The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-01-26
THE MISSION OF THE PEOPLES
PARTY.

tains food for thoughc-much that
ought to be read by members of all
parties on some vital 4sues of to day
The position of the Popu!ists during
the last campaign was most unique,
They gave their support to a candidate
their own; they fought the campaign
under the banner Of the Democratic
standard bearer. Thus they subordi
mated themselves, for the time being,
to the Democratic party. Yet it can
fairly be said that the nominee and
platform taken by the Democrats were
forced upon them By the Peoples
party; not IN that the nominee of the
Democratic Convention was the choice
OF the P0pulIsts; not that the platform
there adopted was such az the Peoples
party would have framed, but in that
the very existence Of the Peoples party
the inrOads made into the ranks Of the
Democrats by that party-inro6ds
which threatened the supremacy of
the Democratic party in 8 verRl States
had driven many Of the Democratic
politicians 20 asCudy of the evils against
which the Peoples party was q living
protest. study that opened the eyes
of thousaDds Of Democrats TO the disas-
Crous effects OF Mr. Clevelapd's fUan-
cIal policies, and 80 strengthened the
lifelong silver Democrats as to enable
them TO purge the Dem0crarlc party Of
Mr.. Cleveland and hiss kIud. Thue, in
effect, the danger to the Democratic
party from the existence OF the Peoples
party, drove the Democrats to the
choice of a candidate aud the adoption
of a platform acceptable to POpulists.
And 50 it was that the PJpullsts ad
venced their own principles by sup
porting the Democratic standard
bearer.
True, the Papulists did not 6nd,
either in the Democratic candidate or
the Democratic platform, all that they
wished. They did not, aud do not, look
upon the free coinage of SILVER as the
ultimate solution of our financial prob
lem, but as a step towards such solu
tiOb and it is merely as such that they
have ever supported it. But they we're
IN no mind TO throw Ovt r che chance
OF getting free coinage through &C.
! operation with the D mocrats, and
which they believed would better ex
tsting conditions, because they could
not get all they wanted. So they
| joined the Democrats IN advocacy Of
tree silver coinage, not because success
on such lines would have brought them
all inst they wanted, but because II
would have br ought them much, and,
above ali. have become the entering
wedge for the discussion Of the main
issue as presented by rhem-a currency
OF full legal tender money, issued and
regulated by the government alone.
Thus we see that IN the last campaign
the POpuI ss c7ngented themselves
with forcing the Democratic party &c
advance in part. not IN whole. the
views promulgated by the Peoples
party. The Democratic party had beer
forced, in a measure, to become the
party of the peoples rights, stand Ine
in opposition to a party that had
eapoused the interests of the money &c
clIques, and as such the Populists sup
ported it.
But support of the Democrats in the
past campaign does not bind the Popu
lists to the support OF the Democratic
candidates IN the future. In the las
campaign the Popullsts forced, in
measure, the leadership Of the pevpl'
on the Democratic party. In the mex
campaign they may assume that lead
ership. They certainly will do So, IN
less the Democratic party makes of 1t
self a true peoples party makes ltsel
the party Of human rights, as opposed
to the party of property rights and hu
man slavery. To become such o party
the Democratic party must broader
out It's issues; 1t must not content lGsel
with a mere advocacy OF q restOra
ton of silver to i5s place is monty as WI
have pointed out elsewhere, it must Op
pose itself TO the aggressions Of central
lied capital wherever made; whethe
such aggressions appear in Efforts o
the mOneyed interests to monopolizr
our currency, III transportation lines
or our te~legraphs.
To secure TO all men the fullest en-
ioyment of the fruits of their toll, j
the duty of a peoples party. What
ever works to deprive men OF sucl
fruits must be opposed by the People,
party. There Will be such q party