The Louisiana populist., 1897-09-24
Poor Manhood,

OIu l'dlCiCS WIN NC bholOuSuiy SOA-
vinced that the party they vote
with will not bring the reforms the
country needs, yet they have not
the manhood to tear themselves
loose from the bosses who have for
so long made up the tickets and
mapped out the policy the party
must persue. These men are weak.
lings and are only making their
and their neighbors' lots harder.
They realize that great changes
must be made or the people will be
ruined but they have not the cour-
age to take the step necessary to
bring these changes about. If the
number of brave independent vOt'
ers was greater no political party
would dare to pursue a course that
is detrimental to the welfare of the
people, for it would realize that at
the next election it wonld be hurled
from power and another party plac
ed there which might serve the peo-
ME 80 we'll that it would not be re-
moved.
Ever since the year 1876 the peo'
pie who vote independently have
gone from one old parry to the 9th
er, back and forth. For twenty
years they have tried first one then
the other at every presidential elec-
ton and still they have not receiy-
ed what they demanded. The fact
is that plutocracy, composed OF
millionaire manufacturers, million
aire railroad corporations, million
aire mine-owners, stock spectators,
boards of trade, bankers ETC., have
gotten absolute control of both the
old parties, and the people can get
relief in neither.
Up to 1886 both old parties deni'
ed that the people needed any re
left except a change in the tariff SC
neither of them gave any, but in
1896 the Democratic party through
the education given it by writers
on political economy in the Farm
er's Alliance and the speeches O
Peoples party congressman declar
ed that the finances of the country
were out of whack and so it declar
ed for unlimited coinage of silver a
gold, but not being willing to hav'
absolute freedom from the none.
sharks, declared for \ redeemabl
paper currency-redeemable in si|
, yer OF gold. This weakness lost i
many votes for the Treasury can b
. depleted just as surely of a reserv
/ Of two kinds of coin as with one.
The bondholders, bankers an
= money sharks can create money pa
. les .just.as they do under the gol
8 standard, it would only require
q little more capital, or more extel
/; sive combination,
! What we need is a party of th
!. people that will permit no loophole
Q through W ieh plutocracy ca
+ thrust it's iron hand and oppres
i the people. We need more homes
J voters and then we will have moi
honest legislators.
While the voter at home permi
n himself whipped into line to vote
ticket he does not like and suppo
% a policy he knows is wrong he is
y better than the congressman tn;
n sells his vote to corporatian Fl
Il money, and the voter should N
complain, but first reform himse
. aud become worthy Of citizenshi
% Several of the most popular ar
;, best edited Democratic and Repu
d lican papers in the United Stat
is have lately taken up and promr
n gated as the best system OF poli1
u cal economy the principles set for
= = in the platforms Of the People
n party at Omaha and at st. Loul
r One of these, The American, pu
le lished at Philadelphia Pa, bold
e declares that the Peoples party
Ii +h.. nu1v narty now in n nncSfion