The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-07-09
A POPULIST MANIFESTO.


4 POPULIST MANIFESTO.
Chicago. July 6.-The Fopulists lead
ers today issued the following manifesto
in behalf of Senator Teller:
Chicago, July 6.-Upon the eve of
action by the Democratic national con-
vention about to assemble at Chicago,
we find the situation such that we deem
it proper to address all friends of free
silver coinage and financial reform in
the United States.
AS members of the Peoples party we
have occupied the position merely of
careful observation aud we have not at
tempted to. nor shall attempt to dictate
to the Democratic national convention,
but as large numbers of persons, many
of them delegates to that convention,
are assuming to express the opinion that
the Peoples party and other advocates
of free coinage should accept the nom
inees of the Democratic convention and
join in to elect the same upon Il Demo-
cratic platform, we desire to express
our views upon this subject not as bind
ing upon the Peoples party, but as eX-
pressiye of what we believe to be its
sentiment.
-Four years ago at Omaha the Peo-
pies party, among other reforms, de-
manded the free and unlimitated coinage
of silver at 16 to l, full legal tender for
all debts Independent of any other ma
ton. We were then told by the Demo-
cratic and Republican parties that this
was an economic error. The Peoples
party thus became and has remained the
logical united party for free silver. The
Republican party has persisted III its
policy for gold standard, thereby
alternating large portion of its former
adhercnts. The Democratic party is di-
vided with Il majority of its delegates
favoring the Populist doctrine as II free
silver coinage, while Il powerful min
GRITTY, representing great Democratic
states, absolutely to consent to such Il
policy and its present administration,
with all its patronage, is in rabid hos
tiity to the cause of free silver and will
exert its vast power to defeat Il free sill
yer candidate.
"The Democratic party therefore
meets in convention under most eX-
traordinary circumstances. 1t can not
be surprised to find that vast number
Iof people look with distrust upon mere
platform professions. The free silver
cause is the peoples cause. 1t requires
for success against the mighty powers
opposing it, the votes of millions of men
who have not acted with the Demo
cratic party. How then can that party
at time when it is, by hopeless divi-
sion, more weak and important than
ever before, undertake this gigantic task
in the narrow spirit of straight party ac-
ton. If it expects the cooperation of
the millions who are outside of its ranks,
it is bound to prove it by its acts now
and here that it is sincere and that il
places the success of this cause above the
narrow plane of Il mere partisan effort.
IF the Democratic party expects to
overcome the distrust which the present
administration has earned for it, now is
the time 10 prove its sincerity.
'There is a candidate upon whom all
the votes of friends of free silver can be
united if all those who have the cause
ut heart will yield something of their
extreme craftsmanship and place the
cause first and complete party success
second. He is Il candidate who, having
given more than twenty years to n de-
voted struggle for this cause and for
financial reform, has shown that he can
all party ties or party success. He step
ped out of his party when it declared for
the single gold standard and, standing
as he does, untrammeled by party af-
filiations and devoted to the cause which
the Democratic party now by majority
declares the supreme question of the
hour, he above all men becomes the
logical candidate upon whom all who
love this cause can unite. He is able,
competent tried, true, earnest, reliable
and can be triumphantly elected.
ITO nominate straight Democrat in
a divided party when millions of honest
citizens stand ready to support non
partisan candidate is mere reckless ex-
pertinent. not only an act of supreme
folly in this hour, but defiance of all
prudence and can not be but construed
as meaning that the Democratic party
desires to conjure with the magic of an
occasion and prefers defeat for the
cause in a spirit of narrow craftsmanship
to success by a rational act of union up
on Il candidate who can certainly sue
ceed
"The Peoples party has other princi-
pies and it has within the states which
are surely for silver coinage following
as great as that of the Democratic party
when it's vote in the gold states is elmi-
mated. We are confident that the Peo-
pies party is willing to open the path to
Il union upon Hon. Henry NJ Teller. and
if this national patriotic opportunity for
certain success is rejected by the Demo-
cratic convention in the determination to
seek complete partisan success regard
less of an open path to viceroy, then we
call the true friends of the cause to
witness that the responsibility rests
upon those who reject this opportunity,
and that it is n conclusive proof that
we who have championed this cause for
years. who are united i'm it's support. are
its safe defenders and will carry it to
success. Whatever may be our indivi-
dual wishes in the premises we are fore
ed to say, after an earnest endeavor to
inform ourselves about the sentiment of |
the Peoples party of the country at |
large, that that party can not be in
duced to endorse a candidate for presi- |
dent who has not severed his affiliations
with the old political party" a
II is signed by II. =. Taubeneck,
Illinois; j. b. Weaver, Iowa; Martin
Quinn, Oregon; A. j. Streator, Illinois;
D. 5: Grace. Michigan; A. w. Nichols,
Michigan; Howard Taylor, Illinois: d.
N, Fulwiler, Illinois; G. L. Palmer,
illinois; |. J. Mills, Fenton, La; J. M.
Ewing, Michigan; j. o. Roberts, Illinois;
lanes Mcbride. Michigan; James Fin
ler, Michigan; Eugene Smith, Illinois;
". w. Weaver, Illinois; Chris O'Brien,
illinois; III. L. Schuler, Illinois; G. NJ.
Miller, Illinois; G. b. Matthews, New
York; Q: X. Lapham, Virginia; G. J.