, except for some
paltry sum; that the greenback and all
other forms of Government paper money
shall be redeemed and destroyed; that
the national banks shall be swollen into
power of triple their present ability
to contract the volume Of money, to alb
sorb the earnings of industry, and to
grip the throat of all industrial and
commercial life, while from time to
time it terrorizes the voters into choice
of it's tools for all executive, judicial and
administrative positions.
1T will require that all of our present
national bonded debt be refunded and
new bonds be issued running for half
a century, and made expressly payable
in the present standard of money
gold. All other forms of debt-private,
corporate, State and municipal, will ul-
timately be made payable in the same
yellow money or it's equivalent.
with these measures enacted-the
gold plutocracy triumphant-the condi-
ton of the people will be no better than
was that of the recent manumitted black
slaves. Their right will be to go to the
end of the chain that binds them-a
freedom of irremovable debt, of grind
ing poverty, of a black and cheerless
future.
THE money power has forced this is
sue now because in its Judgment those
whom it's policy would enslave are di-
vided into hostile political families,
which cannot be united in time to resist
it's onset 1t regards 1T as impossible
that harmonious action can be secured
between the different organizations that
favor monetery reform and resistance
to their insatiate greed. With Popu-
lists, silver Democrats and independent
bimetallists supporting different nomi-
nees for President and the National
Congress- it feels assured of victory, and
is has determined to press now and
without abatement the advantage which
this apparently lamentable condition
raises up before 1T.
''In this the most threatening crisis
that has menaced the country since the
civil war, though simply citizen mem
bers of the Peoples party, we venture to
make momentous suggestions to you
cur brethren. In doing this we have
neither desire nor thought to impair in
the least degree the efficiency of our
noble organization, charged as 1T is
with the liberties of present and future
generations, and whose integrity and
growth is essential to the perpetuation
of our free institutions. Our constant
aim will be to defend 1T from foes within
and without, and to preserve it as a
power consecrated forever to the de-
fense of humanity's dearest right upon
the American continent.
''In view Of the shameless submission
by the Republican Convention to the
most extreme demands ever made upon
Americans by the money power. every
thought and effort of American man.
hood should from this hour tend toward
creating and ce1nenting a union be-
tween those who would resist the con-
spiracy of the wholesale robbery and
grinding oppressi0n-a coincidence Of