People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1897-09-17

chattel slavery was growing into
prominence, superseding all other is
sues. Henry Clay weighted down by
his own political ambitions, ambitions
that cramped his judgment and made
him coward, essayed to gain leader
ship by compromise. He sought to tie
down the question to one of demarka
ton between slave and free states to
be carved out of the national domain
and he sought to make that demarka-
ton by compromise. But the question
was not compromisable. If chattel
slavery was wrong north of certain
parallel of latitude it was equally
wrong south of it, if slavery was repug
nant to the great truths on which our
Republic was founded in one part of
the country it was equally repugnant
in all. And so the issue would not be
narrowed despite all that timid lead
ers could do. The issue broadened,
and would-be leaders who sought to
narrow it, fearing that bold announce
ment of opposition to the institution of
slavery would make enemies and inter
fere with the attainment of political
am billions, lost the respect and conf
dence that can only come with true
| leadership and went down to defeat as
they deserved. so it was that Henry
Clay failed in the leadership he essay
ed He failed because, fearing to lead,
he was untitled for leadership. Not
until a true leader came forward, a
man with great ambition, but with
am bition to serve his country rather
than himself, whose ability to lead was
not cramped by personal ambition,
was the struggle for the emancipation
of the negro from chattel slavery
crowned with success.
The new and greater struggle for
emancipation, emancipation of our
producing classes from industrial sla-
very, is no more compromisable than
the old struggle for emancipation OF
the negro from chattel slavery. The
new struggle can no more be narrow
| co DnaA Lu0 OlUs l. nc WOu10-OG lS6QOh
the party that would strive to narrow
it cannot be trusted, The enslavement
of our producing classes to an oligar-
chy of wealth and the struggle for
emancipation is developing, and as it
progresses new issues arise. And these
issues must be met by the party that
would lead successfully. To tie down
the question of emancipation from in
dustrial slavery to one issue, whereas
the channels by which the moneyed
oligarchy seeks to accomplish the en-
slavement of our people are several, is
quite impossible.
The aggressions by which it is sought
to grind our producing classes down
into the poverty that presages indus
agencies, separate and distinct, and as
these aggressions have developed, sc
have new issues arisen. And all Of
these issues must be met. The eman
cipation of our industrial classes car
never be accomplished by meeting one
and passing the others by, never be at
tanned by checking the aggressions o.
oligarchy at one point and leaving il
free to pursue its aggressions at al
others, never be accomplished by over
throwing one of the agencies, severina
one of the bonds that ties our people tt
industrial slavery and permitting the
welding of other bonds for their en-
slavement. No more can we accom-
plish emancipation from industrial
slavery by meeting one issue raised by
that enslavement and cringing before
others, than it was possible to settle
the struggle for emancipation from
chattel slavery by demarking the terri
tory in which the institution of slavery
should and should not spread.
OF the several agencies made use O
by the mopeyed oligarchy for the en-
slavement of our people the two mos
important are our monetary and trans
portation systems. 1t will, not do t.
reform the one, so that it will no
serve those who seek to enrich them
selves by preying upon the fruits o
the others toll, and not the other. II
stop short with reforming our monetar!
sy stem, with taking it out of the hand
of those who seek to use it for thei
own enrichment and the impoverish
ment of the many, is to stop short O
, protecting our producing classes from
despoilment, for they are despoilet
, through the agency of our transporta
ton systems as effectually as they ar
despoiled through dishonest moneta
ry system. Therefore it will not suffice
for those who seek to direct the strug
gle for the emancipation of our pro
ducing classes from the slavery of pow
erty, to tie themselves down to the
} issue raised by the abuse of our none
tary system. The issue raised by thu
abuse of our transportation system
must be equally met and the issues
raised by the abuse of our protective
tariff system, which has been made ;
monopoly tariff system by our system
of national taxation which throws al
undue share of the burdens of govern
ment on the poor and by the usurpa
ton of legislative and executive au
thority by the courts, in the interest o
centralized capital, cannot be ignored
The party that ties itself down to ont
issue involved in the emancipation o.
our producing classes from industrial
slavery, when there are many, canno'
be trusted with leadership, and it /:
down to one issue involved, and thai
one issue the silver question, which il
in fact but part of the monetary issue
that Mr.. Bryan and others seek to tie
the Democratic party. Thus led, the
Democratic party cannot be trustee
with leadership for it is untitled tc
lead with success, untitled to accom-
plish the emancipation of our produc
ing classes even if crowned with au