Newspaper Page Text
THE “OCALA FRAUD.”
That’s what Pat Walsh called it
less than one year ago.
Today, most of it is admitted to be
good, sound, rock-ribbed, Simon-pure
Democracy and Mr. Walsh is an hon
ored leader in the convention which
so decides.
This is encouraging.
It is an unfailing encouragement
to those who believe in the “final
preservance of the Saints!”
It is likewise a source of renewed
vigor to those who believe in the re
deeming qualities of “Patience, Per
severance and Sweet Oil.”
I have said all along that if we
would just give the boys time, the
medicine would work.
Sure enough, it is working. Han
cock county first showed signs. It's
Democratic platform was a mild stag
ger towards our embraces. The gen
tle spirit of Sidney Lewis breathed
all through it.
But we did not think the good
work was finished. We knew the
medicine was just beginning to take
good hold.
So in the soft, encouraging words
of “Uncle Pumblechook,” we sat by
and said:
“Lead her on, Joseph; lead her
on.' 1
Sure enough Patience met its us
ual reward.
The Lincoln county platform came
duly to hand. It “saw” the bluff of
the Hancock Democrats and went
-‘one better.” It began to seem that
m the pleasant and somewhat excit
ing game of “Hunt the Switch” Col.
Joe Strother and his friends were
reaching the point where we could
clap our hands and say, “You’re
burning.”
But still, bearing in mind the ad
monition of Uncle Pumberchook, we
said, “Good in you, Joseph; lead
her on.”
The medicine continued to mean
der up and down and all around the
delicate and decaying Democratic
System.
The game called “Hunt the Switch”
grew yet more interesting and excit
ing.
In the midst of it. the Georgia
State Convention of the elect and
Simon-pure Democrats got together
in that town of Brotherly Love called
Atlanta.
It was a rich turn out. If in all the
Lanes and back streets of Georgia
Politics, a single man was left out,
we cannot discover it.
The “old crowd” was there in
great shape.
Out of the “milky way” of Demo
cratic Ringism not a star was missing.
Among all those who had most
bittesly abused the Ocala platform
none were left at home.
They were all present to testify
their sincere devotion to the princi
ples they had denounced.
They were eager to prove that
those very principles were what
they had wanted all along; but that
owing to defects of memory they
could not think them up as soon as
we did.
So the Protectionists, like Pat
Walsh and Evan Howell, sweetly
smiled as they swallowed the Pill on
she Tariff Question.
And the Cleveland men, like Hoke
Smith, tried to look pretty as they
voted for Free Silver, which Cleve
land repudiates.
And the “Alliance Democrats”
strove to appear happy in a conven
tion which scornfully spat upon their
demands for the abolition of Nation
al Banks, the issue of Legal Tender
notes direct from the Treasury to the
People, .and their Sub-Treasury
Plan, to which they have heretofore
been most positively committed.
Barring these little episodes, how
ever. the convention was a glorious
recommendation to the drastic quali
ties of good medicine.
It left the Hancock platform away
out of sight.
It left the Lincoln county Produc
tion where even my genial friend,
Col. Joe, would see the uselesness of
keeping it on ice any longer.
In the political game of “Hunt the
Switch” it authorizes us to call out,
“You're on tire!”
So you are. So you are. But
you'll miss the Switch* all the same.
When you go to your National
Convention the trail will grow cold
and colder and coldest.
Your little game will be up in 45
days !
You have told the people that al
most the entire Ocala Demands con
stitute good sound Democracy.
What will you do when your Na
tional Convention declares they are
not good Democracy?
Put on your studying caps, gentle
men.
That's the issue you must face.
You can never again say “Ocala
Fraud.”
Yon can never deny that we taught
you the doctrines you have so reluc
tantly put into your Platform.
Now when Tammany Hall scouts
and rejects that platform what are
you going to do about it?
Will you cleave to the “Party' 1
which repudiates your Democratic
Principles ?
Or will you do as we did—cleave
to the Democratic Principles irre
spective of the party name?
Boys, you are in the soup this time.
T. E. W.
P. S.—When a lot of Politicians
set up a trap and catch themselves in
it, what’s the law on that “p’int?”
Do they have to go to the chaingang,
or can we let 'em off with a fine and
a lecture from the Judge ? W.
