The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-09-15
Of the Interests of the People
by the Republicans and
Democrats.
SOFT SOAP FOR THE GEORGIAN
Peasant Words of the Chairman of
the Notification Committee to
the Candidate.


tor Marion G. Butler, chairman of the
Populist National Committee, to-day
mailed the following letter of notification
for Vice President:
WASHINGTON, d. c., Sept. ID, 1896.
Hon. Thomas E. Watson, Thompson, GG.-DEAR
SIR: Such is our form of government that the
citizens of the United States must shape its
course for good 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 right
and the interest of the laborer. wealth.pro-
ducer and all who strive to make an honest
living by fair and legitimate means, then it is
impossible for the majority of the voters to ex-
press 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 Republican party under the lesder-
ship of John Sherman and the Democratic
party under the leadership of Grover Cleve-
land 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 spoliatlon and 10 strengthen the power
that Expresses them.
This was the political situation in 1892
whenNstern necessity forced organized labor,
the organized wealth producers, and others
who believe in good government and were en-
gagged in legitimate business interests, to meet
and form a new political organization known
as the Peoples party. This new political
party, representing the principles OF true Re-
publicanism as taught by Abraham Lincoln
and of true Democracy as taught by Jefferson
and Jackson, as If springing full-grown from
eoP9 Eve sate over WITHIN fon
months from the date of its birth.
The Democratic and Republican parties no
longer represented the principles upon which
founded. long O.
serted the principles for which our ancestors
left the Old World and which were made our
inheritance through the blood and sacrifices
of our fathers in the Revolutionary War and
had EN- braeed the odious and oppressive meth
DDS so long practiced under the monarchies
and despotisms OF the Old World. The enemies
OF good government, the enemies OF the peo-
pies prosperity and the enemies of struggling
humanity had dominated and controlled both
of these parties for twenty years. Both of
these parties had long since ceased to regard
the interest OF the masses and became
the agents through which corporations and
trusts exploit the people; both of these parties
have betrayed the people and have legislated
in the interest OF the bankers, spectators,
bondholders and monopolists, thus enabling
the favored few to absorb the millions OF prop
erty earned and created by the toiling masses.
They have been the agencies for robbing the
worse than this, they have placed the welfare
and happiness of the whole Nation in the
hands of and subject to the confederated money
power of the world. The candidates of both of
these parties for the past twenty years have
been pledged to the gold standard and have
used the power of the Government on the side
of gold. No matter which party the people
voted for their votes were cast for their enc
mics and TO enslaYe themselves. No matter
which party went into power times grew
harder and the wealth of the many was con-
centrated into the hands OF the few.
Another party, an American party, was
wanted. There was need for such party to
keep alive the American spirit of 1776, to adj
vocate and enforce the principles of the De-
claration of Independence, TO advocate the
rights Of American labor and American man.
hood, to restore prosperity to suffering
people and TO rescue great and rich Nation
from the quieksands of bankruptcy and ruin
Thus the Peoples party stands for the great
principles OF 6 republican form of cove m
ment as represented by the forefathers, and
came into existence to restore the Government
TO the people,
The Peoples party was the first political or
ganization In twenty-three years that made an
honest demand tor the free and unrestricted
coinage OF silver. Until the present year both
old parties put into their platforms a demand
for the restoration of SILVER, but coupled with
it qualifying and ambiguous phrases that neg
atiyed the demand, and then rallied the voters
of the West and South for silver, and the North
aud East for the gold standard, on the same
platform.
The Peoples party was the first political or
ganization that decided against the surrender
of the governmental functions OF issuing
paper money to National, State or private
banks. The Peoples party was the first politi-
cal organization to make definite and specific
what 1t meant by opposition to monopolies in
stead OF indulging in glittering generalities
The Peoples party was the first political party
to nominate candidates for Presidents and
Vice-President that were not goldbugs and did
not receive goldbug support. 1t is the only
| party now in existence which, with an undi-
vided membership and solid front, is de-
manding legislation for the suppression of
monopolies and for the equal protection
croachment OF individual and corporate
! power So successfully has it exposed the
shortcomings OF the two old parties, SO vigor-
/ nndf ham fort In hat.
! people, SO vigorously has 1t taught the princi-
| pies of true Democracy and true Republican
ism, that one of these old parties has been
forced to retrace its erring steps and cast off
| Tor the time being a least its base and treach-
erous leaders. 1t was the Peoples party that
brought the all-important and overshadowing
| question of financial reform to the front. It
! was the Peoples party that made il impossible
! Tor the old parties to longer keep in the back
ground the real National issues while they
| fought sham bat les over the tariff and other
minor local issues. The Peoples party is the
real force, the handspring behind this great
| political revolution.
1t was the indomitable force that drove the
Democratic party TO make its patriotic declara-
| ton In the Chicago convention and is now the
constant ana strengthening force that holds
them up to that declaration. If this patriotic
| and elevating influence as an organized force
were removed then inevitably the evil and
| blighting influences that have dominated and
| corrupted the Democratic party in the past
would creep into its councils and control
1t again. Besides there is a considerable mi
| AOAAes Va INC OC4AOSIdl1C party WHO policy
are supporting the action of the Chicago con-
Yention, yet who are radically opposed to Mr..
Bryan and the principles which he represents.
These are the natural allies of the plutocrats
| of the Indianapolis convention and will spare
/ no efforts to defeat the reforms which the
people and every principle of good govern
ment demand.
Thus the Democratic party, so long de-
bauched-a party beset from without and from
within by the gold plutocrats trying to again
eontrol-cannot be relied on to carry out these
reforms OF the Peoples party and restore pros
| perity to the American people.
| Therefore there was never greater need for
| the vigorous growth of our party than now
Without it the Democratic party, If in power,
! could not redeem its pledges. Without 1T the
next National convention of the Democratic
party would repudiate the platform it has 30
recently adopted at Chicago, and Mr.. Bryan
would stand no more chance of becoming its
nominee than would Thomas Jefferson il he
were again on earth.
In 1892 the Democratic politicians de-
nounced the principles OF the Peoples party.
| In 1896 these same men were forced to purge
! themselves of their mOdern false doetrinas N Il