Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1904-11-16

ES9Ez9 Z211lH T-should be borne iR mind that at
&s52IIrS9 9s4lassH the time the Springfield COnven-
BYSTE6SF3Egl ton rendered nae the presidential
SN$B nomination, the Peoples party had
kSAES ~ had no real existence as a factor in
~ national politics for eight years.
G%-5 In the presidential election Of
1900 it gave to it's nominee only 5,Ooe votes To
that extent had the fusion Of 1896 swallowed up a
movement which in 1894 counted nearly 100000
,vetes and about 800 active newspapers and there
fore we had to build from the ground up in 1904
We had almost nothing to start with &c the way Of
party organization, campaign funds and newspaper
support; We bad only three months ia which to
work. These things being considered some fair idea
of what was accomplished he had only when
the official returns are known. Up to this time no
official statement has heen made Of the vote and
can only guess whatit was from information con-
Veyed to me by my friends in variOls parts OF the
country These sources Of course are nOt.very re-
liable. Basing an estimate upon thems however,
my opinion is that received something like half
million votes scattered through many States
North and South, East and West to indicate that
the,senttment which gkvesits moral suppOCt to the
Peoples party is national and not sectional
Ibave found everywhere that the current was
strong and deep in favor Of BeiersOnian Democracy
believe today that Il all those who believe IN that
theory OF government could be united in harmon
iOus political action We could sweep the country.
Mr.. ROosevelFs overwhelming majority Was not
due to the fact that our people believe in class leg
isatiOR and the reign Of special privileges. It was
not by any means an endorsement Of corporation
tyranny the greed of the trusts or the methods of
combined capital.
Mr.. ROOsevet's majority over Mr.. Parker wss
due mainly to two things, one was the immense
personal popularity of Mr.. Roosevelt himself, and
the other was the immense unpOpularity Of Mr..
Cleveland's second administration. Unfortunately
for Mr.. Parker, he became SO completely identified
with the marauders who plandered the Govern
ment during Mr. Clevelsnd's second administration
that he had TO bear all the Odium which they had
incurred. The people have never had chance to
show just what they thought of that second admin
istration. Mr.. Bryan's two campaigns did not give
them the opportunity; it was only when the old
Cleveland combination secured the defeat Of Bryan
and Hearst, and dictated the nomination OF Mr..
Parker that the masses got the opportunity to vent
upon national candidate the intense hatred which
they had been nursing for years against such men
as Olney and Belmont and Carlisle and Cleveland
himself They knew that could not be elected and
they we're so eager to make the best of the cppor-
tunity to safeguard the country against repetition
Of the saturnaa Of class legislation which marked
Cleveland's second administration that they rushed
to Roosevelt and gave him majority which does
not under ordinary circumstances belong to the Re
publican party. In orther words, the personality
of Mr.. Roosevelt and the unpopuarity Of Parker's
environment carried into the Republican column vast
multitudes Of men, who under ordinary ciroum
stances would not be found there.
My own plans far the future embrace a complete
organization Of the people along the line Of Jefer-
sonian Democracy, the re.establishmeDt Of reform
papers, aud a systematic propaganda Of Jefferson.
ian principles in order that in 1905 there shall be
party Of genuine opposition to the Republican party
and its present policies. Il political history teaches
anything it is that old parties never accomplish any
reform unless they rresistibly driven to It By
pressure from without. I hope at least to be Of
some use to my country in aiding those who win
apply that pleasure. It is immaterial to ne who