The representative., 1899-11-09

banks to control our paper money; and
the Democratic party state banks OF
issue, both of which are founded on an
| opposite principle to ours.
"5. That the Peoples party believes
| that the government should issue paper
money direct to the people, either at a
low rate of interest or to employ the idle
upon works of public improvement.
This is opposed by both old parties
"6. The Peoples party believes in
| postal savings banks, for the safe de-
| posit of the earnings of the people.
This is opposed by both old parties as
| paternalism.''
We are aware that individual Demo-
Gratis of the rank and file believe as we
do on the money question, but their
leadership, those who control, do not
agree with us. Mr.. Bryan, only this
ton, Mo-, on the plain question of which
doctrine he would advocate if elected
president. At the state convention in
Nebraska, when earnestly requested to
the Chicago convention, he refused to
do so, when he was given full power by
the Democrats to write their state plat
form. Then have we not a good right
to claim that he is opposed to fiat
money? He claims that if silver is given
free coinage at the mints, and thereby
an unlimited market, that the value of
the material in the dollar will equal a
dollar in gold. Hence we see by this
that he holds, as do the money power,
that the value of money resides in the
material of which it is made We hold
that there is no value in money, and
hence to make it of SO valuable sub
stance is an unnecessary drain on pro-
ductive industry, and that the only rea-
son for coin money is the prejudice of
an unthinking people.
Then the great issue of whether the
railroads shall own the government or
the government own the railroads is
distinctively populistic. On this, again,
at Upton, Mo-, Mr.. Bryan refused to
commit himself as he had frequently
I done before. This issue is to our mind,
of almost, if not quite, equal Importance
with the money question.
The Peoples party believes that the
means of transportation and communi-
cation, being public necessities, should
be owned and controlled by the public
in the interests of the people. Does
either of the old parties favor publ,
ownership of railroads? No, but on the
other hand that has been the most bit
ter point of attack by the politicians of
both old parties against us. The Dem
ocrats and Republicans are as one in
favor of monopoly Of ownership of rail-
roads and telegraphs. They howl about
trusts and combines, yet they we'll know
that every trust and every combine in
America is based on the monopoly
owned transportation lines of our coun-
try and can never be destroyed until
the railroads are run, like the postomce,
in the interest of the people, giving
equal service and equal rates to all
people and to every section.
The Peoples party believes in direct
legislation, by which the people will
have the right to vote yes or no on the
laws under which we must live. We ia
vor a peoples government. This issue
is by all odds the greatest of all things
now before this American people. Does
either old party believe in it? Neither
has declared for it. Many individuals
in each believe it is the salvation of our
country and unless we secure it in our
laws the days of this republic are num-
bered. Yes, again, at Upton, Mo-, Will
liam j. Bryan refused to advocate it on
the stump. Mr.. Bryan claims to be of
the reformed Democracy, but we fail to
see any basis for such claim He went |
into Kentucky and supported the gold !
bug, vote-buying, law-defying Goebel. |
In what is he reformed?
Hence we claim we clearly show that
neither old party agrees with u.s. On !
the other hand, there is far, far less diff
ference between the Democratic and |,
Republican parties than between us and
either of them. Hence we urge Popu-
lists to separate party action until we
get what we want.-Populist, Journal,
Ind