The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-11-10
The Peoples Party Will Endure

only campaigns that have been made
in any OF the states has been over
local issues e there has been
speech made in Nebraska in defense
Of Parker and his "irevocable" gold
standard, it has not been reported in
the newspapers. If there has been any
defense of the republican policies
which have resulted in railroad dOmi-
nation, the accumulation of vast for
tunes, tariff system that forces the
American consumer to pay 80 per cent
more than the the same goods are sold
for to foreigners or any assaults made
on that system, no one has heard OF
| it.
What campaigning has been done
under the names of either of the old
parties, has been on local issues. In
Missouri it was local fight against
the boodlers in the city of ST. Louis
and in the legislature. In Nebraska it
was distinctly local campaign on
state issues and the personality of the
republican governor. In Wisconsin 1T
was a fight against railroad dOmina-
ton and corporate rule in which ma
| tional issues did not enter. In Idaho
the attempt was made to make the
Mormon question an ISSUE In Wash
ington national questions were not
mentioned. In the solid south the ne
gro question which was strictly local
absorbed all attention. Even in the
|scsetern states where no local questions
could be broashs to the front. there,
was no contest between rsrrs@sld- mar
| ties During the last week OF she cam
paign personal quarrel between the
two old party candidates attracted
some attention. 1t did not rise above
the status of q scrap between two
ward heelers Each one charged the
other with getting campaign funds
from the trusts and protected inter-
ests and both told the truth.
While there has been no contest
among the political managers or the
political press--the republican and
democratic papers both giving about
the same amount Of space to ROose-
welt and Parker--there has been none
among the people, All over the United
States from the Atlantic to the Pacific,
the pictures Of both old party candi-
dates have been displayed, together in
business houses ands in all public
places. No one seemed to have any
choice. Men have frequently been seen
wearing bo.n Roosevelt and Parker
buttons.
The only campaign that has been
made has been by the populists They
have everywhere fought with the same
vigor that made the campaigns of the
past interesting to the whole people.
They have everywhere attacked trusts,
railroad domination, tariff grating.
government by Injunction employ
meft of children in factories, banks
Of issue, imitation Of credits, imperial
ISM; advocated the public ownership
IIee+nublic utilities, postal savings
banks, parresfss srnast.demanded a re-
turn to the original. inter in an. of
the constitution. demanded that the
right G. trial by jury be preserved, de-
nounced the giving away of franchises
and the. concentration of wealth. They
have presented to the people the only
principles upon which free government
is founded and to which the people
must flee if this nation is to be pre-
|served.
When the national convention was
held at Springfield we practically had
no party. There was no organization
in any state save Kansas, Nebraska
and Texas. There was no way of in
forming the people that we had
ticket in the field. Our platform was
never published in any great daily or
weekly, except the few that were pop
ulists. Men in the Pacific coast states
telegraphed to New York and San
Francisco for copy of the peoples
party platform and did not get one
for weeks. The local papers in Spring
field where the national convention
was held absolutely ignored it. The
Associated Press scarcely mentioned
it. Yet with conditions like that, the
party secured place on the ballot in
all but three or four states.
Such feat as that was never ac-
complished before in all the political
history. 1t shows beyond doubt that
the people want the populist party to
remain in the field-that there is de-
mand and place for it. 1t has a
homogeneous set of principles Wether-
ar CT ic found Eo,ra