Natchitoches populist., 1899-01-20
THE OUTLOOK is GOOD
FOR A SWEEPING REFORM VIC
TORY IN 1900.
Year in the West-The Adoption of
Direct Legislation In South Dakota a
Populist Triumph.

POpulist Triumph.
All along the line the opponents OF |
the gold standard and the allied mo-
nopolies are expressing their conf
dence that in two years more, when
the Hannaites now in full control of all |
branches of the national government
have shown their hand, there will be
a complete political overturning and
the people will be in the saddle.
The Kansas City Star, in growing
over the Republican success in Kansas,
unwittingly proves that the result was
no popular reputation of free silver,
and that the small Republican major
ity was secured simply through thor
ough organization and unlimited cam
paign funds used to bring to the polls
every Republican voter, while nothing
of that kind was even attempted by the
fusionists, who merely stated their ar
guments and left the people to vote or
stay at home, as they saw fit. In any
off year the minority party can always
win If it makes the effort and spends
the money necessary to poll Its full
vote, while the majority party relies
upon the usual campaign methods.
Chairman Hanna conducted still hunt
in all of the western states this year
and furnished the money to get the
whole Republican vote to the polls.
The Kansas City Star says: "All this
was done so secretly that the fusionist
committees had no idea what they were
up against until the votes were
counted"
In presidential election the voters
all vote, and in the west and south the
majority for free silver and against
monopoly control Of the government is
as great as it ever was, while the cleo
ton returns showed that in the middle
west and the east the goldbugs have
decidedly lost ground,
In South Dakota the direct legisla-
ton constitutional amendment, sub
mitted by the fusion legislature, carried
by decided majority, thus establish
ing forever Populist government in
one state at least--government by the
people. The only reason similar
amendments have not been submitted
in Kansas and other western states is
that the fusionists did not have enough
votes in the legislatures. They will
have the votes two years hence.
The organs Of the pawnbroker's par
ty assert, with good deal of self-com-
placency, that they have the senate
fixed" for the next twenty years, so
that no matter how much the people
may struggle for relief from the ruin
Gus single standard, they can accom-
plish nothing during that long period.
| 1t would indeed be dark and hopeless
prospect II this were tt de, but the con-
ditions do not warrant so gloomy an
outlook. We shall have Republican
majority in the senate after next
March, but the size of that majority
cannot yet be predicted. There will be
change of 80 senator's, Is Democrats,
( IL Republicans, / Populist and 2 Silver
Republicans. Several of the so-called
| Democrats who retire are for the gold
standard, and in changing them for
Republicans we lose nothing, as both
represent the same principles. In get
ting rid Of them, therefore, we are sim
ply clearing the field for action and dis
posing of dangerous and unfaithful
element.
| In March, 1901, there will be another
change of 80 senators-n Democrats
| II Republicans, Populist and l Silver
Republican. The legislatures that will
choose these senator's will be elected in
1900, and that is where the great fight
for freedom must be made We ought
to and must elect a president, house
of representatives, and gain control Of
enough legislatures to insure major
ity in the senate after March, 1901, says
the Journal of Agriculture. Greater
revolutions have taken place under fal
less vital necessities. Some of the sen.
ators in this list who are classed as
Republicans will vote for the peoples
interest on any reasonable proposition
for financial reform, while we shall
certainly replace quite number OF
others with true bimetallists. Among
the latter are Wolcott Of Colorado, ga-
ker of Kansas, Carter Oh Montana, eCul
lom of Illinois, Elkins Of West Virgin
la, Mcbride Of Oregon, Mcmillan O.
Michigan, Thurston Of Nebraska, War,
rem of Wyoming, and others. In fact
it is impossible to predict the result
for the force of the revolution prom
Uses to be SO great that it may make
almost a clean sweep.