The Louisiana populist., 1897-03-12
Address of the Ma
tiOnal Reform Press
Association,
Memphis, Tenn, Feb. %, 1897.

Memphis, Tenn, Feb. %, 1897.
The National Reform Press AS
sociation, at its seventh annual ses
sion, assembled in Memphis, Ten.
nessee, February 22-24, 1897, sends
greeting to all CO. workers through.
out the country and offers the fol.
lowing for your consideration:
Elections being but incidents in
the life of the Peoples party, this
association appeals to the Popu-
lists to continue to battle steadfast-
ly for urprinciples until each and
all are enacted into law, and the
people given justice and an equal
opportunity to enjoy the blessings
OF good government.
We congratulate the people of
the United States upon the fact
that Populist education is bearing
fruit, and that even now our op-
ponents in many states are making
efforts to enact some of orr prin-
ciples into law. Our efforts are
directed toward the common good.
We arc ready to accept just laws
from any source, but We warn the
people against pretended reforms,
mere compromise measures for de-
ceptlye purposes.
The failure Of the leaders of the
Democratic party to carry out their
promises, by which they secured
the Endorsement of their candidate
for president, places the RESPONSE
bility for the defeat of promised
reforms upon the organized Dcmoc-
racy, and serves as q warning that
no reliance should be placed in old
party pledges.
We realize that to achieve prac-
teal reform we must have the as
sistance of every man who loves
his country and defends the right.
We invite all patriotic citizens to
join us in an effort to rescue the
people from the abyss of bankrupt
cy and ruin in which we are now
struggling, and we pledge our
selves to adhere to the principles
of our party platform. We siren
uously oppose all fusion or entang-
ling alliance with any other pollti-
cal party, and we declare to the
"boys in the trenches" who are
looking to US for new hope and en-
couragement, and to the whole
country, that we will never furl
our flag nor fight under the banner
of either of the two old political
parties. Let all good men unite
under the Peoples party banner
and fight the giant evils which now
endanger the republic. Prosperi-
ty having disappeared, the danger
is that peace, order and even civili-
2atipn may follow in its wake.
We call special attention to the
fact that the great railroad corpo-
rations of the country have been
freely and openly used during po-
litical campaigns by the money
power of two continents US one of
the most powerful and effective
agencies for defeating promised
financial reform. This active and
pernicious conduct on the part of
private corporations owning a pub
lie function, which is such a pow
erful and necessary agency Of COM
mcrce, and exercising it for the
purpose of influencing elections
and for thwarting the will Of the
people, reveals new danger which
threatens the very existence Of
popular government. Therefore
the public ownership and opera
ton Of the transportation lines Of
the country, as demanded by tho
Peoples party, is not only neces-
sary to secure lower and more
equitable transportation rates,
greater and better facilities of
transportation, to protect the pub
lie against the oppression and dis
elimination now too often used
against persons and localities, and
to better the condition Of railway
employees, but it is also absolutely
essential to enable the people to
secure financial reform and to pre-
serve popular government.
We urge the necessity for a Wig
orous prosecution of the educa-
tional work suggested in the Oma-
ha and St. Louis platforms, and a
thorough discussion of the ques.
ton Of direct Legislation as con-
templated in the initiative and ref
erendnm, and the imperative man