The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-08-05
BEFORE THE CONVENTION.
Solomon aud the Two Mothers.

BEFORE THE CONVENTION.
Solomon aud the Two Mothers.
Special to The Representatives:
Washington. ID. c., July 1S, 1866
Both old parties, with their checkered
and discredited records, have had
their say, All eyes now turn to the
action of the giant young Peoples
Party at st. Louis next week. There
has never been any doubt as to what
this convention would do. It is true
that few Populists, with more enthus-
iasm than judgement, rushed hastily
into print, and said that their party
would endorse the action OF the
Democratic conventions; but even
these, upon sober second thought,
have seen their error The people of
of forcing the financial question to
the front as the oYershadowing issue
Of the coming campaign is due. The
politicians OF both old parties made
desperate effort to continue to keep
this question in the background, as
they have been doing for twenty
years; and to again force a sham bat
tie oyer the tariff and other minor is
sues. It was the Peoples Party that
opened the eyes OF the country, in
spite of the old party politicians, to
the real truth and issue. They have
shelled the woods around the old par
ty politicians, and have driven them
from their hiding places of deception
and fraud.
The Democratic and Republican
politicians in 1892 agreed to write
their financial planks SO nearly alike
that not even the members of their
own party could tell them apart. The
Peoples Party exposed the game, and
smashed their future straddling
schemes. In sheer desperation the
Republicans were this time forced to
ard, as were the Democratic politi-
clans for free silver. But, had 1t not
been for the existence Of, and the
light thrown upon the situation by,
the Peoples Party, these old party
politicians would have again strad-
died this question, and again written
their planks so nearly alike that the
authors OF them could not have told
them apart. So far, this is a tremen-
dous victory for the Peoples party, and
every honest voter In America owes it
vote of thanks for thus drawing the
issue sQuarely and forcing the hypo-
critics to take stand.
Thus the political atmosphere has
been cleared-thus an opportunity has
been given to all who oppose the rule
of monopoly and the gold trust to see
how and where they can unite in
common effort for the cause of hui
mainly. The follower of Lincoln, who
has been so long deceived by the Re-
publican party, now, since that party
has openly declared for mOnOpOlieS
and the gold trusts, will at once join
the Peoples party; the follower Of
Jefferson and Jackson, who for q quar-
ter Of a century has been fooled and
betrayed by the Democratic party. will
now, of course, since that party has
confessed its treachery and betrayal.
join the Peoples party. Every voter
in the country knows that the Peoples
party was formed because these old
parties had deserted the fundame ntal
principles of Jefferson and Lincoln;
and, in as much as the financial QueS-
tion has been and always will be the
greatest economic question Of any
government. and, inaSmuch as the
treachery of these two old parties has
been greater on that vital question
than on any other, the Peoples party
at it's birth planted itself firmly on the
principles OF true republication and
true democracy, and declared that
financial reform was the OvershadOw-
ing issue.
Every voter knows also that when
the Peoples party took this position
east and west, as well as the Repub-
1ioon 1nod0rc Qf
the Peoples party leaders as s.silver
cranks" and financial heretics.''
None were louder than the Democrat
ic politicians in declaring that the
financial system OF this country was
all right; in fact they said that we
had the best financial system the
world ever saw, and further declared
that the tariff was the only great is
sue before the country. But. during
these four years the Peoples party
has so thoroughly convinced the
masses of the voters of the country as
to the real cause of hard times that
now these same Democratic pOliti-
clans are forced to confess that they
were wrong and that the Peoples
party was right Now, who will the
voter, who believes in free silver and
financial reform, follow? Can he af-
ford to trust the leaders action at Chi
cago was confession that they have
In the past either ignUrantly or will
fully deceived the people, or will he
follow the leadership Of those whose
patriotism and, courage has forced to
the front this great and vital ques-
ton? The voters are terribly in earn
est, and will. therefore. follow leaders
who have been in earnest and who
have shown their sincerity aud their
honesty from the beginning. There
fore, the action OF. the Democrats at
Chicago in nominating Mr.. Bryan and
Ia declaring that the Peoples party
platform was right, will add wonder