Newspaper Page Text
41 THE BEST THOUGHTS iP
<h
<r. On reform Rubjects can only be ty;
4h found in this paper every week, ij/
52 times for one dollar. \|/
ONE DOLLAR PER YEAR.
VOL. VI. NUMBER 43.
THE NATIONAL' AT NASHVILLE.
Patriotic Delegates From Many States Vote
Unanimously For the Reorganization
of the People’s Party.
, THEY ARE ALL OF ONE MIND AND AGAINST FUSION.
All the Leading Populist States Well Represented by True Men-What
Will be Done by the Party in the Future-A Ringing Address to
the People’s Party of the United States Which Calls Upon
the Whole People to Rally to its Standard.
NATIONAL REFORM EDITORS
A Butler Defender Finds Hard Times—
Every One Condemns Fusion.
Nashville, Tenn., July 3.—National
Reform Press Association met here yes
terday and after a call of the roll which
showed Texas represented by upwards
of 50 editors, the body informally dis
cussed the question of the hour and the
future of Populism. A dozen states
were represented and Wisconsin sent
Editor Schilling of Milwaukee, who
sprung the sensation of the hour by a
few minutes speech defending Chair
man Butler.
It was a sensation and for such a hot
day turned an informal talk into a siz
zling, heated debate.
Editor Schilling wanted to know
what were the charges against Butler.
A dozen were on the floor in a minute
and the chair finally recognized Milton
Park, he of the Southern Mercury and
a stalwart fighter of old.
Mr. Park fired so many questions and
Buzz Saw Morgan filed so many char
ges to be read that the meeting conclu
ded to adjourn—it was the many
against one—Butler was no more a
name to inspire attention or even pas
sing curiosity. To defend him excited
all the antagonism in the nature of
those standard bearers who had carried
the banner of Populism through many
heated campaigns and who had no lon
ger anything but supreme indifference
and in many cases contempt for the
national chairman.
. of tlic No’) for
mist was partly a defender of Butler,
but he early gave up the fight seeing
that all were of one mind —anti-fusion
to the marrow.
The press meeting adjourned to meet
Monday with the Conference, when
routine business will be set aside and
the future of the party discussed.
A ROYAL BANQUET.
Saturday, the reform press editors
accompanied by the ladies of their
party and under the leadership of the
doughty McDowell visited the Nash
ville Centennial Exposition. It was a
hot, sizzling hot day, and many a Texas
editor found navigation most difficult
and staid in the shade. The thermom
eter hovered around the 102 mark but
the crowd “did” the Exposition in the
conventional manner, The buildings,
of which no accurate description could
be attempted, filled with all that art,
science, and enterprise can gather to
gether and arrange into pleasing
effects were thoroughly inspected.
Promptly at noon, the forces were
gathered together and in an open piazza
of The Casino sat down to a royal
banquet, tendered the reform editors
by the Centennial directors.
It was a banquet to be remembered
and the cordiality of the Exposition
management which had been empha
sized by all Nashville on the day pre
vious made the scene one worthy of
mention. Seated at a half circle table
with jolly Milton Park as toast-master
at the head, Abe Steinberger on his
immediate right and Harry Tracy on
his left, there were scattered all down
the line, “the boys” from all parts of
the country.
General Coxey at a table with the
ladies sat behind Park, next to Stein
berger, editor Baskin, of the Nashville
American and one of the hosts, a bold
thinker and a clever entertainer,direct
ly facing Steinberger, Buzz Saw Mor
gan was in reaching distance of Park.
It was an accidental combination of
heavy weights and to one who had
read after all of them, the moment
seemed auspicious. Polk, the “origi
nal” Greenbacker, formerly publisher
of the Indianapolis Sun, a little ways
off, faced Vincent of the Non-Confor
mist. Motsinger of the Referendum
and Harbison of the Vincennes (Ind.)
National Era were near the foot of the
table.
The same square determined jaw
I could be seen on every sac had a
quiet, pleasant smile for his next neigh
bor but there was in the air, the very
spirit of revolution.
A conversation sprung up with Brad
ley, the state chairman of Texas. It
had the same ring, a determined steady
tone —fusion now and forever must be
stamped out. If there were fusion apol
ogists they were conspicuous by their
absence. “Death to fusion” uncon
sciously found its way into all conver
sation.
The banquet wound up by several
toasts and responses. Saturday night,
nearly 30 of the press party left for
Ruskin Tenn., where they will remain
until Monday.
[ Nashville, Tenn., July s.—The first
■ day of the National Conference has
Peace and harmonious action
is linguist) ed the day until just at dusk
o of the local Tennessee delegation
§§j%ertained the visitors by a hand to
KgmMu'bt on the rostrum. The local
were McDowell and Lindsley.
