The advocate., 1897-08-25

IL published q new creed. IL grOunGed
itself on Che equality of human rights.
II declared that the earth is the her
itage of the people, and that wealth
belongs to him that creates 1t; that the
means for the distribution Of the prod
ucts OF labor ought to belong to the
people. and be operated by their agents;
that money should be provided by the
government and distributed through
public agencies, and that borrowers
might procure its use at an annual
charge not exceeding 2 per cent, which
is equal to twO-thirds the net average
savings Of the whole people.
These four great ideas-Land, Labor,
Transportation and Money-cover the
whole field Of human exertion, and they
include all the reforms needed at the
time, except one, and this new party
provided for that in its submitting the
proposition that the people reserve to
themselves, in their capacity as indi-
vidual citizens, the right to propose
legislation and to vote upon every great
measure Of public policy before 1t shall
take effect as law.
II there is any one idea in the Popu-
list party platform that may be called
leading, so far as an administrative
policy is concerned, 1t is that OF the
paramount power and authority OF the
countrys citizenship organized. We
believe the people of the United States
constitute a nation; we believe the gov
ernment is an agency created by the
people for their benefit; and hence we
believe that all great national instru-
mentalities and franchises ought to be
owned and operated by the government.
The Democrat party is opposed to all
this. In order to avoid the erection or
toll-gates many years ago on the ma
tional road for the purpose Of collecting
money to keep the road in repair, the
ancient Democracy preferred to Cede
the road to the States through which
it was laid. That party was always
opposed to the government making any
internal improvements except for
purely military Of naval purposes
That party believes in State banks Of
issue; it believes in metallic money
only, and on that subject 1t is not a
whit in advance of the Republicans.
So far as the coinage ratio is con-
cerned, while Populists from the be-
ginning of their party history have all
along demanded 16 to /, and while the
Democrats last year agreed with us on
that point yet If we do not believe that
they regard the ratio as vital, we have
abundant reason for our disbelief.
When in 1893 the votes were taken in
the House Of Representatives on ratio,
while 16 to / received the largest vote,
yet 115 Democrats voted against 1t.
The vote stoOd-DemOcrat for, 100;
against, lis. BY way of showing that
the ratio was not material in the esti-
nation of the silver Democrats, the
vote on II to 1 stOOd-DemOcrat for,
"a; against, 12S. And 20 to l received
total Of 119 votes, with 222 against.
I have not analyzed this affirmative
vote, but it was cast mostly by mem
bers on the Democrat side.
And we have later record than that.
On the 23d OF January, 1895, Senator
Jones of Arkansas who was then the
leader of the Democrat silver forces In
the Senate, and was, the next year,
made Chairman of the National Com
mittee Of his party, introduced Senate
bill No. 2642, the ninth section Of which
reads as follows:
Section g. That from and after the
passage Of this act, the Secretary Of the
Treasury Is hereby authorized and di-
rected to receive at any United States
mint, from any citizen Of the United
States, silver bullion of standard fine
ness, and coin the same into silver dol
lars Of four hundred and twelve and a
half grains each. The seinorage on
the said bullion shall belong to the
United States, and shall be the differ
ence between the coinage value thereof,