Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1900-08-31

/ pOpuliStS that four years more or re-
! publ can misrule would SO aggravate
economic conditions as to make re-
| forms easier. No one can afford tC
| aid in making matters worse in the
| hope of being able to make them be-
ter afterward, for III so doing he as
sumes the responsibility for evils
which he may not be able to remedy.
No populist, however sanguine, be-
! lieveS it possible to elect a populist
president at this time, but the popu-
| list may be able 10 determine whether
| a democrat or republican will be
elected. Mr. Chairman. the pOpulist
convention, which your committee rep
| resents, thought it better TO share with
the democrats in the honor Of secdr-
ing some of the reforms desired by
your party, than to bear the odium
of remaining neutral in this great
crisis, or of giving open or secret aid
10 the republican party which opposes
all the reforms for which the popu-
lists contend.
Those who labor to improve the
conditions which surround their fell
low men are apt TO become impatient;
but they must remember that it takes
] time to work out great reforms. Let
me illustrate by calling your alter
ton to the slow growth of public
opinion in support of a proposition
to which there has been practically
no open OpOSltiOn. President John
son, in 1868, recommended a constitu-
tional amendement providing for the
election of United States senator by
a direct vote of the people, but his
recommendation met with no re-
spouse. About twelve years later
, General Weaver then a member of
congress, tried to secure the passage
of resolution submitting such an
amendment, but his efforts were flu
tile. In 1892 the resolution recon-
mended by President Johnson and
urged by Congressman Weaver finally
passed the house of representatives,
but it has not yet reached a vote in
the senate. And now after eight
years more of public discussion the
proposition for the first receives the
endorsement of the national cOnven
ton OF one of the great parties.
If the fusion forces win a victory
this fall, we shall see this reform ac-
complished before the next presiden-
tial election, and with its accomplish
ment the people will find it easier to
secure any remedial legislation which
they may desire. But how hating
has been the progress. Holland has
said:
Heaven is not gained by a single
bound.
We build the ladder by which we
rise,
From the lowly earth to the vaulted
skies,
And we mount to its summit round
by round"
And so it is with great social and
political movements.
Great problems are solved slowly,
but struggling humanity marches on,
step by step. content ii at each night
fall it can pitch its tent on a little
higher ground
| have called attention to the is
sues which have brought the demo-
Gratis and populists together aOd
which have justified their co-ODera-
ton during the last four years. Let
me now invite your attention to new
questions which would justify coop
Grafton at this time even though we
differ upon all economic questions.
1t is not our fault that these new
questions have been thrust into the
arena of politics; it is not our fault
that the people have been called upon
to consider questions of ever increas-
ing magnitude. In 1890 the tariff
question was the principal subject of
discussion, and the democratic party
cOntended that the masses were car
rying burden of unjust and unnec-
essary taxes. 1t 1892 the tariff lues-
ton was still the principal issue be-
tween the democratic and republican
parties, although in the west and
south the money question was assam
ing greater and greater proportions,
and the populists were contending
that our monetary system was more
responsible than the tariff laws for
the depression in agriculture and the
distress existing among the wage
earners. In 1896 the whole question
Of taxation became of secondary i'm
portance because of the increased
boldnesS Of those who opposed the
gold and silver coinage of the con-
stitutiOn. When the republicans de-
clared at St Louis that the restora-
ton of bimetallism in this country,
although desirable, was impossible
without the aid of the leading COM
populists and silver republicans Join
ed with the democrats in asserting
the right and duty of the American
people to shape their financial sys
tenn for themselves, regardless of the
action OF other nations. The failure
of the republican party to secure in
ternational bimetallism and its open
espousal of the gold standard. still
kean tho money question i'm poIiticc
but no economic question can COM
pare in importance with question
which concerns the principle and
structure of government. Systems OF
taxation can be changed with less
difficulty than financial systems, and
financial systems can be altered with
less danger and less disturbance to
the country than the vital doctrines
upon which free government rests.
In the early sixties, when we were
engaged in a contest which was to de-
termine whether we should have one
republic or two, questions of finance
were lost sight of. Silver was at
premium over gold, and both gold and
silver were at 4 premium over green
backs and bank notes, but the people
could not afford to divide over the
money question in the presence of
greater issue. And so today we are
engaged IN controversy which will
determine whether we are to have
republic in which the government de-
rlves It's just powers from the con-
sent of the governed, or an empire in
which brute force is the only recog-
nized source of power
In government where the people