The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-20
WAGON WHEAT, 81 Sc
ACME MILLING CO.,
Old 352 WeSt Washington st.
IOWA MIDDLE ROADERS
STRAIGHT POPULISTS TALK AND
NOMINATE A STATE TICKET.
Bryan Platform and Free silver Coin
age COndemned-Partisa History
for Use i'm Kansas.

DES MONIES, Ia, Aug. 19.-The middle
of-theroad Populists held a state conven-
tion here to-day which was largely attend
ed, about fifty counties being represented.
a. w. c. Weeks, of Madison county, pre-
sided A. L. Kicker, of Johnson county,
who was made temporary chairman, said
in closing his speech: "A partisan press
tells us that prosperity is returning. Do
not be deceived. So long as capital has it
in it's power by combination to levy fixed
charges upon industry, prosperity to the
great industrial classes can never be more
than chimera, Will-o' -the-Wisp, a phan-
tom of the imagination, for when the alb
sorbing power of capital is constantly in
creasing no temporary revival in business
can change the certain and fixed result.
1t is the capitalistic system which must go,
and to relieve this condition and to change
TINS system the Chicago Democratic plat
1orm oI1ers not one thing. Its one cure-all is
the free coinage of silver. The free COIN
age of silver will increase the volume of
money and raise prices but Will destroy no
trusts monopolies, viii in noWise de-
prive corporations of their enormous abb
sorblng powers; in fact, could they but real
ize 1t, ii would decrease them. Free silver
Will destroy the power of no railroad king,
nor will ii in any degree lessen the bur-
dersome tax which our railroad manage
ment has placed on commerce. Free silver
Will not deprive q 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 its
stricken condition is apparent. Deeper and
more far-reaching must be the reform, the
banner OF which will gather to it the count
less numbers of the oppressed. Never
again shall we consent to compromise with
plutocracy, and from the dark night OF the
present system of consuming greed of ag
gregated wealth. and of cruel Injustice, we
will turn TO the dawn of a brighter day,
when the commonwealth of the people VIII
prev ALL"
Tie feature of the afternoon was the ad-
dress by ex-senator Pfeffer. 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 be wholly eliminated
from Republican discussions except, per-
haps, as to those persons whose individual
interests are at stake. Silver Republicans
want more metallic money and they would
probably be satisfied with gold if there is
enough of it. 1t is proposed that the Popu-
list party shall do two things-lirnit the
range of our discussions to the silver
branch Of the money question and ally our
selves with the Democratic party. The alli-
ance with the Democratic party in 1896 was
only for the campaign. Now though we
may not be quite ourselves again and in
our right mind, we are free to determine
as individual men. 1t may be urged that
the Democratic party has changed its pol
icy in respect to the coinage ratio. l deny
1T. The platform utterance is merely
eclamatory-inserted to catch the Populist
vote. The responsible men of the Demo-
cratic 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 unlimited coinage of sill
YER No benefit would accrue to anybody
but money changers and spectators from
increasing the coinage ratio, and POpuists
see no reason why money that is good
enough for common people is not equally
good for uncommon people. There is moth
ing in the Democratic platform or in that
partys policy which is in any way respon-
sive to the pressing demand of the work
ing classes
The following state ticket was placed in
the field: Governor. Charles a Lloyd
Muscatine county; lieutenant governor, d.
l.. Perkins. Lyons; judge Supreme Court
]. A. Lonberg, WapellO; superintendent of
instruction, William Blan, Marion; rail
road commissioner, l.. H. Griffith, Lee.
The following members of the national
committee We're appointed: A. w. c.
Weeks, Madison county; l.. /. Reed, Musca-
tine and j. s. Bebee, Lee.
The platform adopted reaffirms the ST
direct legislation: for Sufficient amount
of sound and flexible money" for the issll-
ance of money to state, county, township
aud municipal governments, the principal
to be paid back to the government at per
cent. per annum without interest the said
money to be n fun legal tender The Tenn
pie amendment is indorsed the reduction
of freight. passenger and express rates of
salaries OF public officers is demanded and
the deduction of mortgage indebtedness
for assessed valuations is urged.