The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-08-20
W. ]. HANNAH SEES HIS ERROR
MANFuLLY ADMITS 1T AND RE-
TURNS TO THE DEMOCRACY.
Gives His Reasons I'm Detail for
Quitting the Populists--Fears the
Tendency to Socialism.

nent populists In Central Texas emo the
backbone OF the party In Limestone coun-
ty. in an open letter to the Groesbeeck
Journal OF today renounces his allegiance
to the populst party and returns to the
democratic fold. Mr.. Hannah has served
his party In many official capacities, hav-
ing been county chairman. State delesa Z
twice. vas nominated for hoatorial repre-
lsentative In 1896 against Hon. l.. T. Dash
iell, but declined to run in order to pursue
his study of law, and in 1898 was the
nominee OF his party for county attorney.
Mr.. Hannah sees danger ahead in pop
ulist circles on account OF its socialistic
tendencies and his letter on the subject
given below is explicit:
To The Journal.
Groesbeeck. Texas, August TO- 1890
Believing as | do that the time has come
when every patriotic citizen should place
himself in position to do all he can
for the furtherance nd maintenance Of
those principles dear to every lover of
good government, and desiring to state
my position publicly as to political mat
ters, beg of you space for few lines to
the public, In which to do so aud in max
| ing the attempt shall be as clear and
concise as space will permit
| After much thought | have fully made
up my mind to support the Chicago dem
ocratic platform and stand by that match
less leader and statesman, William Jen-
nings Bryau-the greatest commoner by
far this country has produced since Jack
son.
at the time aligned myself with the
populist party six years ago. l thought
hat the party of Jefferson and Jackson
was doomed. that 1t had been abandoned
and was forever gone, that its vital tenets
had been throttled in the house of its
| friends. AT that time the American peo-
pie were being sold into bondage and the
principles dearest to every democrat were
! being daily disregarded by Cleveland and
his monometallic policy of government,
| In 1892 band of as patriotic men as ever
blessed the earth met at Omaha, Neb.
and organized a new party, having for Its
object the betterment of mankind. Its
leading principles were the questions of
land, transportation and money, 1t also
taught the correct doctrine upon the coin
age question, the abolition OF the Ma
tional banking system and a tax on in
comes.
a still better platform than this was
promulgated by the populist party at ST.
Louis in 1896. and 1t was said by many
at that time that the St. Louis platform
was the best ever written in this country.
All true populists took hope and courage
and for a time 1t seemed that all was
we'll, but, alas, the enemies of good gov
| eminent cfept IN ana sowed the SEED OF
dlssension, strife and discomfort so much
so that soon all was chaos, tusion was
inaugurated IN almost every state and as
a result confusion reigned supreme. The
once faithful band of patriot popuists who
loySi their country and their party were
dlsheartened and after great disappoint-
meht gave up all nope and In utter esnalr
OF ever accomplishing any reform what
ever, they nave turned their faces toward
the party or tnelr fathers as represented
/ by the chicago platform. aud as that party
now stands anchored to it's original and
proper mornings
AS everybody knows, the tendency of the
popuist party To-Day Is toward socialism
nave told lhe people OF Limestone county
I from scores OF platforms what | would do
whenever such thlng came. am now
reueeniihg my pledge The proposition
correctly stated is TINS; VIII the people
or the United states have complete de-
'hocracy tsociahsnl or VIII they have
/ representative republican form of govern
mehlF FOR many reasons, l very much
prefer the latter We have a strongly
centra'l2ed government high tariff, mono
metallsm, imperialism, a standing and
ever increasing army and navy calling for
/ "'ii'oho VI 'hph'Si d PcuSlnu ron tHdL ID
a disgrace to the government, and many
other anti American and oppressive con
dltions and policies, all represented by the
mckinley administration. On the other
hand we have the Chicago platform, which
stands for constitutional government for
bimeialism, tariff sufficient only TO run
the governmental expenses, for civtl sery-
ice reform and the merit system in Federal
patronage, against the dangerous policy
OF interfering with foreign affairs for an
income tax, against trusts and combines
and monopolies, for the abolition of Ma
tional banks, and many other demands
with which the people are now ana always
have been favorably Impressed With this
party, for these reforms, all true reformers
can work. and by one united effort we can
next year reach the goal OF our ambition.
| There is today no earthly hope not even
the remotest. OF the populst party ever
accomplishing anything or carrying out
any of the reforms taught by us, There
was some hope for these things while IL
stood upon the first principles and The con-
sttution, but today 1t is essentially a So
cialist party and does not stand for a rep
resentatiye government, but for socialism
and all that socialism means. Such a gov
ernment might do FOR some little coun-
tries in some parts of the world, but never
d