The Butler weekly times., 1896-10-29
Fer Whom Shall We Vote?

Industrial Leader, the Official organ of the
| Populist party of Missouri
Elsewhere in this paper will be
found the letter of Hon. 0. D. Jones
our candidate for governor, with
drawing from the populist state
ticket. It is clear, comprehensive
aud manly statement, unequivocal
aud free from ali subterfuge. Ia
common with every true populist in
the state We sincerely regret that
circumstances were such as to impel
this course Judge Jones has been
constant, earnest and effective
worker, both through the press and
on the rostrum, for number of
years and Is one among the most
widely known aud mos, highly es-
teemed champions Of the principles
constituting the issues in this cam
paign in the United States. Popu-
lists and friends of silver every
where he is known regard him as an
able advocate and defender of those
principles. But while we are sorry
to see him Withdraw from our ticket.
We have no hesitarcy IL saying that
no thought or word of censure will
go out to him from any true and
honest populist who Is conversant
with the facts-he is amply justified
and his course is that of t. inauly
and conscientious man.
However, now that the position is
vacant on our state ticket, what is
the proper course for populists to
pursue! For whom shall We vote.
Practically speaking, there are bat
two other candidates for that posi-
tion in the feld-Lon V. Stephens,
the democratic candidate, and r. E.
Lewis, the republican nominee Mr.
Stephens has, for several years, been
an earnest advocate of the free coin
age Of silver and the abolition of the
national banking system. While
owning some national bank stock,
which he inherited from his father,
he has vigorously fought the system
as unjust and inimical to the inter.
ests of the wealth producers of the
whole country His speech before
the Worlds Congress of Bankers at
Chicago, in June, 1898, won for him
the bitter hatred of every national
banker in the land and they are now
fighting him with the vindictiveness
OF demons. He Was chiefly instru
mental in having the now celebrated
Pertle Springs convention held
which resulted in placing Nlissouri
in the front rank in the fight against
the gold power. As state treasurer
he has been eminently successful in
protecting the interests of the peo
pie and is universally regarded as a
conscientious and successful busi
ness man, possessing excellent judg
ment, keen perception and great
frmDess OF character.
MI. Lewis, the republican candi
date, stau DIS squarely on the British
gold standard platform adopted by
bis party, is opposed to the free
coinage of silver aud favors placing
the whole finance system of this
country in the hands of the bankers
He is the pet and plant tool of old
Boss Filley and, if elected, would
simply be Filley's proxy in conduct
ing the affairs cf this state. result
ing IN relgn of corrupt hoodiumism
and making the peoples servant, the
suppliant puppets Of the tyranicai
old Boss. Lewis stands squarelv in
opposition to every principle and
every reform advocated By Populists
and III almost every speech he has
delivered since his nomina ton Laws
has gone out OF bis way TO insult,
abuse and ridicuie PopuIists. Every
goldbug III the state, democratic AZ
we'll es republican, vii! supper,
Lewis, likewise tie corporations,
bankers and Federal office-ho!ders.
The issues are squarely drawn and
the hghs is between the peopIe OF
one side and the united gold power
Oh the other.
IL view of these facts the plain