The Louisiana populist., 1897-06-18

III tAS lo'itlCdi JutSllicuC vi Iilt
masses. The people mean well
but their view is limited, and while
the "boys in the trenches" gene
rally fight we'll they are not all
good generals. | have before me
the report of the meeting of the
free silver Republicans and | ad.
mire the stand they have taken,
They have made no rash promises,
and have fastened themselves to nc
developed program. They are
simply going to work to get their
forces.in fighting trim, get them
thoroughly drilled, and then when
the battle starts they will be found
fighting their enemies. They will
help their friends, no matter about
what kind of a coat he wears for
a uniform, if he is fighting for free
silver they will call him friend and
help him.
Here is what that wise and no.
bile G. A. Towne says: "With us
the cause is everything. Men and
parties sink into relative inconse-
qucnce. Ali armies marching to
attack the citadel Of the gold stand
ard are our allies, all their soldiers
our comrades. We will loyalty
and tirelessly cooperate with all
other organized forces of bimctal-
lism that honestly profess the faith.
"*' Harmony is of vital concern
to the success of our cause and
nothing but consideration for it's
welfare shall limit the burdens we
would GLADLY bear, or the sacraf-
ces we will eagerly make to ad-
vance it."
Noble words from noble man.
Such leadership will count for
something. There is devotion to
cause without prejudice and an
unseltihness worthy of wide emu
lation.
Now it is being taught by some
of our reform press that free
coinage would do but little to re-
lieve US, that the big capitalists
have bought all the mines, &c.
Anyone who believes that free
coinage is not a long stop toward
prosperity does not understand the
finance question, besides it is one
of our main demands. shall not
now attempt to prove the good free
coinage would bring us, but 90 on
to the assertion that the capitalists
the gold bugs also own the silver
mines. If this we're so would they
not want to help us to get free
silver9 If they did own the mines
and had it coined, would the mon
ey not 60 into trade9 Hoardcd up
would it bo worth any more than
if it lay in the minesa
Now | believe that we are bound
to get free coinage first. before we
con get any other reform. 1t lies
next to US and we must settle that
before we take up any other ques-
ton.
If free coinage will not do us
any good, the quickest way to
prove il to the people is to get it
in operation, and then if does not
remove the evils we want removed,
we will have more help to try some
other remedy. People, as a rule
do not pray for rain only when
they have drouth, so in politics,
they demand only what they think
they need, and not until they need
something.
II we are ever to have q govern
ment paper money with both met
ais demonetized as some of our re-
formers demand) it will not be I'm
til free coinage has been tried and
has failed. At this time a large
proportion Of the people believe
that free coinage of silver would
give us better financial system,
and they will vote for it. Only al
minority have faith in the efficacy |
of paper money only so they could
not win now. When we have had |
free coinage we will still find that |
the railroad corporations and banks
will bleed the people, and the peo-
pie will find it out, and soon be
willing to put both in the hands of
the government, but they won't be-
lieve it until they have tried their
first remedy. We can win on free
coinage and bring some relief, and
in the mean time the people will
be coming to understand that the
other demands of the Peoples par
ty will have to be enacted into law
before we will have equal rights to