THE PEOPLE’S PARTY PAPER
The weather has been very hot here
so hot that even the natives complain
and this is supposed by the charitable
minded delegates to be the explanation,
why delegate Lindsley accused Mc-
Dowell of being a red headed sap-suck
er and McDowell pictured Lindsley as
a political buzzard.
The delegates enjoyed the fight.
Quietly it had been whispered around
that one had fused last year with dem
ocrats and the other with republicans
and when it became necessary for both
to get in the middle of the road boat,
each wanted the other fellow left on
shore.
The Conference was called to order
by Milton Park. He spoke briefly of
the call and J. S. Bradley, of Texas as
temporary chairman and Jo. Parker of
Kentucky were seated by unanimous
vote which was afterwards made per
manent.
Chairman Bradley captured the Con
ference, when he referred to the “mock
marriage” at St. Louis, and stated that
“we are here as plaintiffs in a divorce
suit, since the groom has left our bed
and board ”
Each state delegation selected its
own committeemen. The following
were on credentials:
John H. Cherry, Arkansas; E. J.
Pemberton. Florida; W. L. Peek,
Georgia; W. T. Carmichael, Indiana;
J. O. Beebee, Iowa; S. C. Granbery,
Tex; N. D. Spear, Alabama, R. [L.
Crosthwait, Mississippi; F. W. D.
Mays, Washington; W. F. Hougha
wout, Missouri; John Briney, West
Virginia; Samuel James, Jr., Ken
tucky : A. W. Stewart, Louisiana;
P. J. f ishDacß, umo; James M. Bur
row, Michigan; H. J. O. Reed. Minne
sota; L. Stebbins, Nevada; J. J. Stree
ter. New Hampshire: G. E. Boggs,
North Carolina; J. N. Arnold, Rhode
Island, and Robert Schillings, Wiscon
sin ; John Knox, Kansas.
A recess for dinner being taken, the
Conference reassembled at 1 o’clock
and listened to an address of welcome
by Ex-Governor Jno. P. Buckanan, of
Tennessee. It was an impassionate
appeal for harmony and conservatism.
Delegate F. D. Wimberly, of Georgia,
responded in a splendid manner.
REPORT ON CREDENTIALS.
The report of the Committee on Cre
dentials was read by James W. Arnold,
Secretary.
The report showed that the number
of delegates with the proper credentials
was as follows:
Alabama 38, Arkansas 15, Florida 4,
Georgia 39, Illinois 24, Indiana 12,
lowa 7, Kansas 2, Kentucky 9, Louisi
ana 13, Michigan 12, Minnesota 19, Mis
sissippi 7, Missouri 17, Nebraska 2,
Montana 3, New Hampshire 1, North
Carolina 2, Ohio 21, Rhode Island 1,
Tennessee 13, Texas 80, Washington 1,
West Virginia 2, Wisconsin 1; total,
355. No seats were contested.
The chair ruled that the States could
only cast the votes of delegates present.
It was agreed that Kansas should have
her full vote. Abe Steinberger was
found to be the only delegate from that
state having proper credentials.
ADDRESS AND RESOLUTIONS.
The Committee on Address and Res
olutions (the important Committee of
the Conference) was next selected.
COMMITTEE ON RESOLUTIONS.
The roll was called by States and the
following committeemen named : Ala
bama, M. W. Howard; Arkansas, W. S.
Morgan; Florida, F. H. Lytle; Georgia,
W. L. Peek; Illinois, James H. Ferris;
Indiana, N. H. Motsinger: lowa, J. O.
Beebe; Kansas, Abe Steinl»erger; Ken
tucky, A. 11. Cardin ; Louisiana, A. A.
Gunby; Michigan, James E. Mcßride;
Minnesota, Ignatius Louuelly; Missis
sippi, W. P. Ratcliffe; Missouri, J. P.
Dines; Nebraska, ; Montana,
William Holden; New Hampshire, J.
J. Streeter; North Carolina, E. E.
Boggsi Ohio, J. S. Coxey; Rhode Island,
J. N. Arnold; Tennessee. A. L. Mims;
Texas, Harry Tracy; Washington, F.
W. D. Mays; West Virginia, J. W.
Shull; Wisconsin, Robert Schillings.
Mr. Vincent, of Indiana, read a let
ter from the Fourth Congressional Dis
trict Committee of that State, asking
their hearty co-operation m conducting
the coming campaign.
