The Louisiana populist. [volume] (Natchitoches, Natchitoches Parish, La.) 1894-1898, 1896-06-12


! beneck fully explains itself 1t is ex-
actly in line with his l,.terances before
the state executive committee at Dal-
las in February last. This letter
should set at rest all the rumors as to
his being in favor of fusion" "aban-
doning the Omaha Platform" his be-
ing in favor of "the single plank idea, "
etc. Populist editors should be care
, full how they assail men. Very often
there is no negro in the woodpile"-
simply a diseased or imperfect vision.
Let us have peace" and we will win.
The following Is the letter. written
to the editor of the Joliet Qll.) News,
in reply to an inquiry regarding fake
dispatch recently sent out from Indian
apolis. and is clipped from the St.
Louis, Mo-, Evening Journal:
Charles H. Ferris, Joliet, nl.-,My
Dear Sir: Yours of the goth instant,
enclosing clipping from the Chicago
Record. containing press dispatch from
dated May 10, giving
what is supposed to be the proceedings
of conference between the Indiana
populists, bi-metallists and silver dem
ocrats. received yesterday. In reply
will state that so far as headquarters
and the national committee are con-
cerned. there is not one word of truth
in the report. 1t is a deliberate false
hood and fabrication from beginning
to end. If Indiana populists have gone
into a combination of this kind, they
have not taken any one in other states
into their confidence. No populist, BIZ
metalist or silver democrat has ever
mentioned a single word to me about
a combination, as stated in the dis
patch.
You must accept. with much allow
ance, anything that comes from In
Twice before. and within
the last year, have fake statements
and dispatches. in which populists have
figured, emanated from that city.
repeat, as / have a hundred times be-
fore, that no union of the reform forces
can ever be perfected in either of the
old parties. I have spent too much
time and labor to get people to leave
the old parties. and shall not advise
them to go back, regardless of what
their respective parties may do. Pop
ulist editors and populists in general
must realize that we cannot control
the columns of the old party press. We
have no way to prevent them from pub
fishing fake statements. Anything that
appears along those lines, especially
low when there seems to be a breakup
n the ranks OF the old parties, must
be accepted with much allowance. 1t
matters not what the democratic party
may do at Chicago. or what the BIZ
netallists may do at st. Louis, or
they meet us at all, the Peo-
ples' party will hold a national con-
yention July %, make a platform and
dominate candidates for president and
Our convention will
be controlled by populists, and what
,ver is done at that convention will be
he work of the representatives of the
peoples party, elected by the memoirs
VI that party throughout the United |
states.
This report from Indianapolis in re-
gard to the popullsts indorsing the
nominees of the Chicago convention is
m par with the statement made about |
one-plank platform, OF single silver
flank platform. There isn't a populist
n the United States, 80 far as know,
Who has ever advocated one-plank |
,latform, still less single silver plank
,latform. l never did and do not now
avor such a platform.
1t is no credit to a gentleman or a
,opulist paper to misrepresent the
'iews Of others. The talk of selling
'ut, controlling state conventions and
tate delegates, is a downright insult
o every popu1ist in the land. As
hough populists could be persuaded
o do something against their convic-
ions! 1t is humiliatinR to the peo-
les party to have populist papers pub
ish such nonsense. II had no better
pinion of the average populist than
hese papers express I certainly would
i've up the contest - hopeless. know
be populists are honest, and at our
ational convention they Will do that
rhich is best for the party and our
ountry. Every populist in the United
tates has right to express his opin-
On as to what the platform should
ontain. He also has right to work
nd vote to select delegates who will
epresent his views In the national con-
ention. Anything short Of this means
D throttle free thought and free speech.
he delexates tn the national couveu