NORTH CAROLINA.
So far as the Alliance and the far
mers arc concerned, North Carolina
is solid for the People’s Party.
The politicians are striving to con
ceal this from the people of Georgia
and the country generally for fear
of the effect it will have on the peo
ple of other States, but it cannot be
done.
We stopped the press last week to
insert a telegram from L. L. Polk an
nouncing the fact that “North Caro
lina had gone solidly and with en
thusiastic unanimity into the People’s
Party.”
We could do no more then than
simply make the announcement as it
was telegraphed to us by Bro. Polk.
Since that time we have learned
the particulars which are these:
The president of the State Alliance,
Bro. Marine Butler, while believing
that the People’s Party was a neces
sity and that the great majority of
the Alliancemen were in favor of the
the People’s Party, was himself with
a few others in authority, opposed to
taking immediate action, but thought
wisest -to go into the Democratic
State convention and capture it as
has been done in Sonth Carolina. To
this proposition of Butler's there was
great opposition, and finally a con
ference was called to meet on the
day previous to the meeting of the
1 )emocratic State convention, and to
this conference every county Alliance
was urged to send their ablest men.
The object of the conference was not
definitely stated but was said to be
one of the greatest importance, and
called as it was at the same place and
but one day in advance of the Dem
ocratic convention to elect delegates
to Chicago, was perfectly understood
to be a conference to decide whether
the Alliancemen of the State would
go with the People’s Party or not.
The telegram referred to stated the
simple fact of the result. With en
thusiastic unanimity the Alliancemen
of the entire State voted to go into
the People’s Party. Having done
that, they proceeded to select a full
delegation for the State at large to
Omaha, and fixed the time ot hold
ing Congressional District conven
tions for the election of District del
egates.
The counties will hold their con
ventions June 11th, and elect dele
gates who will meet in their respec
tive Congressional Districts June
16th.
The State meeting also elected an
Executive Committee, the same as
has been done in Georgia, and issued
an address to the people—in fact, put
the whole machinery of the People's
Party in place in the State, and are
prepared to go in and whip the fight
—something that even the moss-back
papers of Georgia indirectly ac
knowledge that they can do easily.
Why not send Jack Turner as one
of the delegates at large from Geor
gia to the National Convention at
Omaha? Nobody made a better
fight at St. Louis than Turner. No
better man any where than Jack. Let’s
show him this honor. He is worthy
of it.
THE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.
The platform of the Democratic
party of Georgia is a specimen of what
a set of politicians knowing little and
caring less about the needs of the
people, can do when frightened by a
threatened revolt of the masses.
In an effort to deceive the people
into believing themselves and their
party the friends of the masses while
at the same time giving satisfactory
proof to the money power of their
intention still to serve it, they have
made themselves rediculous in the
eyes of all sensible people, and have
succeeded in deceiving no one.
Making a pretense of conceding
to the demands made by the farmers,
they have shown an utter ignorance
of the principles involved in those
demands, and have offered in place
of a government issue and loan direct
to the people, the taking off of the
tax on the notes of state banks, thus
adding insult to injury by increasing
the number of persons given “special
privileges,” and doing it under a pre
tense of conceding to the rightful
demands of the people.
In to deceive the
Alliancemen, they have exposed both
their ignorance and their hypocracy.
Their ignorance of how closely the
farmers have studied this question of
money, and their intention to use him
as a voting machine to keep them
selves in office as in the past. .
The politicians deceived themselves
vastly more than they will the peo
ple in this instance.
They have made themselves be
lieve that they can continue to de
ceive the people, but they are mis
taken.
There is not a militia district in
the state, nor a sub-alliance in Geor
gia, where the farmers will not take
up that state bank plank and after
riddling it with argument, put it
under their feet and spit upon it,
The people are determined to have
their tool of exchange, money, at
cost, or as near it as possible, and to
have it direct from tlie government
without the intervention of any bank.
Only so can they retain for them
selves the fruits of their own toil;
only so can they protect themselves
in their right to make their domestic
exchanges untaxed of the banks, and
they will resent any effort of the
politicians to flatter them into accept
ing anything less than this as an in
sult to their intelligence and a pre
meditated attempt to continue and
perpetuate the wrongs under which
they suffer.
