The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-09-22

w M N1NChN1 HALENNS O1dITLQhus
WASHINGTON, Sept. Ex-senator But
Ter, Chairman of the National Populisl
Committee, to night mailed the follow
ing letter of notification to Hon. Thos.
E. Watson, nominee for Vice Pfesi
dent:
WASHINGTON, D. O., Sept. II 1896
Hon Tb0s E Watson, Thompson, Ga
DEAR SIR:-Such is our form of gov.
eminent that the citizens of the UalJed
States must shape it's course for goUd
or evil through the agency of political
parties. When there is no political
party that represents the principles of
good government; no party that stands
for the right and interest Of the labor
ers, the wealth producer and all who
strive to make an honest living by fair
and legitimate means-then it is in
possible for the majority Of the voters
TO express their will at the ballot box
When all the political parties stand
for the selfish interest and personal
greed of money changers, corporations,
trusts, monopolies, as does the Repub
Iican party under the leadership Of
John Sherman, and the Dem cratic
party under the leadership of Grover
Cleveland, then the producing masses
are victims without an alternative.
To withhold their votes will furnish
them no relief, while to cast their votes
for either party is to sanction their
own spoilation and to strengthen the
party that opposes them.
This was the political situation in
1892 when stern necessity forced or
ganized labor, the organized wealth
producers, and others who believe in
good government and were engaged in
legitimate business interests to meet
and form a new political organic alton
known as the Peoples party. This new
political party, representing the prin-
ciples of true RepUblicanism as taUoh+,
IhV Abre5OTuIJnRObn. and of trs'I enG
/, no batanam GTuGU4GIuista It'll 40 Dem
ocracy as taught by Jefferson and
Jackson, as if springin2 full grown
from the loins of the people, cast over
one million votes, winning IN five
States within four months from the
date of it's birth.
The Democratic and Republican par,
ties no longer represented the prln-
clples upon which they were founded.
They had long since deserted the prin.
cipIes for which our ancestors left the
old world, and which we're mace our
inheritance through the blood and sac
rlfice of our fathers in the Revolution
ary war, and had embraced the odlOus
and oppressive methods so long prac
ticed under the mOnarchies and des-
potisms of the old world. Toe enemies
of good government, the enemies Of the
peoples prosperity and the enemies Of
struggling humanity had dominated
and controlled both Of the Sc parties for
twenty years. Both Of these parties
had long since ceased to regard the In
terests of the masses and became the
agents through which corporations and
trusts despoll the people; both Of these
parties have betrayed the people and
have legislated in the interest of bank
ers, spectators, bond holders ard
mOnopolies, thus enabling the favored
few to absorb the millions Of property
earned and created by the tolline
masses. They have been the agencies
for robbing the millions for making
the few millionaires, and, worse thai
this tley have placed the welfare ant
happiness Of the whole nation in thu
hands of, and subject to, the conteder
t ated money powers Of tho world. Th'
candidates of both of these parties 70
{ the past twenty years has been pledged
for the gold standard, and have usec
the power of the government on tn
side of gold. No matter which part!
the people voted for, their votes were
cast for their enemies and to enslav
D themselves. No matter which part,
went into power, times grew harde
. and the wealth of the many concen
;. trated into the hands Of the few.
The Peoples party was the first pr
q litical organization In tWnty years tha
made an honest demand for the fire
and unrestricted coinage of silver. Ur
d til the present year both old partie
Il put into their platforms a demand fC
the restoration of silver, but couple
with IL qualifying and ambiguou
c. phrases, that negatived the demand
II then rallied the voters of the West an
le South for silver, and Northeast for tn
n gold standard, on the same platform