The San Francisco call., 1896-01-17
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
ON TIE PoPUL1sr PLATFORM.

ON THE POPULIsT PLATFORM.
In RESPONSE TO THE CHALLENGE OF Mr.. OLIVER
EVERETT.
To the Editor of the San Francisco CGlI-S1R:
There are three substantial reasons for "tne
frequency with which the Populist" under
signed, "airs his views in your columns,
namely: The 5000 citizens in this City ana the
10000 in the State who voted the Popuilst
ticket at the last election are now looking to
THE CALL, that speaks for all, as genuine,
broad-guage newspaper Of the most advanced
order in which the news OF the world may be
found in due proportion TO its value and i'm
portance; in the next place, 1t Is not teeple
journal and so uncertain OF its own growth as
TO be afraid to give place in its ample columns
TO views on the vital issues OF the day when IL
does not inculcate in its editorial utterances;
and, in the third place, 1t has sufhclent 1altn
in the stability and strength OF the polltcaI
party whose interests II seeks to promote as 10
feel no uneasiness over an oecaslona: pupIlcd-
ton of little DIETER from the people" written
by Populist.
Mr.. Everett calls himself socialist, and his
first charge againstthe Populist platform Is that
its three issueS-a legal tender NatIonal money
issued by the Government only, the ownership
by the Government of the railroad ana teIe-
graph systems and the destruction OF corporate
and alien land monOpoly-"are merely tenn
porary palliatiyes." 1t is my purpose 10 snow
that his position is untenable, and as ne seems
ously, he will certainly admit his error on
conviction and reflection.
In common with citizens of all shades OF
political faith, Populists hold that there are
three gigantic and oppressive evils in the lana,
the direct results Of clothing corporations Wlth
the functions of government, and they pro
claim as an adequate and sovereign remedy
for the permanent cure of these evils the restor-
alton OF these functions to the Government,
where OF right they belong, and they base
their plea on the axiom adopted as the tounda-
-
Now, to go at TO the root OF tn matter unuer
discussion, that is. the cure of the public evils
designated in the Populist platform, let US see
whether the remedy proposed IN that pat
form is in fact merely temporary paIllatlVe.
suppose, Tor illustration that the postaI sys-
tenn under Cleveland should be transferred
from the Government to corporate ownership
and control to obtain some millions OF goid 10
''keep up the credit of the Government py
placing it in the treasury as gold reserve 10
be drawn out again with greenbacks at the
pleasure of the great bankers, and the new
postottice owners should follow the corporate
rule of taxing the traffic all it viii bear ana
raise the price of letter stamp from z 10 D
cents ana cause great hardship and loss TO the
people and business, would it not be an aue-
quate and sovereign remedy for this crying
postal evil to restore it TO the Government
Would it not cure that evil?
The three most profit Bile, powerful and dan
gerous corporations to-day, the most corrupt
ing and oppressive, are the railroad, telegraph
and banking corporations, as almost every IN
telugent citizen will unheSltaungly admit In
private conversation, ana tDe NatlOudl curse u
their corporate eXtoruon would instantly
cease the day the Government resumed the
functions unWisely or corruptly granted TO
these mOnStrOuS corporations. No man OF
sound mind and good intelligence, unbiased
by corporate influence, has single doubt IN
the present state OF public enlightenment as TO
the correctness of this statement Would 1t be
merely mporary palliative TO dethrone tnese
great corporations and restore the functions
they now exercise to the Government, where
they belong? Is Mr.. Everett ready TO say no?
| only rTlaE 70 hTf of RET
other points in Mr.. Everetts temperate and
dignifed letter The one weak point in the
arguments OF all advocates OF the Socialist La
bor party is that "step at time which IS
the policy OF the Peoples party, is evidence
that PopuliSts "have not the perseverance to
continue to think" and cannot see the
greater beauties that lie beyond" in the de-
lectable mountains OF realized socialism.
Railway trains cross the continent with one
revolution OF the car wheels at a time, ana
great ocean steamships cross the Droad racine
by one turn at time OF the propeller. Chill
dren in school pass from the lower TO the
higher grade, and never begin the school
course in the State university. Socialists OF
the Everett cult should learn 10 fly and then
teach the less advanced" the science. No,
that would not do. for flying itself Is done py
one stroke of the wings at time.
The one thing which the champions OF the
Socialist Labor party seem never to have dis
covered, VITA their eyes fixed in steadfast gaze
and rapt admiration upon the deIectaDle
mountains OF socialism IN the enchanting dis
tance, is the awfully dull and prosaic fact that
society IS plant oil SLOW growth, tne century
plant being a Yerltable Jonah's gourd IN com
pariSon. In fact the gigantic sequOias OF our
mountains, said to be contemporaneous with
Solomon, afford US a better illustration of the
time it takes for the establishment OF a just
and humane Government One step at time
through all the ages past has now made ii pos
ganize enjoyed py the Socialist Labor
party and all Others. One step at a
time, one plank as an issue, made the
Republican party that elected Lincoln in 1860.
and ii has ruled the Nation for thirty years and
has dreams OF long future. AS a Populist l
confess that believe in one step at a time in
politics, as parties are now managed and l
hope that the step this year will be a solid
and lasting union OF all reform forces on
the great financial issue and the greatest
issue of all direct legislation.
In conclusion, il is pleasure for me to add
that am in full and hearty accord, as l think
all intelligent Populists are, with Mr.. Everett
on the land question.
JOSEPH AsBURY JOHNSON.
IL Essex street, January 10, 1896.