But the plank declaring for state
banks, is not the only one that con
ceals a poison beneath a coating of
sugar. In fact, the wholejflatform,
taken in connection with the election
of Cleveland delegates, is a master
piece of intended double dealing.
Take for example the plank in
which they declare themselves
“Opposed to every species of class
legislation.”
This sentence is of itself so general
in its terms as to convey no pledge
of reformation in the control of cor
porations, but lest even this inde
finite reference to the corporations
that are consuming the substance of
the people should offend the monop
olsits, the resolution continues with
out so much as a pause wherein the
reader may catch his breath, with,
“ And government partnership
with private enterprise.’’
Read these two parts of the sen
tence together and it is plain when
taken in connection with the declara
tion in favor of extending the privi
leges of the National Banks that this
plank of the platform is intended to
give the fullest assurance to the
whole litter of monopolistic wolves
that the party that adopted it could
be depended on not to interfere to
any extent in their exploiting of the
people—that nothing like the sub
treasury plan would receive the
slightest countenance from the Dem
ocratic party in Georgia, and that
any little reference that might be
made to “class legislation,” was in
tended—as the Hon. Chairman of
the Democratic convention said of
the pension plank in the Democratic
platform of 1868 —“to catch votes.”
Agaiiq in the silver plank, the de
mand is that gold and silver be
placed “upon a parity,” meaning
thereby to cateh the Alliance vote
by a demand for further coinage of
silver, while the gold-bug is given to
understand that if this is done the
amount of silver put into the dollar
will be increased about 25 per’cent.,
thus making the dollar that much
harder to get, and the advantage to
the'people an apparent and not a real
one.
For this would not only prevent
any rise in the*price of silver—thu s
enabling England to still get cheap
silver with which to buy India cot
ton in competition with ours; but
by increasing the amount put into
the dollar, very few if any more dol
lars could be coined than now.
Again :
“We demand that the amount of
the circulating medium shall be
speedily increased on a sound basis
sufficient to meet the needs of the
country.”
“On a sound basis.”
That is the exact language—the
pet phrase of the gold bugs, and is
always interpreted to mean a basis of
gold, or silver, or both—of bank notes
based on coin, every dollar of which
the Banks control, and by controling
which can control all other forms of
money based upon it.
No wonder that a full score of the
honest intelligent farmer delegates
left the convention and the party after
witnessing such evidence of hypocri
sy on the part of the Democratic
Bosses.
SOUTH CAROLINA.
In South Carolina the People’s
Party men have done what was at
first proposed to do in North Caro
lina—seize upon the democratic ma
chine and break it.
The democratic state convention
in South Carolina last week was run
by Third Party men entirely. They
called themselves democrats, but they
do not expect to vote the democratic
national ticket, and when the state
convention meets in September will
no longer wear even the name demo
crat.
They endorsed the Ocala platform
word for word and sent delegates to
Chicago to the democratic conven
tion, but refused either to denounce
the People’s Party or to pledge
themselves or the delegates elected
to. support the candidates to be
nominated at Chicago.
There can be but one conclusion
derived from their action: They
intend to present the Ocala plat
form to the democratic convention
at Chicago, and when it is rejected
to bolt the convention and go on to
Omaha to the People’s Party con
vention, which meets there a few
days later than the democratic con
vention in Chicago.
It is a rather round-ab-?ut way of
getting home, but we have known
for months that that was the way the
South Carolina boys had selected to
go, and we said nothing and just
sawed wood.
Some of the leaders in North
Carolina proposed going the same
long way round also, but the men
from the farms got together and
said that was not the best way, and
they led off on a straight shoot and
got there directly. They are in the
People’s Party, and at home there
and comfortable.
We welcome the North Carolina
men most heartily. They have acted
wisely, in our judgment—wisely and
patriotically, and are at home, safe
from any possible entanglements.
We will welcome South Carolina
just as heartily when she gets in
July 4th —as she will do.
We know the people are loyal to
the principles at issue in this cam
paign, and that she will follow them
home in a little time. We only re
gret for the sake of the brethren
themselves that they did not take
the short cut as they have done in
North Carolina and joined us at the
fireside of the great party of the
people a few weeks sooner than they
can now do.