On motion the following Committee
on Rules and Order of Business was
named by the State delegations: Ala
bama, L. 11. Reynolds; Arkansas, J. E,
Scanlan; Florida, E. J. Pemberton;
Georgia, W. W. Wilson; Illinois, A. A.
Halford; Indiana, J. C. Smith; Ken
tucky, J. H. Lucky; Louisiana, N. F.
Naff; Minnesota, L. D. Foster; Missis
sippi, J. J. Dermis; Missouri, Tim
Hosmer; Ohio, A. J, Orr; Tennessee, J,
H. McDowell; Texas, E. O. Meitzer;
West Virginia, H. A. Altiser.
Then followed all sorts of resolutions
and motions, some against silver, some
against fusion, all to the one point—
that of getting rid of the present party
executive machinery. Every delegate
that spoke had a determined air, the
appearance of a man who had come
1 direct from his people with most posi
tive instructions.
It was during the offering of resolu
tions and speeches, that the Tennessee
fisticuff came up.
Milton Park, of Texas, gave the
Tennesseeans a very badly needed re
buke by rising to the stand and making
his deep bass voice heard above the
confusion. “If Tennessee has any
dirty linen to wash, let her do it out
side. We have come here to attend to
business and let us do it.”
The Conference then adjourned to 9
o’clock Tuesday.
At night Hon. Ignatius Donnelly
spoke to a large and appreciative audi
ence. General Coxey followed in a
short speech.
Nashnille, Tenn., July 6.—The die
is cast. The reorganization of the
People’s Party nationally, has been ef
fected by the unanimous and over
whelming solid vote of the Conference
which adjourned tonight after practi
cally a solid 48 hours session. Not a
moment has been lost, but constant dis
cussion free and full has united every
shade of difference among the dele
gates representing by their 355 votes,
the great army of straight middle-of
the-roaders.
After five hours of thorough discus
sion, at the hour of 6 this evening,
Chairman Bradley called for the vote.
Amid deafening applause the unani
mous vote was announced. Every one
accepted it in good faith and all look
forward to the new day for the Peo
ple’s Party—a day of continued useful
ness and warfare against corruption
and wrong. Here is the address and
plan:
ADDRESS.
TO THE PEOPLE’S PARTY OF THE UNITED
states:
Disclaiming any intention to dictate
to the Populist voters of the United
States, or any feeling of bitterness
towards those who may have honestly
differed from us in the past on matters
of party policy, in the words of the im
mortal Lincoln, “With malice toward
none, with charity for all, with firm
ness in the right as God gives us to see
the right; we submit to every patriotic
citizen the following address:
In 1891 there was organized at Cin
cinnati a great political party, whose
principles were as vast an innovation
upon existing beliefs as were the grand
generalization of Thomas Jefferson in
the Declaration of Independence an ad
vance upon the ideas commonly held
by the world in 1776.
The latter proclaimed the legal
equality of all men, and their right to
liberty and happiness; the former de
clared that government is a mere in
strumentality, formed by all for the
enforcement of the welfare of all; that
labor of brain and brawn is the sole
parent of prosperity, society and civili
zation, That “wealth belongs to him
who creates it, and that every dollar
taken from industry, without an equiv
alent, is robbery, that if any man will
not work, neither shall he eat; that the
interests of rural and civic labor are
the same, while their enemies are iden
tical.”
These ideas are the natural sequence
and supplement to the Declaration of
Independence. Without them the words
of Jefferson are a mere “brutum ful
men.” The right to “pursue happi
ness” is of no avail if men are prevented
by misgovernment from attaining it
Liberty is but an idle word if the
human family are to be swept through
poverty and suffering in bondage. Life
itself is not worth having at the price
of shame and degradation. The New
World is no better than the Old World
if the condition of the people is the
same.
We escaped from England in 1776
We are again her subjects in 1897. We
are not permitted to pass laws neces
sary for our own welfare, without her
consent; and that consent cannot be
had since she thrives by plundering us.
Cheap production in the United States
means cheap supplies for her citizens.
Instead of a sovereign people, leading
the world to higher levels of state
craft and development, as the greatest,
most powerful and most thoroughly
educated Commonwealth on earth, we
are dwarfed into mere provincials, toil
ing to enrich our cunning masters,
side by side with the starving Hindoo,
the wretched Egyptian and the im
poverished Irishman.
The people’s party was born to live
and not to die. It was created not to
put a few men in office, but to give to
all men that happiness guaranteed by
the Constitution of the U nited States.
The conditions which five years ago
demanded the establishment of our or
ganization, insist today, with ten-fold
force, that it shall live as long as a
single wrong exists unrighted on the
face of the earth.
