La Junta tribune. (La Junta, Bent County, Colo.) 1881-1939, 1898-10-01
MY POPULIST FRIEND.
LESSON IN CONSISTENCY
BY A FARMERS WIFE.
Her Husband's Pride In the Ownership
of the Bonds of "a Country brought
to the Verge Of Moral, Political and
Material Ruin.''

we get them" said my Populist
friend, as he came blithely up the
gravel walk that leads to the front
porch OF his cozy country home.
His wife did not look up.
Il tell you." he continued, "it does
me as much good this time 10 sub
scribe my mite to the government
loan as 1t did to go to the front my
self thirtyodd years ago"
still no response from the little
woman, rocking on the porch.
What glorious war this has
been!' and he grew enthusiastic.
What a great nation We are! What
u grand old man Uncle Sam is, any
how! Think OF It! Think of 1t, l say
he fairly shrieked to the unrutiled lady
in the chair. when Spain was trying
TO borrow few millions to patch up
her dilapidated old navy. Uncle Sam
showed his hand down in his pocket,
pulled out fifty millions in cold cash.
handed 1t over to Mckinley and said
Get ready Mckinley got. Gun fac
tories going. powder factories going.
men and boys going here and there.
N4hpiat, ihc'ahe " N''S
Dewey at Manila, whizz. One-third OF
the Spanish navy at the bottom OF the
sea; Sampson and Schley at Santiago,
whoop. The pride of Spain's navy full
of holes and burning on the beach; the
boys in Cuba. twenty-five thousand
Spanish fighters surrender to. them.
Porto Rico captured without strug-
gle. It's great. 1t makes me feel like
celebrating. More money wanted; did
We have TO go to Europe for it,
lie paused for reply, which did
not come. and then he proceeded:
No. We didn't, not a bit OF 1t; we
didn't have to go anywhere. The peo-
pie just said, Here it is. six times
over II you want it. We get our share
OF the bonds, 1t makes me feel good; ="
and he strutted back and forth In
front of the porch, seeming to initiate
the walk of the proud peacock not far
on: but the woman said nothing.
But that isn't ALL" he said. Think
Of us commercially. What do you
think OF making Europe and other
lands fork over six hundred million
dollars in clean cash for the difference
due us in the deals of the past year?
Aren't We somebody. thought"
Then her lips moved. She spoke,
her voice as deep and as solemn as she
could make 1t; her eyelashes not lift
ed: her features expressionlcss. He
listened to the words:
I'VE meet In the midst of a nation
brought to the verge OF moral. political
and material ruin"
Like a voice from the tomb 1t sound
ed to him.
At first my Populist friend seemed
stunned; then he was angry. His arms
flew in the air. his jaw moved. and his
whiskers beat the wind; but SO enrag-
ed was he that he could not utter a
word. Finally. in despair, he sat down
upon the porch steps and buried his
face in his hands,.
Cruel, / know it Is cruel said the
little woman In her softest, meekest
voice: but that is one Of the first
phrases in the first national declara-
tion of your great Populist party. That
was the corner stone on which you
builded; 1t was the belief In those con-
ditions that brought your party into
existence. Think of 1t, what libel on
a great and good people! What are
you going to do with that declaration
Of ruin anyhow? Why not frame 1t
and send 1t to Spain? l don't know OF
any one else who could get any salts
faction out OF it; but. in the light OF
recent historic events, 1t would be a
difficult task to get even her to believe
IT,"
But that was six long years ago."
plaintively pleaded my Populist friend.
But you are still following the trail
onto which that Infamous declaration
led you: and that is what hurts me" !"
she answered, impatiently. Think Of
1t yourself: think OF it. Can great
and growing nation make a complete
change in morals in six years? When
was there more evidence that Divine
Providence was guiding nation than
We have at this time? Think OF our
war for humanity; think of Dewey and
Manila; think OF Santiago; think of
Spain's navy practically ruined and
hut one man of ours killed in doing It.
Would the hand Of Divine Providence
so protect a nation that was on the
verge of moral ruin? Would a wicked
and depraved people wage such war
for humanity as ours has waged?
Financial ruin, too! Think of that
All those millions OF dollars are being
loaned to the government by the peo-
ple-plain. hard-working. economical
people, such as you. And yet you say
in your great national platform that
We are on the verge of material ruin.
How dare you look truth in the face
and follow the footsteps of the party
which uttered that libel?
Material ruin! Yes, the difference
in our trade with nations of the world
was more than six hundred million
dollars In our favor: but. great as It
is. that tells only a small part OF the
story. It il no comparison with our