The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-05-10
DONNELLY CALLS
BRYAN A TRAITOR

trolled by the railroads and trust In
terests until favorable legislation from
our law making bodies is absolutely
out OF the question. So our great
strike should be made for the system
known as the initiative and referen-
dun. under and oy which the people
can demand the right to vote upon
these great 0uetsions. have not the
sIishtcse doubt that when they are
given that privilege. free from the
shaolSles OF party fealty. that these
privileges will be settled and settled
right.
That will give US pure democracy.
That win bring down party barriers;
that will crush the spirit OF bitter
partisanship. and instead OF Witness
ing the spectacle of 100000 voters
marchin TO the ballot box to vote for
their parties we win see all these
voters untrammelled and unbiased,
vote according to the dictates OF their
eonseienees and their Judgment. for
such laws as will restore this govern
ment to the people.
zone of the greatest trusts today
Is the political trust. A few men have
acquired all the wealth OF the country
and a desperate attempt is being made
to form a political trust by which the
election franchise will be placed in
the hands Of the favored few and the
masses allowed no voice in the affairs
Of the government. Witness the ap-
palling spectacle Of the renovated, re-
juvenated democracy fastening on the
proud old state OF Kentucky, the
curse Of Goebelism. under which cleo
tions have become a farce and under
which il is possible for the party in
power to dlsfranchise even majority
Of the citizens OF the state and deprive
them of their right OF suffrage. Not
alone in Kentucky is this the case. but
in other Southern states conditions are
almost as bad and the deadly virus
having once found lodgment in the
body polite, it threatens to spread
until the whole country becomes cor
rupted: until the voice OF the people
has been effectually hushed.
Then. indeed, will the hope for re-
form have been banished forever. The
only way to check the rising tide OF
corruption which has spread over our
fair Southland and which will ulti-
mately reach our sister states in other
sections of the union. is our system
Of direct legislation. Today a number
of our misguided brethren have as
sembled in a western city to attempt
to deliver our party to democracy.
Many Of them no doubt are earnest
and sincere men who have been mis-
led by designing politicians. and for
these 1 have no word Of censure.
But for those who have deceived
them. those who have bent the preg-
nant hinges Of the knee that thrift
might follow folly, 1 have the SUI
premest contempt They will fail in
their mission, have no doubt. have
no doubt that fusion will be dealt its
death blow in this year Of grace 1900.
Let your action tere today be a
message to the populists Of this coun-
try that never again will our party
halt by the wayside to listen to the
sirens song and alluring promise Of
designing men, but that we have
again unfurled our banner to the
breeze: that we have consecrated our
party anew to the cause Of liberty and
freedom. Four thousand years ago,
Cain asked the question: "Am 1 my
brothers keeper" Two thousand years
later the great Nazarine laid down the
principle the the laborer is worthy Of
his hire.
up to this time the world has not
successfully answered these questions.
It is the mission Of populism to find
that answer and 1t will be found only