Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1899-09-20
LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP.
In the Next Campaign There Must BE .
Populist Presidential Ticket Upon .
PopuIist Platform.

PopuIist Platform.
H. w. Young, the gifted and versa
tile editor of the Kansas Populist, in a
recent issue of his paper, says:
Those Ohio democrats are looking forward
and not backward Their platform Is one that
An honest and conscientious populist can stand
ca without sacrificing one iota OF his principles.
1t is very rarely that see anything
emanating from Brother Young that l
cannot cheerfully indorse, but 1 most
radically dissent from the conclusions
in the foregoing clipping. 1t does not
seem to me that the Ohio democratic
platform is, in any sense, up to the
full measure and standard of a popu-
list platform.
The trinity of basic issues upon which
the superstructure of populism is built,
is money, land and transportation.
Upon these cornerstones the temple of
populisn has been reared and popu-
lists are distinguishable from other
partisans because of their tenets relat-
ing to this trinity of issues.
The Ohio platform is silent upon the
land question and so is the Chicago
platform, which it reaffirms.
Populists demand the governmental
ownership and operation of the means
of transportation. The Ohio platform
is silent as to this issue, while the Chi
cago platform simply demands an en-
largement of the powers of the inter
state commerce commission, a continu-
alton of the farce of attempted control
without ownership which, so far, has
proved an utter failure.
Populists are in favor of the public
ownership of all municipal utilities,
but Ohio democrats, in committee on
resolutions, struck out of the platform
plank favoring this policy.
And what of the money question ?
From the same issue of the Populist 1
clip as follows:
THE following is the press summary
of the platform adopted by the Ohio
democrats a couple of days ago, and on
which they nominated John r. Mclean
for governor:
We heartily reaffirm the entire Chicago
platform of 1896, and we especially empha-
size the financial plank therein, and we con-
| tinue to demand the free and unlimited coinage
OF silver and gold as equal and primary money
at the rate of sixteen to one, independent OF all
other nations in the world"
The word primary should be
enough to prove that the Ohio plat
form is in no sense a populist platform.
The term primary" implies and car
ries with it the theory and policy of
specie redemption and is the equiva-
lent of the term money of final re-
demption." which no true populist in
dorses. But the Ohioans Endorsed the
Chicago platform. especially the fnan-
cial plank therein, which, in part,
reads as follows:
| Congress alone has the power to coin and is
| sue money, and President Jackson declared
| that this power could not be delegated to cor
pOratiOnS or individuals. We, therefore, de-
nounce the issuance of notes intended to circu-
late as money by national banks in deroga-
tion OF the constitution, and we demand that all
paper which is made legal tender for public
and private debts, which is receivable for
dues TO the United States, shall be issued by
the government of the United States (and shall
| be redeemable in coin).
This plank is one that no honest and
| conscientious populist can stand on
without sacrificing the most vital prin-
ciple of his financial faith, and have
| repeatedly called attention to the fact
that unless this plank is remodeled
| thousands of populists will refuse to
| support the candidates who stand up
| on it.
| If the action of the Iowa and Ohio
democracy and the published utter
ances of Mr.. Bryan are any criterion,
the democratic national convention
| will simply indorse the Chicago plat
form and add to it planks covering the
issues of imperialism and trusts. On
the other hand, while the democrats in
state conventions are indorsing their
national platform of 1896, the populists,
in their state conventions, are also in
dorsing their 1896 national platform.
These two platforms do not agree or
harmonic upon the issues of money,
land and transportation, which are
fundamental and vital with all honest
and conscientious" populists.
Now 1T may, and it may not, be all
very well and proper for populists and
democrats to fuse, or cooperate in
state campaigns. l am not now dis
cussing that question and will simply
say that it would certainly be equally
as proper and well for populists and
republicans to fuse in other states.
But the burning question lust now is
| S-A''' " AAN]N VII PopullSIS 90 IN lSUU II
the Chicago platform is reaffirmed by
the democracy, with its coin redemption,
| government control features and its
silence upon issues which are of far
greater Importance than the silver
question? Will they support the DEM
ocratlc candidates, no matter what the
platform may be? The query answers
itself with an emphatic no! And vet
that would seem to be the extremity
to which populists will be driven unless
something is done in the direction OF
national organization and discussion
of party policy upon national lines.
The two old parties are educating. agi
tating, organizing and discussing can.
dldates and national convention con.
tlngencles. 1t is time for populism to
snow some signs of life, or else allow
Its obituary to be preached.
had written the above and appended
my signature. but ing the Populis,
OF September to look tbrouph. mr.
eye caught these three lines:
Middle-of-the- road populism seems to amoun
TO nothing now. except as tender to the re
publican party
And now l want to know what neef
there is of any kind of populism. i
straight, true and independent, mid
dle-of-the-road" populism amounts t.
nothing. Why should not the peoples
party disband. if it is nothing but "a
tender" to the democratic partyo
Brethren, let us reason together.