davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Louisiana populist., 1897-02-26
A Lively Corpse.

We see 1t stated every day in the
gold bug papers that the free silver
craze" is dead. This statement has
recurred oftener and been emphasized
more than any. post morten state
ment that ever occurred before. But
some Of the leading fnanciers on the
other side Of tho water do not agree
with their brother tories on this side.
Prof. Suesz, the greatest European
authority on currency and finance.
says:
''It is foolish to consider that the
election has settled the silver question
eitaer for America or for the rest Of
the world. Recent events. on the con-
trary, prove the existence Of a general
feeling that the injustice by which
creditors are benefited proceeds from
existing conditions Of the coinage. The
btmetallic movement in Europe is ex-
tending. Gold coin has twice brought
us in accent years to the verge OF a
universal crisis. The London Times
warns Its readers not to expect the
silver question to be dropped, "for," /"
1t adds, 1T is obviously to the advan-
tsgs Of American interests to do some
thing for silver"
The Louisiana populist., 1897-02-26

The Populist party has also been use
ful in pressing the transportation prob
lem to a solution. The proposition OF
public ownership is gaining rapidly in
public favor and wi an once understood
Is one of the strongest tenets OF the
party creed. It is safe to say that
large majority of the members of the
two old parties honestly think that the
idea Of public ownership and operation
OF lines OF transportation Is new,
wild and fanatical scheme that eman-
ated from the fertile imagination OF
some cranky Populist. But when
shown that three-fourths OF the civil
lied governments in the world own all
or q portion of their railroads and tele-
graph lines. and operate them with
great success. and immense saving to
the people, it puts the question IN a
different ligk. and induces men to con-
slider it.
The Louisiana populist., 1897-02-26
Poverty u ! crime,


1T is . crime to be poor?s was the
startling query propounded in police
court Saturday morning. The ques-
toner was Herman Goffenkill, Rus
sian Jew. who was arraigned on the
charge Of vagrancy.
It was when the charge was read to
him that he asked the question. Judge
Fielder told him 1t was no crime to be
poor, but as he had no home or visible
means Of support he could be consid-
cred 8 vagrant. After the officer in
the case had been heard Herman was
given a sentence Of SIS, costs and thirty
days, but sentence was suspended for
twenty-four hours. Cleveland Plain
Dealer.
Yes. It is crime to be poor. md
not only q crime, but very inconyen-
lent. In most states. and in every large
city. thore are yagrant laws. n a
man or woman is without means OF
support they may be arrested. II they
are found begging or asking for work,
that Is taken as evide<ce that they are
without means, anf thy are freQuent-
" arrested on such evidence alone.
Yes 1t is q crime to be poor--in some
parts Of this civilized (sl nation
The Louisiana populist., 1897-02-26
Government Telegraphy.

There is now pending before Con-
gress bill providing for Govern
ment telegraph. which will come up for
further consideration at the next ses-
sion Of Congress. The bill owes Its
existence to the International Typo
graphical Union, which for years has
fought valiant battle for national
telegraph system. The bill. il passed.
will cause the operation OF a telegraph
by the government on a cost basis. and
free from the discrimination so fre-
quertly practiced by the Western
Union monopoly. The news, freed
from the grasp of this octopus (Which
consults it's own interests and not the
peoples as to whether newspapers are
needed in certain localities or not. and
acts accordingly, daily newspapers VIII
springup like magic all over the United
States-publications not tinged with
the monopolistic hue Of the Western
Union, but papers that are free to ad-
vocate true reform measures without
fear of losing the necessary compile
ment, to their business, the news"
Telegraphers' Advocate.
And there's some more Populism for
you. But it is no new idea. In fact.
there isn't single Populist principle
that is new. We are simply party OF
the people, of advanced ideas, and want
to adopt the best and reject the worst
Of all the governments in the world.
1t would be no trouble to do. so II It
were not tor the pecuniary interests OF
the wealthy.
The Louisiana populist., 1897-02-26