—The Democratic party gave itself
another black eye by the action of its
Nebraska state convention, in voting
down a free coinage resolution,229 for
to 247 against. This insures a third
party victory in Nebraska, if anything
can. —Lincoln (Neb. ) Farmers' Alli
ance.
Your paper is a hummer.
Chas. Herald.
Queensburg, Ind.
THIRD PARTY MAN.
HE EXPRESSES HIS VIEWS ON THE
SPARTA MEETING.
He (alls Tom “Our Own Richmond
County Cracker Boy.”
His Views.
From the Augusia Evening Herald.
Editors Evening Herald. —Yester-
day’s Chronicle had a glowing account
of “The Grand Democratic Rally at
Sparta on Saturday.” Why was it the
reporter failed to give the number pres
ent? I would have thought that ac
cording to the Chronicle’s way of re
porting the Democratic meetings that
he would have reported fifteen hun
dred good Democrats there and about
twenty-five People’s party men (all
there was in the county). We are left
to draw our own conclusions, and my
conclusion is that there were about
one hundred Democrats and one hun
dred and fifty “Third party” men
there, but of course, it was fa “moss
back” meeting and the People’s party
men took no hand in it, for they make
it a point to act as become gentlemen
at other folks’ meetings. They never
take part unless invited, and then tbey
always accept and manage to hold their
own. These Plutocratic leaders may
thank their stars they did not invite
them to a joint debate.
I could not help but notice one thing
and that was that Governor Northen
should be invited to come and speak at
the same time that Mr. Black did, which
proves to my mind that the party
horses were afraid to risk getting a
crowd together with Mr. Black alone,
and as the rule of the old parties is to
intimidate voters by having their “mas
ters” come and speak to them, which
means with some people submission
without a murmer. This being Gover
nor Northen’s home county it was
thought his appearance on the scene
would have an electrical effect upon
the farmers of old Hancock. It might
have done so at one time, but that time
has past, and these grand old patriots
have thrown off the party yoke and
stand and act today as free men.
The writer was at one time a strong
Northen man, and even to this time,
have looked upon him as an exemplary
Christian gentleman, but when I read
his speech at Sparta, I must say that I
have been in a measure deceived. I
did not think that the Christian gov
ernor of the great State of Georgia
would stoop to the level of a political
trickster and abuse every one else who,
by their God-given right, differed with
him. His references to Mr. and Mrs.
Post are enough to drive voters from
the Democratic parti instead of bring
ing them back. The idea of our gov
ernor dragging the name of a lady into
a political discussion. He charges Mr.
and Mrs. Post with being infidels and
anarchists, Suppose this to be the
ease, what difference does it make to
oppressed people ? An infidel is one
who does not believe in the Christian
religion. We have never heard the
word “anarchist” defined, but if the
principals as laid down in the People’s
Party platform is anarchy, then you
can just put us down as anarchist and
we glory in the name. Who can bring
reasonable objections to that platform?
No one but party machine bosses and
those who do not understand it.
I am just as strong a believer in the
existence of an Almighty God as our
distinguished governor, and look upon
His promises through the same denom
inational spectacles as does Mr. North
eu and Mr. Black; yea, and I believe
His word so strongly that I am convin
ced that he who would follow Him here
and yet assist the moneyed kings and
monopolists of this land to press the
heel of tyranny more firmly upon the
necks of the poor but humble followers
of His son. will have their portion with
the damned in the region of despair.
Yes, governor, when it comes to pol
itics we had rather follow an atheist in
his efforts to place men in power who
will serve the people and not Wall
street and railroad combinations, than
a Baptist governor or congressman un
der these influences.
Mr. Black said Tom Watson did not
have sense enough to know what the
democrats have done for the country.
Now, surely Mr. Black did not say that
and if he did I am bold to say that if
Mr. Black was to express the honest
feelings of bis heart, unbiased by par
ty feeling, he will admit that Tom
Watson is one of the smartest and
brainiest men in congress today.
Mr, Black has surely forgotten some
thing when he says the democrats have
done so much? How about the silver
bill, the recent appropriations, Mr. Hill
traveling through the south in his own
interest ae a presidential candidate, re
turning to Washington and drawing
fifteen hundred dollars of a salary
never earned; Livingston and Moses
stumping Georgia for democracy at a
salary of fourteen dollars a day when
they were sent there by the very peo
ple who they so freely abused in their
speeches to make laws for them.
