People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1896-12-31
BUFFERS ADDRESS.
10 the People Of the united States !:

closed the Peoples Party was the only
party that supported solidly and united
ly the great and vital issues represented
in the candidacy Of Mr.. Bryan. This
was natural, for the Peoples Party
came into existence to bring to the front |
and to press to victory the principles Of
Lincoln and Jefferson, already long dis
carded by the two old parties. The
money power, feeling reasonably sure
Of its control and domination Of the
leaders and the controlling influences in |
the Republican party, in 1892 gave its
support to the candidacy Of Grover
Cleveland for the especial purpose Of |
having him, through the use Of patron
age and otherwise, to crush out the sill
yer sentiment in the south and make
the leaders in that party as completely
subseryient as those in the Republican
party.
To accomplish this purpose four cab
met ministers were selected from the
south and an unusually large amount
Of patronage used on political leaders
to the same end. twill be remembered
that Mr.. Cleveland demanded that the
Democratic senators and congressman
give decisive vote in the interest Of
the gold standard before he would even
give ont the postoffices
This deep laid plan might have sue
ceeded had not the Peoples Party at
this juncture sprung into existence. ex-
posed the plot, stood in the breach and
appealed to the patriotic hosts Of both
parties to check the scheme Of the peo-
pies despoilers and rally to the COM
mon defense. Thus the Peoples Party
forced the Democratic organization to
repudiate Clevelandism and return to
correct fundamental principles. Not on
~ this, the Peoples Party then forced
the Republican party to cease hedging
and straddling and drove them to tai
a stand one side or the other of the Vi
tai issues at stake The issue now being
squarely j ned, it was evident that
those influences in the Democratic party
which had dominated and debauched
the party for a quarter Of a century
would be driven TO the support Of the
party that took a position on the side
of trusts, monopolies and money gam
blers. While, on the other hand, it is
evident that even larger per cent Of
the Republican party favored the prin-
ciples now squarely forced to the front,
yet only small per cent would in this
campaign support them because they
found them under the Democratic ban
ner.
Had it not been for the prejudice
against the Democratic name as well as
want of confidence in the Democratic
promises, for which it must be frankly
admitted past experience furnishes am
pie ground, a majority of the voters OF
the country, in spite of the tremendous
and unparalleled forces put forward by
the Republican managers, would have
cast their vote for financial reform anu
American independence. The Peoples
Party, with high patriotism and an
unselfsh devotion to principle, greater
than ever exhibited by any other party,
stepped outside Of its organization to
throw its 100000 votes solidly for
Mr.. Bryan. Had not more than this
number Of those who called themselves
Democrats in 1892 given their support
to Mr.. Mckinley the cause Of the peo-
pie and American principles would
have triumphed this year. This class Of
Democrats will surely support the par
ty of monopolies and trusts in the fu-
ture. Their places in the ranks Of the
reform hosts must be taken by patriotic
Republicans In fact, Bryan would
have been elected in this contest had
even $4,000 more silver Republicans
come to the rescue.
The election of Mckinley and the tri-
umph of the gold standard do not ex-
press the desires and sentiments of the
American people The majority oppose
the policy for which he stands and will
SO vote whenever an opportunity is pre-
sented for proper alignment The re-
markable and brilliant campaign Of
William ]. Bryan would have aligned
these forces and marched them to tri-
umphant victory if any candidate or
leader in America could have done SO
under the Democratic banner.
The administration of Mckinley can.
not bring prosperity to the American
people. The mills cannot be kept open.
idle labor given employment and gen
eral prosperity restored and maintained
until the wealth producers receive fair
returns for their labor and are thus en-
abled to purchase. The gold standard
and monopoly rule, to continuation Of
which Mr.. Mckinley stands pledged,
means fouLmore years Of falling prices,
four more years Of lOckouts and strikes,
four more years Of reduced wages and
idle labor. This will cause the patriotic
rank and file of the Republican party
to condemn andrepudiate McKinleyism,
as the patriotic rank and file Of the
Democratic party has condemned and
repudiated Clevelandism. / cannot be-
lieye otherwise, for have not less con-
fidence in tie patriotism of this class Of
Republicans than the rank and file Of
the Democratic party has already demon