Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-02-14
The '.ln' ards" Of a Populist Speech.

tistics. official and otherwise, accumu-
lated by the Populist party, from the
date Of it's birth. 1t is very evident that
this speech of Mr.. Lewis was designed
for campaign duty, and, in conse-
ouence. it was LOADED for bear" The
theme was calamity. Mr.. Lewis, him
self. the soul of good fellowship, and
hopeful buoyancy, looked through n
glass darkly" at the future of our
great republic. Lest my vision be
blurred with my fears, and my appre-
tensions distorted with anxiety" he
hold the passing away of representa-
tive government This is truly a sad
and melancholy vision of the dire results
of conspiracy of wealth" for a tenn
perate man to experience, especially
when one sees it amid the ASSOCIATE tons
of our National House of Representa-
tives, more than seven-eiShths of whose
| members worked their way to the
front from humble beginnings, by their
! own untiring industry, and force of
character. Mr.. Lewis himself appears
to have been vastly more favored on
the threshold of life than We're most IF
his fellow members for, in this Very
speech. he declares that, during the
a Af VII J,A
"slumbering upon the bosom of hi.
black nanny. Let me hope" h.
adds. that even then my infant mus
ings were the dreams of liberty fo
which my voice now pleads" If VI,
read the biographies of the member
OF the National House of Representa-
tives we will find that very few of then
were able to carry on their Infant
musings in the arms of "blach
nanny" That was a luxury unknown
to the humble homes of their child
hood Fortunate Mr. Lewis, Why
why should he stand today amid tn
strong men who pursued their "infan:
musings" on the kitchen hoOr-Whil,
mother did the work-and prophecH
the speedy dissolution of the Repuh
lie? Amid such inspiring proofs of tn,
possibilities of American citizenship.
of the magnificent opportunities which
energy and brains and character hay.
TO push to the front in this great lanG
of the free, how could any man--cs
pecially one whose tender years knew
the brooding care of Il black man
my''-paint SO dark a picture. HOW
could he find it in his heart to declare
to his fellow citizens that they stoo /
meath the dripping caves Of a melt
ing structure?'
AS We have already said the speech
of Mr.. Lewis fairly brisilcs with stats
tics showing the number and strength
of the trusts in this country. but w
look them through in vain for even a
reference to tn" greatest most power
full and most dangerous Of them all
the gigantic silver trust with its Is con
solidated companies. He appears too.
quite willing that a financial policy
should he adopted which would enable
own and control the money of the
country. with the absolute power to eX =
{ n1pH TN, NnlIlnlp a. if I
their pleasure, but he almost goes int
| Mysteries at the mere thoughts of an
extension of the banking system which
will supply with money small centers
of population all over this broad lanl.
1t must be admitted that the speech
of Mr.. Lewis is erudte. and that it;
wealth of illustration gives evidence OF
a wide culture. but it is sad to see it
pervaded by dependency and gloom
that the country is rapidly drifting to-
wards the demnition bow vows. But
there are in this speech. flights of the
most impa ssoned eloquence-passago
in fact. that fairly blaze With Demos
| thenic fury. With whitening scorn IL
refers to the American FitZnoodles a.
| this new pOsterity, this fungus and
putridcScent growth upon the body OF
our republic" Harsh, undoubtedly. but
/ true every word of it. 1t is, however, in
! his denunciation of the money monop-
oily" that Mr.. Lewis reaches his
truly olympic heights. The third and
/ last of this triple coiled Anaconda" he
, declares, (which has Wriggled its
| Crunchng folds about the body of thu
Republic the enemy of free govern
ment and of liberty" etc, is thai
money monopoly scourged by Christ
cXecrated by jefferson, and damned
and defied by Jackson"
Perhaps, after all, the most eloquen;
of all the passages of this eloquen,
speech is the one in which he con
dennis our honored President for dar-
ing to go to New York and speak ou1
| Nv nd e.,