To resist these evils, we organized in
1891. We meet in 1897 to renew the
faith; to proclaim that the battle is not
yet over; that it is just beginning, and
that we will continue the good fight as
long as God lets us live.
While we have the largest toleration
for all honest differences of opinion,
and will welcome to our ranks all pa
triots, we declare that those who think
the party ought to die have no more
place in its ranks than Benedict Arnold
had in the Continental army or Judas
Iscariot in the Christian Church. Fi
delity to principle is above all other
considerations, since such fidelity
means the greatness and happiness of
the human race.
While we have nothing but kindly
feelings towards the rank and file of
our late allies, we do not believe that
the question of free silver is in itself a
broad enough platform for a national
party. The remonetization of silver
would, we believe, increase the price of
labor and its productions by increasing
the supply of money, and it is therefore
a matter of the utmost consequence to
all the people of the United States; but
it must not be forgotten that the open
ing of the mints to silver would.not de
crease one iota the robberies of the cor
porations, the usurers, the rings and
the trusts. It will avail nothing to
add to the value of labor and its pro
ductions if the exactions of plunderers
are permitted to increase in equal or
greater proportion.
As our Democratic brethren had not
patriotism enough to adopt free silver
until we had popularized it, would they
not slump back to their first wretched
state if the People’s party were to stop
its missionary work?
The democracy may be fit to assist in
handling a single temporary side issue
like free silver, but the welfare of man
kind and the interests of all the ages
demand the continued existence of the
People’s party. Free institutions can
not su'-vive its destruction. It has done
“EQUAL RIGHTS TO ALL; SPECIAL PRIVILEGES TO NONE”
ATLANTA, GEORGIA: FRIDAY JULY 9, 1897.
more for mankind in five years than
any other party has accomplished in
twenty-five years. All arguments have
ceased against its principles; there is
nothing left but misrepresentation.
It is the only national party in the
United States. It has eliminated the
last lingering bitterness of the civil
war. There is no fraternal blood on
its garments. Its mission is education
and peace. It will eventually make us
one people, bound together by liga
ments of mutual esteem and love from
the lakes to the gulf.
We call upon the whole people to
rally to its standard. There is room
for all and a heart big enough for all.
Let dissensions cease. Close up the
gaps and forward to victory. Let every
Populist become a missionary to pros
elyte the unthinking and convert the
mistaken. Let us meet prejudices with
facts, passion with patience and igno
rance with intelligence. The fiat of
God must be repeated—“ Let there be
light.”
We see our leading men traduced and
libeledbecause they will not sell us out.
We must stand by them. We see our
newspapers boycotted because they
will not assist in the destruction of the
liberties and rights of the people. We
must sustain them and spread their cir
culation everywhere.
We are engaged m the most desper
ate battle ever wagedin the world. It
is the conflict of the few armed with
gigantic powers against the many. It
signifies the exploitation of labor by
the idle rich, so that those “who toil
not, neither do they spin,” shall rob
industry of its reward and leave those
who produce all wealth without homes,
clothes or food. The eight million far
mers who have just perished of starva
tion in Hindostan are not the victims
of drouth alone, but of cruel misgovern
ment also by their English masters,
who so impoverished them that they
had no resources to fall back upon
when a failure of crops occurred. In
their miseries we read our own danger;
in their present we see our future,
unless we possess more than Hindoo
capacity to defend ourselves against
the despoilers of the world.
We ask all who are in deadly earnest
in seeking reform to uniteowith us.
For the mere pullers of wires and seek
ers of office we have no place or pa
tience. When humanity is sinking into
the abyss it is of no moment whether
the duty on calico is a half penny more
or less,
When we are utterly opposed to fu
sion, and know that it has brought
dissension in our ranks, wetrecognize
the fact that many who favored it did
so in the sincere belief that it was best
for the country and for the party, but
while holding these views, we declare
that no convention, caucus or commit
tee of our party, shall ever again bind
us to any fusion agreement with either
the Democratic or Republican party.
We call the attention of the Ameri
can people to the fact that the national
banks under a Republican administra
tion are now fast putting into circula
tion a vast quantity of national bank
notes, taken out on the $262,000,000 of
Cleveland bonds, which, though adding
to the burden of debt and reaching cir
culation by high interest, furnishes an
increased supply of money and a better
pricing opportunity on the American
markets. If prosperity, even tempora
ry, comes to our people, it will be by
this increased money supply—not by
the Dingley tariff or any other tariff
measure, as will probably soon be
claimed by the Republican politicians.
