People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1896-08-21

Presiding officer Stripped, IS he says, Of
all verbal disguise, 1T is an is ne of COM
mon honesty; HA issue between the honest
discharge and the dishonest Reputation
ri public and private obligations. 1t is u
+ question as to whether the powers of this
government shall b. used to protect hon
est industry or to tempt the citizen to dis
honesty, On this question honest men
cannot differ 1t is one of morals d JUS
Gice. 1t involves the existence of social
order. 1t is the contest for civ liXatlon.
Ii it be dishearteuiug to Democrats and
fhe lovers OF free institutions to find an
issue of this character projecting into
presidential campaign, tbis meeting fur
nishes us with an Inspiring truth of how
that issue will be met by the people.
a Democratic convention may renounce
She Democratic faith, but the Democracy
remains faithful to Democratic principles.
Democratic leaders may betray conven
zion to tie POpuliSts but they cannot Sc
fduce the poorest of Democratic voters
hErom the pathway of honor and of justice.
- ce4l6}fate s-7~iug tvs mandate OF "a
Democratic convention may il this ball
open a canvass levelled against the foun-
daUions OF social order and he beholds the
Democratic masses confronting him Or
ganized for the defense. Fellow Demo-
Gratis, let us not disguise from ourselves
Sic fact that we bear in this contest Sc
Tious and grave and solemn burden of
OuIS. w inuSb INioS our HuHuS dSdllSU
the nominee Of our party and we must do
1t 10 preserve the future of that party it.
self
Why He Opposes Bryan.
We must oppose the nominee of the Chi
A cage convention and We know full well
: e5hat the success of our opposition will
smean our own exclusion from public life,
Bbut we will be consoled and gratified by
gthe reflection that it will prove that the
American people cannot be divided into
fparties on a question of simple morals or
hof common honesty. We would look in
vain through the speech delivered here
zone week ago to find a true statement of
1.-THE issue involved in this canvass. In
sdeed | believe it is doubtful if the candi-
{date himself quite understands the nature
fol the faith which he processes. l say this,
mot in criticism of his ability, but i'll JUS
ftice to his morality. | believe that if he
himself understood the inevitable conse-
gguences of the doctrines which he breaches
that lis own hands would be the very first
ito tear down the platform on which he
Stands.
s. The pretense that men can be enriched
kby swelling the volume of currency is the
koldest deluson which has affected man
Skind since the very beginning of civillza-
stion. The volume of money plays but a
small part even in the ordinary transac
stions of life 1t is not the volume of
Eul|IIty plAO VIC StCIlNlty VI llOlSy OutiU
counts.
[ The basis of sound trade is sound
hnoney-money which is inGrinsically val
luable. money which, like the gold coinage
Npf this country, the government cannot
affect if it tried to. | can take $40 gold
piece, and | can defy all the powers of all
Ehe governments to take cents of value
from it, Having earned by the sweat of
Smy brow, having earned it by the exercise
lOf my brain, having earned it by the eX-
change of my commodities, can go to the
pttermost ends of the earth, and wherever
4 present it its value will be unquestioned
end unchailenged. That gold dollar this
meeting, the Democratic party, the honest
masses of this country, without di tine
ton of party division. demand shall be
paid to the laborer when he earns it, and
that no power on earth shall cheat him
Of the sweat of his brow.
Described as a Conspiracy.
Quoting Mr.. Bryan as proposing to
increase the price of commodities, Mr..
Cochran elaborated an argument to
show that when this increase is brought
about labor will be left to shift for it,
self. This he described as the Populist
scheme, and conspiracy. Then he
asked:
VIII you submit to this scheme be-
tween the professional farmers who cult
vate the quarrels of their neighbors, farm
ers who labar with their jaws, Populist
agitators OF the west and the merciless
Shareholders of the south? This is con-
spiracy between professional farmers who
want to pay low wages and the unrecon-
ciled Shareholder who would like to pay
no wages-here is the real conspiracy.
Here is the explanation of this Populist
movement
When this tide OF agitation shall have
receded-this tide of Populistic agita-
tisn, this assault upon common honesty
and upon industry shall have abated for
eYer-the founda ons of this republic will
remain undisturbed. This government
will still shelter a people indissolubly
welded to liberty and order, jealousy for
bidding any distinction of burden or of
privilege conserving property, maintain
ing morality, resting forever upon the
broad basis of American patriotism and
American intelligence.
MIR. Cockran's speech was well re-
ceived. While many of those in the
upper galleries deserted their seats long
before the speaker mad concluded, it was
noticed that those in tine lower tiers and
those in the main auditorium remained
attentive throughout the discourse. The
audience took advantage of every oppor-
tunity to manifest approval OF the speak
er's sentiments.