Postal savings banks is another
ono Of the reforms advocated by the
Populist party. This is no new CHI
merical scheme. II has been tried with
signal success in England, France,
Belgium, Sweden, Holland, Russia,
Austria. Hungary, Australia and Can
ads. n ali of these countries the peo-
pie have received decided benefits from
the system In the United Kingdom de-
posits s.c now received at 11,000 post
Offices from . j. m. to p. m. Any
SUE from % cents Up to $3.50 may be
deposited in one year and interest is
paid en- any SUN that is multiple OF
IS. and Is compounded. The aggregate
deposits In postal savings banks at the
end OF 1923 was S402, 100000, the years
increase being s23,500,00 One OF
every seven persons In England is now
a depositor in the postal banks. The
peoples party should press all the
questions with vigor for the next four
years. It is a mistake to make the
money question the sole issue, and
worse than folly to confine ourselves
to tho one question OF the free coinage
OF silver. They should all be taken
along together.
The Louisiana populist., 1897-02-26

answers the same purpose and is much
more convenient. And no sane man
demands that the gold shall be kept
in the treasury simply for show.
"Move on! Move on" Those words
have been ringing in the ears of poor
Matilda Koch for five years. She had
heard them in Fort Wayne, Ind, in In
dianapolis, in Columbus, Ohio, in Pitts
burg, in Philadelphia, and in New
York.
"Move onw said Policeman Sheldon
to her as she stood at the foot Of Des-
brcsses street on Thursday night.
Move on, and be quick about it,
Poor Matilda Koch obeyed, but her
footsteps were faltering, her manner
aimless. She had nc home, no friends,
nowhere to 60, nothing to do but to
"move on" The policeman arrested
her as vagrant, and she was arraign-
ed in the Center Street Police Court
yesterday.
"It's the same old story" she said,
weeping. "It's always move on and
when l don't move enough or far
enough I am arrested. Why should
be dragged into a station house like a
dangerous criminal and be locked up?
Why am I driven from city to city,
from prison to prison? Is it crime to
be poor? Who is to blame for my
poverty? Certainly not I. Society has
ostracised me as though were leper
all because l am poor.
Five years ago l came to America
from Germany with my husband and
settled in Fort Wayne. A year ago he
died and all my money went for doc
tors bills. 1t left me destitute. tried
to earn living, but l was too weak.
Then / was declared a poor person
and was driven out of town. They put
me on train and sent me to Indian
apolis. They would not have me there
and l was again bundled into sec.
ond class car and sent to Columbus
From Columbus l was moved to Can
ton, from Canton to Pittsburg, from
Pittsburg to Philadelphia, and from
Philadelphia to this city. 1t is alway!
move on move on move on
AS the woman had not been begging
she was discharged. She is still "mov
ing on."-New York Journal.
The Louisiana populist., 1897-02-26

Postmaster General Wilson said at a
meeting In New York last week that
the honest belief of a large section
OF the voters is becoming fixed that the
government Is so administered and
laws are so framed as to make unjust
distribution of social benefits, to make
more difficult the upward path in life,
and to narrow the gateway Of oppor-
tunity." That expresses the situation
IN general terms, but it specifies no
particular evils and suggests no rem
edy. What We need is to get at the
situation in concrete way.
The Louisiana populist., 1897-02-26
Nov. 3 Was Only q Bull Run.

The Silver Knight Of Cleveland, o.,
makes the following sensible observa-
ton:
There are those Of us old enough
to remember the wave of disappoint-
ment, almost Of despair, that swept
over the country when the news
came of the defeat of Bull Run. But
it was not many years before we re-
allied that the defeat was God-send.
If the Union troops had won at Bull
Run the war would have closed on just
one more compromise and nothing
would have been settled. There Is 8
broader issue than the silver question,
and that is the money question. De-
feated in the first fight on the silver
question, it behooves us to discuss the
money question, of which the silver
question is but part The power to
issue money must be taken out OF prl-
vate hands, and all that circulates as
money, whether gold, silver or paper,
must be issued by the federal govern
ment exclusively We must stand for
the treatment of silver or. an equality
with gold at the mints, because silver
was never constitutionally demonetized
and Disseminated against, and those
unconstitutional laws degrading silver
from standard money to token coin
must be swept from the statute book.
The government is under obligation to
coin gold and to coin silver into stand
ard money, and it may coin paper. but
it has no authority to indorse the notes
Of any banking corporation"
The Louisiana populist., 1897-02-26