We believe that no reliance can be
placed in the promises of those who
control and manipulate the policy and
action cf the two old parties. They
have broken every pledge and violated
every trust reposed in them by a con
fiding constituency. With the anti
election promises in favor of free silver
still ringing in the people’s ears, the
Democratic Legislatures of five States
defeated bills to prohibit the making
of gold contracts.
With the suffering and dissatisfied
rank and file of those parties, we are
in hearty sympathy and will gladly
welcome them into the People's party.
We reaffirm the principles enunci
ated in the platforms of our party in
the full belief that when enacted into
law they will produce universal pros
perity.
We reaffirm the previous declarations
of our party in favor of the initiative
and referendum and recommend thatthe
People’s party adopt this system in all
party proceedings, believing that the
direct control of legislation by the peo
ple themselves is the only remedy for
corruption in party management as
well as in the law-making power, by
corporate wealth, now so universal in
this country. We look upon this as
the most important question now be
fore the American people, since it in
volves the continuance of free institu
tions.
PLAN.
To the end of forming a more perfect
and compact organization, extending
the work of education, adding recruits
to and preserving the autonomy of the
People’s party, we recommend the
adoption of the following plan:
1. The election by the conference of
a national organization committee to
be composed of three members from
each State here represented, said mem
bers to be selected by the several State
delegations. In Statesnot represented
at this conference, the national organi
zation committee, here created, mav at
their discretion provide for a proper
representation on the committee.
2. The election by this conference of
a chairman of the’ national organiza
tion committee, whose duty it will be
to push the work of organization along
strictly Populist lines, and in the inter
est of Populist principles and Populist
candidates; to preside over all meet
ings of the national organization com
mittee and to perform all other duties
usually incumbent upon such officer.
3. The election by this conference of
an executive committee of five mem
bers whom the chairman may nomi
nate from the members of the national
organization committee, whose duties
shall consist in assisting in the work
of organization and education, and who
shall co-operate with the chairman in
his efforts to preserve and extend the
organization of the party.
4. The election of a National Secre
tary whose duties shall be such as are
usually performed by such officer.
5. The election of a Treasurer, who '
shall have charge of the funds of the
organization and perform such duties
as are made incumbent upon him by
the Executive committee.
6. The officers of this organization
shall hold their office until the time of
holding the next national convention.
7. The National Organization Com
mittee hereby created is instructed to
look after the work of organization
and education in each state, to reform
our lines and to co-operate with the
regular organization when in line with
Populist principles.
8. We further recommend that in
each township, county and state, the
committees be looked after by the
members of the National Organization
Committee, and where necessary re
organized by the election of members i
who are in harmony with the party
and its principles, and who are in favor
of preserving its autonomy.
9. We urge upon the members of this
party the necessity of more thorough
and vigorous plans of education and
organization than have been in vogue
the past two years. To that end we
heartily recommend the co-operative
and club plans perfected by the com 1
mittee appointed for that purpose bv i
the National Reform Press at Memphis ,
of which J. H. Ferriss, Joliet, Hl., is
the pi esent Chairman.
10. The National Organization Com
mittee shall provide for the manage
ment of the committee here consti-
tuted, the initiative and referendum
and imperative mandate, and we recom
mend that the first national convention
of the People’s party shall adopt the
same as a governing law of the party
in its entire organization.
11. The National Organization Com
mittee of the People’s party, chosen by
this conference, shall have full power
and authority to call a national con
vention of the party, or to submit any
question to the voters of the party on
the referendum plan whenever they
may determine that the best interests
of the party require the same.
The Conference elected the following
as the National Organization Commit
tee :
Alabama—J. H. Harris, Zell Gaston,
Iverson E. Watson.
Arkansas—A. W. Files, J. E. Scanlon,
W- S. Morgan.
Florida—F. H. Lytles, A. P. Baskin,
C. C. Post.
Georgia—Gen. Wm. Phillips, W. D.
Hawkins, R. W. Mays.
Illinois—J. H. Ferris, L. D. Reynolds,
G. W. Wyckline.
Indiana—N. H. Motsinger, T. B.
Rodgers, J. H. Allen.
lowa —J. O. Beebe, A. W. C. Weeks,
Alli Reed.
Kansas—J. F. Willets, Abe Steinber
ger, 1. V. B. Kennedy.
Kentucky—Jo. A. Parker, Samuel
James, W. B. Bridgeford.
Louisiana —N. F. Naff, J. C. Rockett,
B. W. D-iley.
Michigan—Jno. O. Zabell, Jas. E.
Mcßride, Robt. Blamkuber.
Minnesota—J. B. Dukes, J. C. Hauley,
L. D. Foster.
Mississippi—Frank Burkitt, S. M.
Hollinsworth, R. Brewer.
Missouri —P. J. Dixon, J. H. Hill, J.
