Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1899-12-27
WHO SHALL LEAD US?
The Time Has Arrived fer Discussion OF
ths Merits Of Available Men for
Standard Hearers.


should be observed and that the pop
ulist national convention will be
called to meet about 30 days before
any other national convention, and
settle its own policy without inter
ference from other conventions. Mr..
Buffers letter was published in the
Southern Mercury, Dallas, Tex.
Now let us see: The republican
convention is called to meet on June
10, and the democratic convention
will be held before that date, so that
the populist convention viii prob
ably be held in the early part of May,
or about four months from this date.
This being the case, it is time for
the members of the party to discuss
the merits of the respective available
men for nomination for the offices of
president and vice president of the
United States. And this discussion
should be free and calm and unmuz-
Zled, as becomes a party which pro-
fesses faith in popular government,
through the initiative and referen-
dunn. And above all things else, care
should be taken to insure that the
reform press be, indeed and in fact,
the forum of the people, open for
the discussion, by reputable members
of the party, of any and all party
policy, or policies, which may be ad-
vocated or suggested. With these
conditions assumed, this article is
written by one who has taken a live
ly interest and active part in the pro-
ceedings of the party, ever since his
participation in the Cincinnati con-
ference of 1891.
At the very outset of the discussion
relative to candidates, we must con-
slider the claims of the conditional, or
tentative ticket, nominated in July,
1899, at what is known as the Cincin-
matt convention, subject to indorse-
ment and ratification by the national
convention of 1900. This ticket is
co" posed of Wharton Barker, of
Pennsylvania, for president, and Ig-
natus Oonnelly, of Minnesota, for
vice president
1t is not within the scope of this
article. nor would it be profitable at
this time, to discuss the motives
which prompted the holding of the
meeting at Cincinnati. But it may
safely be affirmed that the ticket
nominated at such meeting, in the
matter of ability and standing of the
gentlemen composing it, will compare
favorably with any presidential ticket
| nominated by any purity since the
civil war.
Wharton Barker, of Philadelphia, is
| scholar, a statesman and a political
| economist. When affiliated with the
republican party he ranked high in
the party's councils and filled posi-
tions of honor and trust. He is not
only able, but he is sound on the
money question, being bimetallist
so long as the nation clings to the me-
| tallic fallacy, and demanding. with
gold and silver, sufficient volume OF
full legal tender, absolute paper
/ money. His ideal is paper money
based upon the multiple" standard
Mr. Parker is an enthusiastic and
persistent advocate of public owner
! ship of public utilities-of railroads
| telegraphs, ETC., by the nation; and
public utilities in cities and towns
| by the municipalities. He believes in
| public ownership as the only ade.
quate remedy for the trust evil.
So far as / have been able to judge
| from a perusal of his paper, (the
American) he has always been on the
right side of every issue and has uni.
| formly advocated the cause of the
common people-of the masses
| against the classes.
Mr.. Barker is not selfish office
seeker, but is a sincere and earnest
reformer, who places principl e fan
above pelf, as may be seen from the
following paragraph clipped from the
American of December 2:
And. here, when we say that If popu
lists would make a winning fight the,
must avail of the rallying point prof
| fered by the Cincinnati convention ane
rally at once, not wait until they ma,
be again sold out. let no small mind
| cramped by unworthy thought, ASSUME
that We mean to say that they must rail-,
around the ticket named at Cincinnati
rally around our candidacy, our leader
.Lsship. 1t is for populists to say IL othe
ticket, If other candidacy, IL other lead
ership will suit and serve them better
For this Is a time to sacrifice men 70
principles, not principles for men. or tn
latter kind Of sacrifice the peoples part,
has had its full. 1t can stand no more
but of the former kind 1t cannot hav
too much. But what we do say Is tha
populists must rally at once And fur
ther do we say that 1t Is time for them t
make up their minds as to whom the,
wish to lead them in the presidential con
test of next year and give expression t,
their desire.
/ IT my be urged that Mr.. Barker
lives too far east to be available Bu'
the peoples party is not a se:tiona
party, but national party ard it.
Ieastern members, unlike eastern
democrats, are true to the principle.
OF their party. Besides this, the New
York Journal, with its million read
ers, and the Verdict, also, have beer
openly advocating very large degree
of socialism. while even the New
York Tribune has recently beer
known 20 write soclalistic editorials
SO that there awaits large following
of voters in the east ready to rally
to the banner of populism and vote
for the degree of socialism advocated
in the populist platform of 1896.
Ignatius Donnelly, the candidat.
for vice-president, needs no introduc
tion to populists. He, too, is rips
scholar, a statesman and politica
economist. He is able, courageou.
and sincere, and unfaltering in his de