The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1897-04-23
gold combine should regain its con

lIt pdGIIOUlc Sudllu tdheu Oy tile
Populist party in the last campaign
had added to It's power to command
the situation in the present and in
the future Had our party in the
late campaign displayed no higher
patriotism than the old parties, and
sought merely party ends. and not
proved itself equal to any sacrifice
in order to advance the welfare of
the people, we would not now hold
the confidence of the masses and
stand as a bulwark of the people
against the intrigues of the old poll
tical leaders that for thirty years
have betrayed the people and CON
trolled their parties in the interests
of the banks, monopolies and trusts.
Had Mr.. Bryan been elected presi-
dent with a congress in sympathy
with him, the money question would
have been speedily settled and with
forty or more trusted leaders of the
party in congress, and the state
government of several states in our
hands, the transportation question
and other vital issues presented by
our platform would at once become
the storm center of political discuss
| ion and the Peoples party would
soon acquire second if not first place
in the politics of our country. View
ing the duty Of the present in the
light of the past experience, the de-
mand for upholding our organization
and pushing the work Of education
is more imperative now than at any
time in the past.
We have governors in five states,
eight senators, and twenty three
congressman, and the election of
1898 will undoubtedly give us the
balance of power in the house as we
now have it in the senate The op-
portunity is before us to accomplish
these results, and more.
We, your representatives at Wash
ington, are striving to put forward
the cause o. the party, and to
strengthen and build it up, and ap-
peal to our reform papers to join US
in this effort. There must be CON
centrated action and an avoidance of
all entangling alliances to insure
success.
We regret and deprecate the dis
position Of some to have the party
at this time declare what it will or
will not do in the future as to the
best methods for strengthening the
party and advancing it's principles.
No one can at this time forecast with
certainty what would be the proper
course for our party to pursue in
convention assembled three years
hence. Therefore, there is but one
safe course, it seems to US, for every
true Populist to pursue at this time,
namely, to do all in his power to
impress our principles upon the
country and to bring recruits into
the party, and stand ready when
the peoples representatives meet
in convention to do what then seems
wisest and best to accomplish the
ends for which we are all striving.
The Populist press can he . most
powerful factor to bring this about,
when the press of any party is
united and aggressive. Therefore
we appeal to every true populist
editor to cease the suicidal course
OF firing at each other. Yurp your
guns on the common enemy and let
each issue Of your paper be hn qf
articles discussing tenets ofthe
lparty as laid down. in the last nat
ional platform. Let there be no re-
laxing of efforts but united and
steady advance all along the line,
and victory win crown our efforts.
; (The above address was issued by
joint caucus of Peoples Party
senators and congressman.
Duncan Mclaughlin of Slim
Buttes says there will be no loss
} among the small stockmen in that
country, but the large CO .e com.
panies will sustain some loss.
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