How about that 150 democratic ma
jority and yet the house left without a
quorum while these men who think so
much of the “dear people” (in elec-
tion times) were off attending horse
races ?
We refer him to the editorial of the
New York World and ask him what he
is going to do about that, for the
B orld is the leading Democratic paper
of this country. Has Watson been
guilty of a neglect of duty? We defy
anyone to show where. You may call
him a traitor, a deserter, an anarchist,
or anything you please, but every at
tack you make on him only endears
him more to his people, and they will
take care of him when election day
rolls around. In the meantime prayers
rise from thousands of hearts all over
this country to the Allwise Ruler to
raise up a thousand more “traitors”
like him. Mr, Black referred to and
repudiated the idea of a subsidized
press. Has he forgotten the indigna
tion meeting at Market Hall several
years ago to defend him against the
attacks made on him by the editor of
the Augusta Chronicle? Some of us
have not, yet that same paper is now
championing his cause.
When the people wanted Mr. Black
the bosses did not. Now the bosses
want Mr. Black and the people are sat
isfied with little Tom. j
Allow me to say in conclusion, Mr.
Editor, that I look upon the governor
of my state as a distinguished person,
but, nevertheless, a servant of the peo
ple, put there by their votes, and when
it comes to his influence over me polit
ically he has no more than a country
constable, for we are all created by one
God, and are far from infallible. I
consider Mr. Black one of the grandest
men in this country, but not grand
enough for me to support instead of
our own Richmond County cracker
boy, Thomas E. Watson.
A People’s Party Man.
Augusta, Ga., May 16, 1893.
Let Us Sing.
Nothing cheers the heart like song.
Nothing so stirs to courageous defense
of the right as song, [f we could set
the people of our southland to singing
songs descriptive of our wrongs and
demanding our rights, the forces of
plutocracy would fade before us as the
mists from before the sun.
Brethren and sisters, let us sing.
Start the tune somebody in every Al
liance and in every neighborhood and
about every hearthstone, and let us
sing of our hopes and our fears, our
trials and our hardships, and of the
glorious victories to be won by a union
of the tried hearts of the nation—the
men and the women of the South and
the West who will not longer listen to
the tales of the slanderers who would
keep those enemies who long to be
friends.
We have published several good
songs in the People’s Party Paper re
cently, and we intend to publish more.
Set these songs to familiar tunes, or
compose new songs to old tunes famil
iar to everybody and go to singing.
No matter if you can’t sing high C,
sing the best you can and set everybody
else to singing.
There is a little book of songs en
dorsed by the National Alliance and
published and sold by Sister Florence
Olmstead, of Eldorado, Kansas, that
we ought to have scattered over Geor
gia and the South. The book has thir
ty songs in it and sells for 10 cents per
copy or a dozen copies for SI.OO. Send
and get some songsters of Sistor Olm
stead and let us sing our way to liberty
and our enemies to defeat.
Millions and Millionaires.
The millionaires increase from day to
day—
The multi-millionaires come on apace—-
The billionaire is well upon the way,
And soon will show his shining yellow
face.
Meanwhile the millions of the human
race,
Whose ceaseless toil supports these
mighty knaves
In want and misery forget disgrace,
In freedom’s name degenerate to slaves.
Languish and die and fill ignoble
graves!
Simon Durst, In New Nation.
The following is a copy of a letter
that is being sent to numerous editors
in Indiana, says the Stockton Signal:
Dear Sir: —The banking
company has a number of very nice
farms in North Dakota which it has
secured at very low rates under fore
closure, and which it will sell at from
$4 to $7 per acre. These farms are
all improved and under cultivation,
and are at a great bargain at the
price. The company has also ac
quired a large number of cattle and
sheep which it will lease on shares.
Here is a rare opportunity for ambi
tious young men in your State to ac
quire homes. Enclosed please find
fifty cents for which please insert the
above in your local columns.
John N. Berlew, Agent.
That is the way it is done. “As
the days go by'’ the soil changes
hands, but every time for the benefit
of the banker and lender.—Republic,
Manhattan, Kan.
—Those who oppose the St. Louis
and Dallas demands will have a tough
time capturing the offices in Texas, in
this year of grace, 1892.—Southern
Mercury.