The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-08-21

mere To-Day, winch was largely attended,
about fifty counties being represented.
A. W. c. Weeks, of Madison county,
who was made temporary chairman,
SPOKE as follows:
1.-The present condition of society,
where few take all th,t the many pro-
duce, is the direct outgrowth OF the com.
petitive system. 1t is. useless to apply
palliatives to this condition. Heroic treat.
ment is demanded. Nothing short of the
absolute destruction of the competitive
system as applied to those things which
aie in themselves essentially public ut.l-
titles or public necessities will relieve So
ciety from the load under which it is at
present struggling. The competitive
system is aJ variance with tie laws of
Gcd, the tenets of Christianity, and that
very liberty which we hold sacred above
all things else, and no reform party, care
not by whom championed, or how ap-
gressive may be its. campaign, can ever
succeed in holding the SURFACES of the
people unless it recognizes this fact
1.-The convention held in this city May
81 called by the chairman of the Peoples
party State central committee, deliber-
ately, and seemingly willingly, aban-
doned the principles of the Omaha plat
form, gave up the name of the party,
adopted the name of Democrat, and by
this act became absorbed into the Demo
cratic party. 1t Is useless, therefore, to
expect n continuation of the battle from
this organization. The much vaunted
Chicago platform, in not one line or SEN
tence, makes an open and direct attack
upon our pre"eut and economic system.
The attitude of the Democracy in Mary
land and other States has convinced me
of the futility of expecting even d modi-
cum of relief from the Democratic party
I1ntt n1 xx.ff H.,
1896 because of the nomination of Bryan,
who lacked only the name 20 make him
Populist, and the Democracy had taken
step in davance. Bryan is not now the
Democratic party, as he was practically
in 1896
GA partisan press tells us that pros
perity Is returning. Do not be deceived
So long as capital has it in its power, by
combination, to levy fixed charges upon
industry, prosperity to the general indus
trial classes can never be more than
chinera, will o. the wisp, phantom of
the imagination, for when the absorbing
power of capital is constantly increasing
no temporary revival In business can
change the certain and fixed result. 1t
is.the capitalistic system which must 20,
and to relieve this condition and to change
this system, the Chicago Democratic plat
form offers not one thing. It's one cure
all Is the free coinage of silver. The free
coinage of silver will increase the volume
OF money and raise prices, buG will de-
seroy no trusts, no monopolies, will in
nowise deprive corporations of their enor-
nous absorbing powers; in fact, could
they bat realize it, it would increase
them. Free silver will destroy the power
of no railroad king, nor will it in nny
degree lessen the bnrdensome task which
our railroad management has placed on
commerce. Free silver will not deprive
n single land baron Of his stolen public
domain No party can ever succeed upon
the single silver issue, for it's inadequacy
to relieve society of it's stricken condition
is apparent
The feature of the afternoon was the
address of ex-senator PETER. He said in
part:
"If recent discoveries of fresh gold
mines should prove to be as valuable as
present appearances indicate, the silver
question may soon he wholly eliminated
from the Republican discussions, except,
perhaps, as to those persons whose ind
vidual interests are at stake. Silver Re
publicans want more metallic money and
they would probably be satisfied with
gold If there is enough of it..
1T is proposed that the Populist party
shall do two things---limt the range OF
cur discussions to the silver branch of
the money question, and ally ourselves
with the Democratic party These are
the propositions on which we are divided.
am opposed to both of them. do not
wish to see the Peoples party merged
into any other existing organization. and
especially in one toe old to he useful. Nor
am l willing, without warning and pro-
testing, to see it made the football of
politicians and bartered away for spoils.
will be willing to abide by the cOnclu-
sions of national conference of delegates
duly appointed and accredited, fairly
representing all the elements among vot-
ers who are opposed to the present gold
standard high tariff regime But until
that can be accomplished the Populist
party is good enough for me. TIE ALI.
ance with the Democratic party in 1896
was only fer the campaign. Now, though
we may not be quite ourselves again and
in our right mind, we are free to deter.
mine our Affairs in our own way as par.
ty and as individual men.
ut may he urged that the Democratic
party has changed its policy in respect to
the coinage ratio deny it. The plat
form utterance is merely declamatory: in
serted to catch the .Populist vote. The
responsible men of the Democratic party
have not been.and are not now, tenacious
about the ratio. It's candidate for the.
Presidency and his associate on the ticket
would, as | verify believe, consent to any
compromise that would secure the un-
limited coinage of silver No benefit