employment. While in this melan-
choly contemplation he seized a revol-
yer and fired bullet into his heart.
Death must have been instantaneous,
but his body was not found until nearly
noon.
John M. Faulhaber of 526 NorthClark
street, died Thanksgiving afternoon
from blood poisoning. While despond-
ent over the business outlook he at
tempted to end his life and his wounds
eventually brought his desire.
After searching for weeks in vain
effort to find work and fearing that his
little home would be sold under the
arctioneer's hammer, Max Voigt, a
carpenter, who lived at SO1 Lee ave-
nue., ended his life November % by
swallowing quantity of carbolic acid.
Voigt left the house at T o'clok in the
morning in search OF employment. At
ter tramping about the city all day he
returned in the evening, but instead
OF going into the house went to the
basement below and there took the poi
son that ended at once his life and his
troubles.
Anthony T. Harris, aged 60 years,
attempted to commit suicide November
2S by shooting. Harris lived at S942
Dauphin avenue. The cause of the act
is said to be dependency over his ina
blllty to make living.
Peter ]. Toenos, an aged German,
was found dying from starvation and
exposure in his little room in the rear
of S15 West Fiftieth place at noon No
vember 80. When kind hands lifted
him from the bare floor, where he had
fallen face downward in his weakness,
and sought to minister to his needs,
the spark of life fed. He had survived
forty-eight hours of bitter cold in the
unheated apartment and died as relief
was at hand.
The report of the beard Of health
shows that during the entire month OF
November twenty-eight people COM
mitted suicide in Chiago. Over half Of
these killed themselves because they
preferred quick death by drowning
by poison or by the pistol to iinger-
Ing one by starvation.
The Louisiana populist., 1897-02-26
Weyler OF the Mint.

Director OF the Mint, Preston, threat
ems to make liars out of Blaine. Gar
field, Grant and a host of others who
have made public declarations that II
was not generally known that the
crime Of '73" was being committed by
the passage of the coinage act that
dropped the standard silver dollar. A
recent dispatch from Washington
says:
The official history Of the change In
the coinage law made in 1873 will be
included in the annual report OF the
director Of the mint for the fiscal year
1896. Director Preston has been search
ing the files of the treasury and OF
congress for every scrap Of data bear
ing on the subject, and will make the
most complete presentation OF facts and
documents which has ever been at
tempted.
He has found copy Of the original
draft Of the proposed coinage law.
which was sent to congress by Mr.
John Jay Knox, when comptroller OF
the currency, with changes interlined
by Mr.. Knox in his own handwriting.
II was only after a long search that
this draft OF the bill was found in the
assay Office at New York, where 1t had
been sent to obtain the views of the
assayer. This original draft provided
for reducing the silver dollar to to-
ken coin of the same finish and proper
tion of silver as other subsidiary coins.
The dollar was not in circulation, be-
cause the high price of silver then rul-
ing made 1t more valuable than the
gold dollar, even If the country had not
been upon paper basis. The commit
tee of congress which dealt with the
bill dropped out the dollar altogether,
but retained the Limitation Of legal
tender power to S., which Mr.. Knox
had proposed for all the silver coins.
The subsequent action Of congress in
adopting trade dollar for use in China
Is well known.
Director Preston will present copies
Of the coinage law in its several stages
and the correspondence which took
place between the treasury officials and
committee Of congress, showing that
the purpose Of the bill was thoroughly
understood at every stage Of it's con-
sideration. Another feature which he
proposes to embody in his annual re-
port is a description of coinage, from
the point where the metal is taken
from the mine until it is paid over the
counter in bright coins. Every stage
Of the process Of smelling and refining
the metal, making the dies. stamping
the coins, milling the edges and hand.
ling them in the mint, will be fully set
forth
The Louisiana populist., 1897-02-26
Condition of Iron Miners.

A correspondent Of the Telegraphers
Advocate says:
Not long since I wrote upon the con-
dition of the iron miners in Mlcnlgan.
At that time they were ating dogs. ana
the governor proposed, in case they at
tempted to secure any other food Dy
other means than those prescribed by
their masters, to send the entire state
militia up for the purpose OF giving
them good dinner of bullets. 1t seems,
however. that this will not be required.
since the daily papers bring the cheer
ing news that the miners are peacefully
starving to death. The Times-Heralo
says thousands are starving upon tho
Gogehic range, and unless assistance -
given them this winter, that the snow
will drift over the graves OF hundreds
of paupers who died from lack OF food.
Today, with the harbingers OF winter IN
the air, there are strong, willing work.
ers prowling about looking for bit
Of refuse that will answer the purpose
of food-who are hunting desperately
for work--thcusands Of hollow eyed
women seeking in vain to still the cries
of their famishing brood, thousands
upon thousands Of helpless little chill
dren, without shoes, clothing or educa-
ton. and unable to comprehend why 1t
does not come, upon the Gogebic iron
range
The Louisiana populist., 1897-02-26
your garments have become moth

your garments have become moth
eaten.
Your gold and silver have become
rusted, and the russ of them will be
for a testimony against you, and con-
sumo your bodies like fire. You have
laid up treasures for the last days.
Behold, that hire, which you fraud
ulently withheld from those laborers
which harvested your field, and the
loud cries Of the reapers have entered
the ears of the Lord Of Armies"
Danyille, Ill. J. HARPER. !
The Louisiana populist., 1897-02-26

