The independent., 1903-06-25
MARYLAND POPULISTS
AN ADDRESS BY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE PEOPLE

/ exert more V1gOr and more retrl butiye
and efGecti(c influences than any 9TH
er people on earth. and now, there
fore, il there are any people left in
| this ssnte who are not dead to every
sense of honor in politics, any who
still believe in honoring God with
| justice and righteousness. in govern
! mental affairs. we appeal to them in
the name of the stinted and pinched
laboring people and their half-clad
children, to "be up and doing while it
is yet called day, ere the night COM
eth when no man can work"-to use
their elective frs nchise now, while
they yet possess that privilege. ere it
be everlastingly too late to avert
! lossible and even probable national
calamity, an intolerable state of af-
fairs in this country compared with
which the old revolution of '7c and
the war of the rebellion in 81 were
mere children's play.
1t is our intention to place a state
ticket in the field which shall stand
for straight-out peoples party prin-
ciples, and we ask for the cooperation
OF all who believe with us that those
principles are needed at this juncture
to rescue our state and country from
the control of those forces which are
now throttling the people and rob-
bing them of the fruits of their hon
est toll.
We appeal to the people of Maryland
tc be not misled by the misrepresen-
tations of venal and debauched
press, but to investigate candidly. fair
ly carefully, the principles of the
peoples party for themselves.
For years the eastern press, owne
by the capitalists, has persistentlv
sought to give the people false ideas
concerning the peoples party. Ridicule
has been the chief weapon used and
these cowardly sycophants, well
knowing their inability to meet the
peoples party writer's in argument,
seek to hold them up to public scorn
and ridicule, but thank God our prin-
Ciples still live in the hearts of hon
est men.
The peoples party stands only for
those principles of Americanism up
held in the past by men like Wash
ingtOn, Jefferson, Jackson and Lin
coin. II believes in the common peo-
pie, the plain people, and in their
ability to rule themselves. Direct leg
islation is leading plank in our plat
form, by means of which the people
would be enabled to make their own
laws, and thus do away with the
baneful influences of corrupt lcgisla-
tors who now so often betray thei,
trusts.
Government ownership of the rail-
roads, the telegraph and other public
utilities, as the people from time to
time may elect, is another cardinal
tenet of the peoples party. The rap
idly growing political power of the
railroad companies threatens the liz
critics of the citizen, while their un.
just discrimination in favor of trusts
and monopolies. is fatal to the small
producers and manufacturers, who
have been in the past the bone and
sinew of our country.
Governmental control of the volume
of the nations currency is demanded
by the peoples party, to the end that
there shall be no favored wealthy
class who speculate in money and the
life-blood of their fellowmen: but
that the wealth of the people, accum-
ulated by honest industry and trade
shall be sacredly guarded by the ma
tional government. and not. as now. at
the mercy of the money-changers. Op.
position to government by Injunction
and to favoritism in every form, il
the groundwork of populist faith.
We now appeal to those whose only
aim is honest government and the lib
critics of the people, to join with us
in this struggle for freedom. We are
not rich, nor are we powerful, but
trusting in the justice of Almighty God
we will do our best to save our be-
loved state and country from the
baneful partisan influences which are |
rapidly destroying the best govern |
ment the world ever saw.
Help us to make the fight, and if we |
do not win a victory this time. by |
polling large vote we will strike ter
ror to the hearts of the corruptionists |
Let all those who will help, either by
personal effort or financially, send
their names and addresses to the un-
dersigned at once. There is no time
to lose! Act now!
F. A. NAILLE,