Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1896-04-05

WOuld pc VITA experiment. Ivy
don't seem 20 know that II Is a long
and auccessfaily operated princlplc In
government in England, Germany.
France and Switzerland. Have We not
got as much sense as these peoplev
II you believe 20. then you should be
a Fopulist. for the Democratic and RE-
publican parties don't permit one by
thoir loyal votes 10 have this much
confidence In the common people They
believe In an all powerful discretionary
onicialism with fixed term OF ON
cial life, even though they during that
time mlsrepresent their constituents
and destroy tho prosperity of the peo-
pie. The present system will degrade
aud demoralize any people. for not be-
ing able 20 vote on an issue according
to their Judgment. they stay AWAY
from the polls or sell their votes for
office, or pull or scme campaign fund.
II IL the bsst they can do. What does
vote amount to under the present
system? why rot sell II so far as the
good II will do In the speedy settlement
OF policy OF government Many of
your Representatives 10 TO Washington
put all their families In office and buy
them house because they know they
are not sent there or kept there on
an issue, and they have things fixed by
means of political superstition and
organization. This Is more especially
true VI tut tpulutTn
who all know that we are In holy ter
ror OF force bill and the negro vott.
Thank God all these fears have been
dissipated and we are under no neces-
slty OF shutting our eyes TO govern
ment abuses and Its organic weak
ness and defects.
The people settle nothing. As II Is
their powerful representatives can
starvo the country by do-nothing pol
Icy. while they themselves revel In
fixed term OF office and a salary that
by law can't be reduced during the
term OF office. but can be Increased ad
libitum. 1 never want to represent any
people servile and Bringing enough to
believe that this kind Of government Is
the best. When the peoples Representa-
tises and the peoples president can't
agree after sixty days wrangling over
an important issue, then let one or the
other die quick by the votes Of the
sovereign people
The other principle OF Popullsm in
which | firmly believe Is that the gov
eminent shall owen enough railroad
mileage TO fix a reasonable basis Of
t-eight rates and gradually buy and
build system sufficient to do this.
Other countries are today successfully
operating under this system and why
not the United Statesg All commits
sions, whether state or interstate. have
largely proved failure so far as light
ening the burden OF transportation.
We certainly can do as well as republic
can France or Switzerland or imperial
Germany In this line. So far as cor
rnpting the government Is concerned
would rather see II corrupted by fire.
men and brakemen than by the nne
Itallnn hend OF the railroad president
furnishing the campaign fund and in
return having tho naming OF Federal
judges and railroad commissioners and
cabinet officers. History fails to record
one Instance in which the mud sillers
corrupted government, though they
may have noted u is the pampered fa-
vorites OF class legislation. who have
always inserted the hyperdermic injec-
ton of political poison that killed the
Goddess Of Liberty. There Is nothing
new or untried In the Populist platform
unless II Is the sub-treasury detail
which Is merely suggestive, and to try
II would not cost one-hnlf OF what
Cleveland lost In discount on the first
bond sale. 1t Is only those men lgnor-
ant OF the administrative principles and
details OF other civilized people who say
TINT the Popullsts are proposing new
and untrled political experiments. Even
learned lawyers are sometimes very ig-
nornnt. l knew one once who In all sim
cerity asked opposing counsel, who
read the ten commandments to the
jury. what state report he was reading
them from. They are inclined to regard
everything new and untried not refer-
red 10 In some familiar case reporter
although IL may be from the Bible IT.
self II they will take time to read ana
study the Popullst principles they viii
see mat there are two sides to political
pusfuons, and that the Democrats
anu Republican parties are really on
one and the same Side and even IL, 10
make the same scientific and delusiye
ntraddles In their plntfOrms Thesc M
ntcal parties talk OF the beauties OF
tarln adjustment and OF mononetniijsm
and himeinllism Just 10 keep the minds
OF thc people or of tho necessity of a
change that win give thon Dov,er ~
settle all these and other uucstIons Nc
ipst as they come no IN congress Con-
Ereasmen want OF pose as mon or ORR :
tori'al ability, nnd presidents ns mon
WIN more backbone than tho ordinary
animal, and little proposed change in
n,rni or hnnnee with occasional funeral
- .,., nAs answered their purpose
LOT thirty years. think the ponttltsts
Gun win In Texas, even without cam
nnien funds furnished hy cornorn tinr,
or perpetual ofiiceholaers---If thew, gnr,
win you win see Democrats falling o,,as
cheh otner 10 put plank In on thn ~
ne,ai rec system or some other live a.
or ne desplsed ponulist.
me pie-eater Is for holding on 10 NJ,
1oo, and a small matter OF putting ~,
or leaving out OF n platform. or evan ~;
htraddling or having platforms Womb
not trouble them IL he can icon tha
voter from leaving the grand old DOM
ocrauc party, which does It's whole
DUTY when II Keeps him In office Tho
populists " III carry Texas ana col n
out OF the rut and clear IN tho nolltI.
cNl atmosphere, The party stands for
genuine popular sovereignty instead Of
sham peoples government. Where n
vote amounts to nothing except n della
cation OF absolute power. THE Marty
uoesnt indulge In glltterIng condsmna-
uon OF corporate power that win in.
uuce aome poor devil TO tear IN a rail-
road track and then put him IN IAN Tor
IL but which never materially affects
the power or transportation charges.
X proposes distinct and specific rene
dies for the evils II points out. IL d.
pends FOR success upon the Judgment
ana not the prejudloes OF the free
American citizen. II DON'T promise 10
Iut George Gould In stripca or to take
his property by declared absolute
p2wer-that greatest OF all curses po-
iitical. II merely proposes by lawn,
means to reclaim those powers OF gov
ernment that have been sold 10 the
favored few. II Il II in any sense row.
oiutionary. II IA only In so far az Is
necessary 10 recover for the people
thhaA 81 A.4