The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1896-08-15
WILL BEAR WATCHING.


The New Orleans States underth,
above caption, says of the Populis
crowd in our State who have sole
ont TO Hanna, by placing a separ
ate electoral ticket in the field:
1t will remain to be seen whether
the intelligent mass of the Popnlist
party will permit themselves to be
hoodwinked and cajoled by such
leaders as Brian, Tets and< Gunby
into sacrifice of the most cherished
principle of their party, the free
coinage OF silver, for the gratifca.
ton OF a petty spite against Demo.
Gratis. There is no question but
some of them, with more malevo-
lence than policy, more prejudice
than brains, will blindly follow
these self-seeking leaders, to their
own undoing, but it is not conceiva-
bic that the great mass of them will
be guilty of such stupendous stupidi-
.ty.
They nov have an opportunity of
gaming long stride IN the direction
of their goal, of defeating party
whose success will crush their or
ganization into dust, and it will be
an act of ipsensate folly to neglect
to avail themselves of 1t. These
middle-of-the-road men argue that
the support of Bryan and Sewall
will destroy their organization, orat
most make the party only a tail to
the Democratic kite. Aside from
the weakness of this argument, there
looms up the certainty that if the
ticket wins the Populist
party will not have even tail left.
There is no gainsaying this fact.
Where in such case, can they hope
to secure votes in the future for the
accomplishment of their ends? If |
at this supreme crisis they betray
their Democratic allies what party |
will trust them hereafter? They as |
suredly cannot believe that the Re-
publican party will do otherwise
than utilize them as blind tools for
it's own purposes and then cast them
aside as worthless rubbish.
The bitter opposition to Sewall in
he st. Louis convention can have
out one rational explanation, and
hat is the liberal use of Doodle by
he emissaries of Hanna. Was there
reasonable cause for this opposition
o the Maine man? Even the mid
lle-of-theroad men professed to be
Wild with enthusiasm over Bryan,
,ut denounced Sewall IN unmeasured
erms. And why? Really, the lat
er is more deserving of their adj
than the former. One
dvocated free silver and a revenue
aritf in a section where a large l
najority of the voters held like ,
pinions. The other waged uncom-
romising warfare In vindication of 8
he same principles in a section a
here he was encompassed on all
des by the most bitter and vindic-
We enemies. Which, then, is the
lore entitled to credit for the pos
'ssion of political integrity and
Ugh moral courage? Mr.. Sewall
'suredly. And this without dis
of Mr.. Bryan. Their /
lrroundings were dissimilar but Il
ere liz little or no question that +,
oh would have been true to his
nvictions under any and all cir
Nevertheless, while
? confidently believe Mr.. Bryan d.
ould have gone counter to a ma tt
rity of the voters III. Maine, we d,
ow that Mr.. Sewall has done SO. N
Under these circumstances, is it
t fair to assume that the Populist
Iders who made. such fierce war
e upon the latter were influenced Ia
some sinister motive? And is it M
fair to assume that such leaders TO-
"Cyclone" Davis, of Texas, and elf
ian, OF Louisiana, are secretly If;
lniying at the defeat of Bryan as
Il as of Sewall by placing another
of electors In the field? This
IS of INSCRIPTIONS politicians and WI
nagogues, who are Influenced by Ri
sonal interests, will certainly tos
+ watching from honest Populists ;ts
0 are influenced by desire to =,
mote the agricultural interests Of .sN
country. 'ol