K. Thomas.
Nebraska—L. Stebbens, H. M. Stew
art, John O. Wyzer.
Ohio —A. J. Orr, P. J. Fishback, Robt.
B. McCammon.
Rhode Island—Jas. Arnold, !
Tennessee —A. L. Mims, W. B. Mc-
Clamahan. B. G. West.
Texas—Chas. Jenkins, E. W. Kirk
patrick, E. O. Meitzer.
Washington—A. P. Tugwell, R. H.
McLean, F. W. D. Mays.
West Virginia—H. Z. Martin, J, W.
Shull, H. A, Altizer,
Wisconsin—Robert Schilling, C. M.
Butt, Wm. Munro.
THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
The following were selected as the
Executive Committee:
Milton Park, President
W. S. Morgan, Secretary.
G. B. Crowe, Treasurer,
Gunby, of Louisiana ; Peek, of Geor
gia ; Donnelly, of Minnesota; Stein
berger, of Kansas; Bateman, of Maine.
NOW TO WORK.
The Committee will get to work at
once and take steps to perfect the or
ganization in every state.
Every one is pleased and hopeful and
enthusiasm not before seen marks the
face of every delegate.
The day Has been spent ui consider
ing the report of the Committee on
address. Nearly all of the delegates
leave for home tonight.
At the close of the session, three
rousing cheers amid enthusiasm were
given for Hon. Thos. E. Watson.
Raynolds, of Chicago, moved that the
Populists of lowa contending for their
party receive the endorsement of this
convention.
On motion, by Howard, of Alabama,
that all middle of the road Populists
everywhere be included, was carried
amid enthusiasm. All are of one
voice—that the party is now on the
road to a safe anchorage.
Austin Holcomb.
Back in the Fold.
The news that comes from Atlanta,
that Col. James Barrett has announced
his return to the Democratic party,
will not create any surprise here.
Mr. Barrett was at one time one of
the leading Populists of the county.
Being an expert politician, with a large
acquaintance with men all over the
state, it was easy for him to work him
self into prominence in a party com
posed almost exclusively of nonpoliti
cians. Mr. Barrett had been chairman
of the county and district executive
committees, and was twice the nomi
nee of the party for state Commission
er of Agriculture.
Latterly Mr. Barrett had fallen into
disfavor. When the last state ticket
was made up he was not one of the
candidates, and he was also retired
from the chairmanship uof the party.
The efforts that have been made to re
instate him in defiance of the plain
wish of the people are matters of re
cent history. How a
ing was called at Gracewood, which,
though it refused to elect him on the
executive committee, yet yielded suf
ficiently to send him as a delegate to
the state convention. Here he failed
of the support he hoped; to receive,
none but Mr. Carter favoring him,
through whose effort he was allowed
to be seated, and the final disposal of
him left to the people at home.
Having thus failed in being sustained
by the state convention, and knowing
that the people at home were solid
against him. Mr. Barrett did just what
everybody expected he would do—re
turn to the Democratic party.
In announcing his return Mr. Bar
rett takes occasion to make some state
ments which he cannot substantiate,
but that is natural. From now on he
may be looked upon to be most active
in fighting the party which he can no
longer use but he can do the people’s
cause less injury as a known opponent
than he did as one of its leaders.
Colonel Barrett has been a load for
the party to carry, and we are glad
that our friends on the other side will
now shoulder the burden. We com
mend the Colonel to their kindest con
sideration. He is a good, clever fel
low, whose only fault is that he talks
too much and too anarchistic, and that
he nets mad if he is crossed or disap
pointed.—The Augusta, Ga., Tribune.
Six per cent interest is heavy enough
for the farmer to pay if he must bor
row money, but when it comes to pay
ing a tax of from twenty-five per cent
to one hundred per cent on about eve
rything he consumes he may regard
the interest he paps-as about the only
bargain left for him to enjoy. <-' a/ ; ar
Rapids Gazette.
i I ALL OVER THE NATION.
1
t And What the Great World is
Talking of To-day.
T
r
VERY LATEST NEWS IN A NUTSHELL,
r
i
r Kentucky Criminal Escapes Summary
3 Punishment—Pope Mf'g. Co. Lead
the Cut in Wheels— A malga
f mated Iron Workers
Strike—Other News.
’ The Norfolk and Western Railroad
has made a big cut in the scale of prices
paid in their shops. On some classes of
work the pay has been reduced fully
50 per cent. The en will accept the
reduction rather than go out on a
strike.
The conference of the Amalgamated
Association of Iron and Steel Workers
and Manufacturers at Pittsburg has
failed to agree upon a scale of wages
and seventy or eighty thousand men
will go out on a strike in consequence.