It Is some consolation, however. that
the constant agitation Of economic
questions is attracting the notice OF
such prominent men as Mr.. Wilson.
The Populist party has been to the fore
in this matter. 1t forces considera-
ton Of the income tax and secured
the passage OF a law for that purpose.
The adverse decision Of the Supreme
Court only emphasized the Justice OF
another one Of the problems the party
has publicly discussed--that OF tho
powers Of the courts, and their aggres-
sions upon the rights OF the people.
The Louisiana populist., 1897-02-26
VOL III.
.NATCHITOCHES. La, FEBRUARY e. 1897

An exchange says: "a Democrat In
Virginia has declined a certificate Of
election to Congress that was awarded
TO him on account Of clerical irregular
lties In the returns, and his Republican
competitor gets the place. And yet
there are those who insist that miracles
never happen nowadays" That man
should go at once into some popular
dime museum as the greatest freak OF
the age.
The Louisiana populist., 1897-02-26
Weighing Living Fish.

Z A visitor at the aquarium who had
wondered how they managed to get the
weight OF a live fish accurately learned
that that was really very simple
thing to do. The fish is put into pail
of water, which is weighed with the
fish in it. Then the fish is taken out
and pail and water weighed without It.
New York Sun.
The Louisiana populist., 1897-02-26
Calling a Halt.

1T seems to me-" said the gobbler.
"that while the world is discussing the
heartless slaughter of the Armenians,
they might give some attention to us
Turks who are suffering similar
fate. Philadelphia North American,
The Louisiana populist., 1897-02-26
NOTES AND COMMENT.
What the People Arc Thinking, Saying
and Doing.

"hat The People Arc Thinking saying
and Doing.
Anent the talk now going on in
wealthy commercial centers with regard
to the destruction Of the greenbacks, IL
is we'll to see just what such action
would lead to- 1t is said that we are now
on gold standard, and in one sense It
is true. 1t is claimed that all other cur
rency depends upon gold to sustain
its value. 1t would be more appro-
pirate to say that it depended more up
on credit.
There is said to be In circulation,
aside from gold. about 81 ,112. O,OOO IN
currency. 1t is claimed that this Is
kept at par with gold by the simple
existence Of the $123,oo0,0o0 Of gold in
the treasury. That is to say that
every dollar of the s1,112,00O,OO0 is
exchangeable for gold. 1t is plain to
see that the only honest basis for a pa
per currency, If it is to be based upon
another kind of money, is dollar for
dollar. This would leave nearly 81 ,0OC,-
100000 of our currency without base,
unless it was on the credit Of the United
States.
If this be true why have a specific
redemption money at all? Why not
base 1t upon all the property, make 1t
full legal tender, and receivable for
taxes, and abolish forever the fetish
idea that everything in the world de-
pends upon yellow metal which is Of
less real intrinsic value when 1t comes
to use than iron and steel? 1t is folly
to talk about redeeming nine or ten
dollars with one. The business Of this
country is much greater than the vol
ume OF money, and if We make the base
of our money but one-tenth as wide
as the structure, it is small founda-
tion for our business.
Ninety-five per cent Of the business
Of this country Is done on credit.
Why, then, pretend to base this credit
on small amount of gold, when as a
matter of fact the real basis is other
forms Of property, and gold acts sim
ply as disturber of that credit? The
reason is obvious. This credit, for
the most part, passes through the
bznks, and is source Of revenue to
them. They succeed in enlarging this
by decreasing the volume Of money,
and hence their contention for all
money to be based upon the gold which
they control. To the extent that the
government goes out Of the banking
business the banks will 90 into the
governing business. and threats have
already been heard from Wall street
that no congress dare refuse its de-
mands.
It is said that the currency, which by
decision of the secretary Of the treasury
(not by law is exchangeable for gold.
is constant menace to the treasury
reserve and to the credit of the gov
ernment. Would it be any better,
would It be as we'll, II the banks take
it in their hands to sustain a like
amount of currency at par with gold2
The people would have less contldencs
in the banks than they have in the
government, and the demand for gold
would be increased. No one wants
gold for a greenback except specula-
tor or bullion broker. No business
man ever makes any such demand for
the simple reason that the greenback
The Louisiana populist., 1897-02-26
FROM A VETERAN.
THE FAMOUS JESSE HARPER
ON THE LATE FIGHT.

