The times., 1897-04-14
THE PopULIsr STU ALTON.
Address Issued to the Members of
the Peoples Party.

by a Joint caucus of the Popuist Senators
and Congressman to the Populists of the
country.
at a recent meeting OF the Reform Press
| Association, at which Ii is asserted only
few papers not in the least representative
of the whole Populist idea were present,
| certain resolutions were passed censuring
the Populisu committee. 1t is In answer
to these that the address is issued.
| To the People Party OF the Nation
Never in the history OF our party has
| there been such cause for hope OH the part
| of those who are seeking reforms along
! financial and industrial lines as at the
present time. Our progress, considering
| the opposition that the party has met, has
| been marked, and Notwithstanding we have
| not yet realized our full expectations, we
now begin to see potent evidences Of the
good work we have done, with very en-
couraging signs for the future
The Peoples party has won the con
| fidence and respect of all intelligent and
| liberty-loving citizens of our country
| It's record of unselfish devotion 10 Une
! interests of the plain people is In STRIKING
| contrast To- that Of the two old parties
that for thirty years have overlooked the
! interests of the masses in their competi-
! ton for layors at the hands or the money
| power, corporations and trusts
| The unselfish devotion To principle eX-
| emplified by the People, party in the cam
| paign of 1896, is without parallel IN the
| history OF political parties. The ROBUST III
| tegrity of the parry ehabledit To rise TO meet
| the occasion, When subJectehto tne seYefest
! test to which loyalty TO truth can ever he
put. The Peoples party recognized the
voice and hand of the plain people In thc
Chicago convention. The platform cnun-
ciated and the chief can ndidate nominated
evidenced beyond question tnat the masses
of the Democratic party, in spite OF The
hitherto dominant element OF thaO party,
had at last put forward one partially sue
CessfuI effort in their own behalf lhere-
fore, without abating our dlstrust or the
leadership OF that party in the past, we eX-
tend the right hand OF fellowship To those
voters who must in the end find their
abiding place in our household.
This action of the Peoples party was
in no sense an en- doTSe mento the past record
of the Democratic party. ButIt Was an act
of fidelity TO our own platform anu tedch-
ings, a part OF which found utterance IN
the Chicago platform, aud nearly, If not
| quite all. i'll the person OF William J Bryan,
the candidate there nominated
To the Peoples party is duel the credit
reasons for the faith that was i'll him ana
for the bolt in the Republican convention
at ST. Louis, and for the revolt IN the
Democratic party, that rescued the Chicago
convention from the clutches of the .ond-
holding and banking combine.
Politicians bow before the powers that
can make or unmake them. The teachings
of the Peoples party press and speakers ON
the money question had takcR sncn
deep root among the masses or the voters
of the country that the old party poll
| ticians. who had misled the people, could
no longer retain their offices and give their
support TO parties that upheld the gold
standard These politicians that were un-
Willingly forced to accept our principles
in the campaign of 1896, are probably no
more sincere now than they were When
they supported Harrison and Cleveland in
1892: and should the Peoples party re-
lax It's efforts, and cease to apply the
whip and spur to these politicians, by at
tracing the voters TO our party, there is
nothing in their past conduct TO warrant
the belief that they would not support
their old party again, though the gold
combine should regain its control.
The patriotic stand taken by the Populist
party iii the last campaign has added to
its mower TO command the situation IN the
present and future. Had our party in the
late campaign displayed no higher patriot
ism than the old parties, and sought merely
party ends, and not proved itself equal TO
any party sacrifice in order to advance
the welfare of the people, we would not
now hold the confidence of The masses and
stand as a buIwark of the people against
the intrigues of the old political leaders
that for thirty years have betrayed the
people and controlled their parties in the
interest of the banks, monopolies, and
trusts.
Had Mr. Bryan been elected President
with a Congress in sympathy with him,
the money question would have been
| speedily settled, and with forty or more
| trusted leaders of our party in Congress
| and the State governments of several
states in our hands, the transportation
| question and other vital issues presented
| by our platform would have at once be-
come the storm center of political dis
cussion. and the Peoples party wolld
soon acquire second, IL not first, place
| in the politics OF our country. viewing
the duty of the present in the light OF
past ex perience. the demand for uphold
| ing our organization and pushing the
work of education is more imperative now
| than at any time in the past
We have governors in five states, elgat
Senators, and twenty-three congressman,
and the election in 1898 will undoubtedly
give US the balance OF power in the House
| as we now have it in the Senate. The
opportunity is before us to accomplish THESE
results and more
| We, your representatives at Washing
ton. are striving to push forward the cause
| of the party, and TO strengthen and build
it up, and appeal TO our reform papers 10
| ioin us in this effort. There must be
| concentrated action and an avoidance or
| all entangling alliances to insure success
We regret and depreCate the disposition
| of some to have the party at this time de
| clare what 1t will or will not do in the
| future as to the best methods for strength
| ening the party and advancing its princt-
| MES No one can at this time forecast with
| certainty what would be the proper course
| for our party Co pursue in convention as
| sembled three years hence. Therefore
| there is but one safe course lit seems to us.
| for every true POpulist to pursue at this
! time, namely: To do all in his power TO
| impress our principles upon the country and