Tol Stone, who assaulted Miss Stone,
a teacher near Glasgow, Kentucky,
was given seven years, the limit of
the law in that state for the crime with
which he was charged. He was at
once put on trial for the crime of arson,
the limit for which is 20 years. There
was a strong disposition to lynch Stone
but he was protected by the presence
of two companies of National guards.
The Pope Co,, Bicycle Manufacturers
have announced a cut of 25 per cent in
the prices of wheels. This cut will
likely not only be met by other compa
nies but we may look for the SIOO bi
cycle to be catalogued next year at SSO.
Not only does the American wheel need
no protective tariff to hold a monopoly
in this country but it is rapidly
gaining the ascendency in the open
markets of Europe.
Horace L. Chapman has been nomi
nated by the Ohio democrats to make
the race for governor against the pres
ent incumbent, Gov. Bushnell who had
been previously renominated by the
republicans. If the democrats succeed
in capturing the legislature, McLean
will succeed Hanna in the Senate. The
, whole power of the administration will
be exerted to hold Ohio, as failure to
do so will be a turn down for McKin
ley. Mark’s home will also be freely
tapped. The democrats are already
charging that Hanna will colonize a
. large vote by starting up the idle fac
tories by importing laborers from oth
er states who can be relied on to vote
, right.
W, D. Ryan, secretary of the United
Union Workers of Illinois, has addres
sed an open letter to Senator Mason
of that state calling his attention to
the fact that a coal miner can earn at |
' present prices only uAoixt JC.OO a ,?cek,
an amount utterly insufficient to pay
’ rent and purchase food and clothing
for his family. He asserts that there
are today more hungry mouths among
the coal mines than in the whole of
Cuba, and that poverty is destroying
lives among the miners as fast as the
Spaniards are destroying the lives of
Cuban insurgents. The point of des
peration has been reached and the
miners in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio,
Indiana, West Virginia and Kentucky
to the number of 300,000 or more, have
been notified to be ready to quit work.
Whether these men will sit down
quietly and starve as the East Indians
are now doing remains to be seen.
The Ungallant Irish.
A Dublin dispatch says :
“At a meeting held near College
Green in connection with the jubilee a
black banner was displayed bearing
the statement:
‘“During Victoria’s reigh 1,500,000
people have starved in this island,
3,000,000 have been evicted, and 4,000,-
000 have been compelled to emigrate.’ ”
The above headline, over the Dublin
dispatch quoted, appears in the edito
rial page of the Chicago Tribune of
June 23 last, on which that paper com
ments as follows:
“There have been deaths in Ireland
from famine. So have there been in
India. But Queen Victoria was not re
sponsible in either case. The great
Irish famine was due to the fact that
the inhabitants of an overpopulated
island, whose sole industry was agri
culture, depended for food almost ex
clusively on the potato. When that
failed for two years frightful suffering
ensued. Why the Queen should be at
tacked on her jubilee day for something
she had nothing to do with is ‘not ap
parent. It does not smack of the usual
chivalry of Irishmen.”
The inscription on the bla'"k banner
is not an “attack” on the Queen’s per
sonality, but a statement cf certain
facts in her reign. It states that dur
ing Victoria’s reign 1,500,000 people
have starved in this island, 3,000,000
have been evicted, and 4,000,000 have
been compelled to emigrate.” No man
will deny the truth of these state
ments; and if Queen Victoria is not per
sonally the cause of the terrible crimes
involved in the ghastly statistics cited,
she at least stands for the government
which is responsible therefor; and for
this reason Irishmen would have been
wanting in selfrespect, and they would
have deserved the contempt of the
world, had they in the recent jubilee
failed to express the sentiment they
feel for the alien power that has im
poverished and assassinated so many
millions of their race, and that holds
their motherland still in chains and
degradation. The Queen’s jubilee was
simply an occasion for England’s glo
rification, and for the extension of her
rule and empire. That Englishmen
should rejoice on the occasion is quite
natural, and that Anglicised Americans
should catch the fever is not strange;
but outside of the Anglican circle there
is no cause for jubilation.
The Tribune’s stricture on the Irish
national spirit that recently asserted
itself is in effect an apology for and
vindication of English rule in Ireland, :
It admits the terrible facts written on
the black banner, but it says no one is
to blame. Neither England nor the
of England is resposible. What, ;
then, is the cause of the evil? Simply
the island is “overpopulated.” There
are too many Irishmen in Ireland.