The Peoples Party Platform, Shibboleth,
the Specie Basis the Crime OF the
Nineteenth Century-Paper Money the
Anti1Ofc
The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1897-06-09
LYNCHINC IN OHIO
Was Preceded by a Fearful Slaugh-
ter of Human Life.
MILITIA FIRED INTO THE MOB,
Which Only Made the Citizens More
Determined and the Prisoner
Was Quickly Hanged.
MILITIA FIRED INTO THE MOB,
TWO KILLED; EIGHT WOUNDED

URBANA, o., June About 10 days
ago a negro entered the home of Mrs.
T. NJ. Gaumer. publisher of the Cham.
paign Democrat, and criminally assault
ed her and attempted to force her to give
him a check for $500. Click Mitchell
was arrested on suspicion. Last Wednes.
day, owing to Mrs. Gaumers serious
nervous prostration, Mitchell was taken
to her home, and she identified him as
her assailant. Mitchell was bound over
ON charge of assault to kill in g., 900.
He could not give bail and was locked
up in Jail.
As soon as it became known that Mrs.
Gaumer had positively identified her
assailant there was the most intense ex-
element and talk of lynching. About
10 o'clock that night crowd of fully
800 people surrounded the Jail with the
intention of lynching the negro Sheriff
McKin, who, with his deputies, was
guarding the Jail, callel to his aid q
lieutenant and 10 members of Company
ID, Ohio national gard The armed mi
htia had a quieting effect on the mob,
and about midnight they all dispersed.
Thursday night the entire company
of guards were placed ON duty at the
Jail and another attempt was made
to lynch Mitchell, and resulted in
two men being killed and eight others
badly wounded. Nearly all night the
Jail was surrounded by a bowling mob
of at least 900 to 1900 people. Ad-
vances were being made so close to the
guards that they at last opened fire on
the crowd and at least 20 shots were
fired.
The following was killed:
Harry Bell of Urhana. a spectator.
The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1897-06-09
A NOTABLE GATHERING.
Songs, Speeches, Sermons and
Hand Shakirgs All
Around.
INTERESTING RELICS EXHIBITED.
tCouri r.Iourlsl J


The W. ather was pleasant and large
crowd Of people assembled at the Sandy
Creek Union church to celebrate the
Tooth anniversary of Mr.. James B Ire
land. 1t is beautiful and picturesque
location, surrounded by magnificent
forest trees, and is about five miles from
Hawesvile There were, at close esti-
mate, 700 people present, from Clover
port, Hawesville, Greensboro and various
other points, and everything combined
to make the gathering a notable one
notable for the honor paid to noble
centenalian and for the immense num-
Der of people who came together for
such purpose.
The following are the names and ages
of the committeeman who had the affair
in charge Stephen Powers, ~; Henry
Haynes, 81; Frank Lander, 20; Sam
Brown, 66; DR.. David Davidson, 80 /;
JEFF Burnett, Charles E. Couty, Charles
E. Price, each nearly 80.
James b. Ireland was born June 4,
1897, in Scott county, Ky five miles east
of Georgetown. On April %, 1922, he
married Miss Sarah Lancaster, who died
February 6, 1871. He moved to Gallatin
The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1897-06-09
81 TO BE SUCCESSFUL, YOU MUST ADVERTISE 4

ed IL more than him, but the Lord called
him home. About the last thing he
said was 81 am going to die, but l am
not afraid TO die" He was only sick
about two months, and was only con6n-
ed to his bed about two weeks. At the
beginning Of his sicknets he was up and
around every day, but 1 could see he
was daily failing in strength. Sunday,
May 8, he said he was too week to get
up and died about 2 p. m. He always
spoke we'll Of you and your family; in
fact he spoke we'll Of all those old Ken
lucky friends, and nothing pleased him
better than to hear from them or good
reports Of them. see you are to meet
at Sandy Greek church June 4. Pa built
that in 1871. l helped him and we
boarded at DIR. Davidson's. II you have
as many good things to eat that day as
we did while building that church, no
one will go away dissatisfied. | would
love to be there aud see your old friends
meet and talk over the past. think
| AN living in about the best state in