The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-04-05
A GREAT ARTICLE.
Read and Hand to Your
NeighbOr.
Wharton Barker's Views of the Situat ton.

Give lis then pure democracy, that IS
government by the majority of the peo-
pie and we will have just government,
for it is to the interest OF the majority
that government be just, suffer not de-
spoilment OF the many by the few, but
insure to all men such living as they
can earn by honest toll. 1t is only by so
living. living by the laws OF divine JUS
tice that whole people can prosper.
Where there is government that toll
crates or even protects those who seek
a living by despoiling their fellow men
the few who may be successful at such
despoiing will gather wealth and mi
nority OF the people will be enriched.
But the majority must be impoverished
for from that majority must be taken the
wealth to enrich the few and, further,
such taking cannot fail to so dis
courage enterprise and industry as to re-
tard the production of wealth. There
fore an unjust distribution of the pro-
ducts Of toll, despoilng OF the many
by the few, not only impoverishes the
many but impoverishes the community
and SO it is that under pure democratic
government insurng a rule of equality
and justice, it being to the interest OF the
majority OF the rulers, the people, un-
der any and all circumstances to have
such rule, the production OF wealth will
be more active and the accumulation
more rapid than under any other form
OF government. 1t follows that of all
governments the democratic must be that
best calculated to lead to the enrichment
the progress, the upliftmcnt OF mankind
For be it said that it is the accumulation
of wealth, OF capital, that makes indus
trial progress possible, that paves the way
to the diversihcation of industries, the
invention, manufacture and use OF i'm
proved machinery and the consequent
increased productiveness Of labor. And
the more productive labor becomes the
better remunerated should it be and if
there was just government, a govern
ment not conferring special privileges,
not tolerating determinations, it would
be. And to secure such government by
introducing the initiative and referendum
into our system of government that the
people may at all times and on all ques-
tions make their voice heard and impera-
lively demand that their will be done is
the first demand OF the Peoples party
1t is this, rule by the people, that Pop
ulsm means; it is in this that lies its
strength. 1t is in the recognition Of the
fact that Populism means this, that the
Democratic and Republican parties do
not stand by the old democratic principle
that the will of the people is the will of
God, and recognition OF this not only by
Populists who have never wandered from
their party, not only by Populists who
thought they saw hope in the Democratic
party in 1896 and joined with it in fu-
sion deals. but by Democrats who regard
the teachings of Jefferson in other than
spirit OF dumb worship, and by thinking
Republicans who observe that the Re-
publicanism OF to-day is a very inferior,
indeed, very different brand to the Re
pubicanism OF Lincoln, that lies the
promise OF success for the Peoples party.
For government by the people, for
equality, for liberty stand the Peoples
party, and as distinguished from the two
old parties fathering a government by.
bosses and for the trusts and monopolies
and speculative cliques contributing to
the support Of the machines and footing
the bills for deceiving the public, carry
ing the elections and installing in office
men upon whom the favored few can re-
ly 1t is in this, we repeat that lies the
strength of Populsm; it is recognition
OF this that gives to Populism its promise
of success And the enemies OF Popu-
lism, that is of pure democracy, OF just
government, of the abolition of all pref
erences and determinations by which
monopoles are built up and the few gain
possession of the surplus fruits OF the
toll of the many, the enemies that are
alone to be feared are those hidden in
the disguise OF friends, and who by much
waving of banners of stolen colors and
proclaiming Of fair principles, seek to
lead astray the masses of our people who
believe in popular government, and so
keep shattered and disrupted the grand
army OF Populism that, once united,
would be irresistible. We here have no
reference to those men who having seen
the Peoples party sold out by it's lead
ers. its banners and name stolen with the
connivance of those same leaders for per-
sonal gain and despairing of the Peoples
party freeing itself from all these involve
ments, have bent and are bending their
energies 10 the launching of new reform
parties. That these men are in the main
prompted by devotion to the cause of re-
form we doubt not, but that they are
exerting their efforts in a mistaken di-
rection, weakening rather than strength
ening the cause they would further, we
feel. For, standing forth again in TIN
sullied purity, and soon It will be feeog-
nized as so standing forth, the Peoples
party will command the strength that Il
deserves and unite the followers of re-