The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-05-10

h"nueu uoWu 10 US ny our torefatners
blessings that have come 10 us through
rivers OF blood and mountains OF treas
ure. | am not q pessimst. 1 think tine
world is getting better as timo passes. /
think we enjoy in many resperts greater
blessings than were enjoyed by our ances-
tors, but, my friends, as long as monopo-
lies and trusts can exercise the power over
the people that they have aud now exer-
else, my voice. my pen, my tltne will be
devoted to the cause OF the people who are
being unnecessarily and wickedly OPP
pressed
IT Ia scarcely necessary In TINS con
vention for me TO refer to the two old
parties. You all know they are both col >
rupt to the csse, that they both strive
TO serve Mammon. They have no clg..n
to regulate the trusts. Such sonsense. The
populist party has passed the stage OF
regulation.
Under our own present system we have
government by party instead of by peo-
pie and II the party In power Is corrupt
we have poor government
1T appears TO be one OF the laws q,
nature that the older political part,
grows, the moro corrupt and demorallzing
Some OF our misguided friends ara
meeting in another part OF the country
today. Poor fellows, pity them. They
are rainbow chasers, and they will not
realize their predicament until their day OF
grace Is past Let us not hate them but
rather let lis look upon them with mercy.
believing rs we do that many honest mon
are among them who ought to know better,
but who have been misied by tho bright
and dazzling eolors of the giant rainbow.
They hope to secure reform through the
democratic party, the party OF stagnation,
a negative party, a party that always OPP
poses whatever is, whether II be good, bad
or Indifferent. But rs time rolls on they
will see the folly OF rainbow chasing and
will return to the fold better and wiser
men"
National Secretary 10 A. Parker was
then introduced to read the call for the
convention. Parker WAS received with
tumultuous applause. He prefaced the
reading with few remarks on the work
OF the National committee following the
disruption in the popullst force alt Lin
coin, Ncb., on February 10, last. He said:
we had terrific struggle TO hold 70
gether the honest men OF the party, but ]
lSlieve we have succeeded and the poo
pies party Is saved.
He excoriated Senator Allen and that
gentlemSns alleged remark at Lincoln:
1--WE have thrown them over the IRAN
sem" Parker declared that the people :
party went over the transom at the same
time and that "Butler and Allen at Sioux
Falls can not sell and barter the vote Of
the peoples party.
we are here" no concluded. ito uail
tho banner of the peoples party to the
mast where all can SEQ IL and 1t SHAH
cheer us on to yictory."
At the conclusion OF the reading OF
the call, Chairman Dever announced that
the National committee had recommended
the selection or former Congressman NJ.
W Howard OF Alabama for temporary
chairman The convention unanimously
ratified that recommendation.
Mr.. Howard ives received with much
applause. He said.
We have reached a crisis IN the history
OF the peoples party BY your aotion to-
day you are to determine whether the
party IS to live for glorious future or 70
die an ignomlnous death. BY your action
today you are to light anew the beacon
fires OF hope In the breasts ~ the people
who have heretofore followed our flag or
90 sound tho death kuell Of the aspirations
OF those who have labored long in the
cause Of reform. When look into the
earnest faces Of those before me. ! think
can read what your answer viii he and
II ! make no mistake that answer viii be
THAI the peoples party is born to live and
not to die The chaotic conditions which
now confront our party were brought about
by oftCeholders and office seeking pOli-
ticians who were willing to fuse the HE
out of our party in order that they might
obtain peuS Office with is cmoumonts,
Tho folly OF 1896 when we became the tail
OF the democratic kite, has brought MS
to the verge Of disruption and the only
thing today that can avert that disaster
iE straightforward course OF indcpend-
cnt action. Great problems and new con-
ditions have arisen and confront thinking
men and women OF the world and these
problems and conditions must be met and
met In a earn. digrihed and dispassionatr
way. Too long has our party been cursed
BY Office seekers cranks with Wild thoo-
.rios. and deIsaGulnes with alluring
sophistrios. and 81 we would win the con-
fdence and esteem Of thinking men we
must adopt such platform Of principles
as win appeal to the millions who arc to-
day BeeRing for n solution OF these great
quest IONS which confront We, AZ the fore
front Of these stands the financial ques-
ton Right here | want to say that one
OF our great mistakes has been IN accen-
tuaiing our demand for the free coinage
Of silver 10 such an extent that the demo
cratic party took " up as their battle cry
ana TINS produced CONFUSION IN our RANKS
when In fact It is one Of inc least Of the
reforms which we seek, Beyond this is
the broader ana greater question OF gov
eminent paper currency issued, not
throuAl the National banks, but directly
by the government itself Let ns plant
ourselves firmly upon this proposition and
while NOT abandoning the cause OF silver
let us 20 forward 10 the more advanced
shd more logical position,
Another great question which | have
already suggested, Is the trust question
The trust has come 10 stay. IL is an out.
growth OF our Industrial system. Capita
has realized what labor has not yet fouuC
out--that competition Is not the life, bt
the death of trade. Therefore capital hal
ceased to compete and IS now doing tat
more Wise and sensible thing OF co-operat
ing. | believe that whenever any line o
industry becomes monopoly there is onl.
one solution possible and that Is for tn
government 10 take control OF the monop
oily ard 10 use and operate 1t for the bene
NJ Of all the people.
\ There is one other issue which will
mention which / consider greater than Al
the rest. | refer to the principle Of 1lrec
legislation. We viii never obtain a WIS
financial system, we viii never secur
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