Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1898-02-25

tration. by fighting each other. deny to
the laboring men this great boon?
If the questions above presented have
lost none of their importance, it would
seem that cooperation is proper now.
if proper eighteen months ago, unless it
can be shown that the parties which
could trust each other then cannot do
so now. AS there has been no national
convention since 1896, it is impossible
to JUDI of the present intentions Of the
tn ee parties unless we take for our
criterion the actions Of those who stand
in representative capacity
The Democrats. the Populists and the
Silver Kepu blicans who in 1896 favored
the reforms which I have mentioned
favor them today. There is not a
prominent man of any OF the parties
which united in 1896 who has aban
doned any Of the reforms which drew
the parties together
Tue advocates of the gold standard,
the enemies OF independent bimetal
lism, the opponents Of the greenbacks,
the friends of national bank notes, the
defenders of trust, the supporters OF
government by injunction, and those
who object to arbitration AID an in
come tax-all these find n" difficulty in
uniting on the main issues, 10 matter
how much they may differ upon minor
ones Shall the friends Of reform
show less earnestness or less sagacity !?
Reforms are often delayed by an a :
tempt to secure too much. while pro
grees is usually made a little at time
If one cherishes the hope of laying up
competency for Id age, he DOES not
refuse to save anything until he can
save all that he desires. If he is wise
he lays aside little each day and
makes it the foundation for his for
tune. Society nves forward slowly
Circumstances make it possible to rise
to plane a little higher than that oc
cupied befo. e, and from this new van
tage ground the fight is renewed for
the capture of some greater height
H lland has expressed an idea which
may well be applied to the unceasing
contest waged by those who would i'm
prove the condition of society and pro
mote the welfare of the human race.
He says:
"Heaven is not gained by single
bound:
We build the ladder by which we
From tue lowly earth to the vault
ed skies,
And mount to the summit round by
round"
Many millions Of our people believe
that the reforms above enumerated
will bring vast advantage to the pro-
ducers of wealth, but whether the ad
vantage be much or little, these are
the things which lie immediate in
front of us, and they must b. decided
one way or the other before more re
mote questions, even though they be
cred What though there be questions
which may ultimately separate those
who fought together in the last cam
paisu, will D mocrats, Populists or Sill.
yer Republicans be the worse for hav
ing secured those things for which they
are jointly contending?
Agitation is means to an end, not
the end itself. To secure few things
is better than to advocate many things
and get nothing. Our opponents not
only recognize that there is strength in
uuion, but they also recognize that
there is weakness in division. and
therefore they may be expe ted to pre-
sent united front whenever the in.
terests of aggravated wealth are at
tackled, and they may be expected to
spread dissensions wherever possi bl =
among the reform forces The Demo
Gratis will be warned against becoming
tainted with Populis,n, and yet Jeffer-
son denounced banks of issue. and
Jackson entered into contest with
the money power before there was a
Populist ,arty, while the bimetallic
sys EN- was established in the United
States before any political party was
organized. Our .nemies will warn the
Populists against association with the
Democrats, and with uns,inted praise
commend those who are credited wi, h
putting principle above Office - The
Republican party will gladly leave the
Populis's in possession of all the prin-
ciples, SO long as the Republicans are
permitted to hold all the offices, be
cause political principles are Of no
service to the public until they are
enforced, through the le islative, ex-
ecutive and judicial departments Of the
government The Silver Republicans
will be asked to listen to the siren
song of international bimetallists, and
warned against the communicating in
fuence of both Democrats and Populists.
AS an ounce of prevention is said to be