This is the explanation of the murder
ous famines and the wretchedness of
the country which men in the English
interest have ever offered; and if
Irishmen would only adopt this expla
nation, or, at least, acquiesce in it,
they would oblige England ever so
much. “Thou canst not say I did it!”
cried the enraged but fearful Macbeth
when the spectre of the murdered Ban
quo, pointing to his gashed and bloody
throat, appeared at the royal banquet.
Macbeth, indeed, had not with his own
hands assassinated Banquo, but he was
responsible for the crime, and he knew
he was responsible. The Tribune man
well knows that England, with all that
Queen Victoria stands for, is responsi
ble for the monstrous crimes that were
inscribed on the jubilee black banner.
Were overpopulation the cause of
Ireland’s ills, then depopulation ought
to be their cure. The cure has been
tried, but it has not worked well. In
the early years of Victoria’s reign the
people of Ireland numbered more than
eight million; they now number some
thing over four million, and yet the
percentage of pauperism, according to
English statistics, is greater now than
it was sixty years ago in Ireland.
The Tribune says that Ireland “has
neither coal nor iron,” and therefore it
cannot be a manufacturing country.
“It must be an agricultural country.”
With cheap words like these quoted,
words that are not the expression of
careful and honest investigation on
their own part, but are lightly borrow
ed from mouth to mouth, wrHers like
the Tribune man dispose of Ireland’s
economic possibilities. The fact is,
Ireland’s natural resources have never
been explored, and it is not consistent
with the time-honored policy of Eng
land that those resources should be de
veloped. But even if Ireland had nei
ther coal nor iron, the absence of those
minerals would not necessarily binder
man ufantnres. New Y ork state has no
coal or iron to speak of, yet manufac
tures abound The same is true of the
New England states. But New York
and New England have what Ireland
has not —a government friendly to their
interests, which are warmed into life
by friendly legislation. The Tribune
admits that “the manufacturing indus
tries of Ireland were crushed by un
friendly (English) legislation. There
was such legislation once, but that was
many years ago.” But the effect of a
bad law does not pass away with the
law itself. The evil spirit of that “un
friendly legislation” is still doing its
work of ruin in the English interest.
“Possibly the Irish in Ireland,” says
the Tribune, “would be more thriving
if they consumed less liquor.” That’s
it. Those English-interest men will
have any explanation but the right one
for Ireland’s wretchedness. The Irish
i W<><-lfi wi n hardly be nceus-?d of trying J
to promote the consumption of liquor. |
We could heartily wish that our coun
trymen at home and abroad, and other
people as w’ell, consumed less liquor ;”
but we have no pat’ence with the cant
ing crew who are forever Hinging this
charge at Irishmen, which serves to
divert attention from the prime cause
of Ireland’s misery—alien misgovern
ment. The Tribune’s suggestion is
quite as applicable to England and
Scotland as it is to Ireland. According
to reliable statistics, the expenditure
for beer in Great Britain in 1893 was
£88,627,000. In Ireland it was but
£6,291,000. In England the amount
spent on whisky is £1 9s. per head; in
Ireland the amount spent is £1 6s. 6d.
head. In Victoria’s reign the consump
tion of whisky, brandy and beer in
England has grown from six hundred
and ninety-three million gallons a year
to one thousand and fifty-four million
gallons a year. The drink evil is even
greater in Scotland, and its disastrous
effects on its victims are even worse.
The annual deaths from drink per
thousand population in Ireland is 56,
while in Scotland the number of deaths
per thousand population, and resulting
from the same cause, is 60.
The Tribune did not see fit to print
for its readers and invite comparison
on these statistics. Posssibly it did not
know the facts; if it was aware of
these figures and purposely withheld
them it was even more culpable, for in
that case it could have had but one end
in view—England’s vindication and a
moral verdict against Ireland. The
conviction that this was the object of
the article on “The Ungallant Irish” it
is hard to resist, when the writer says:
“They (the Irish) contribute to the im
perial revenues fifteen million dollars
a year on account of spirits, and then
complain of being overtaxed.” This
charge is as dishonest as it is irrele
vant. The Irish complaint of over
taxation is made on general grounds,
and the complaint is justified by the
finding of a British Royal Commission
which was appointed to investigate
the matter. The sum total of which
Ireland has been robbed by this over
taxation, according to the Royal Com
mission, runs up to the sum of five
hundred million dollars. If this amount
of money would be thought enormous
in the richest country in the world,
what would it mean in so poor a coun
try as Ireland, which, made poor by
“unfriendly legislation,” is filched of
that which even in her poverty she has
been able to create? And yet, although
England out of her own mouth has
been convicted of this stupenduous
robbery of Ireland, no intelligent man
who is familiar with the ways of Eng
land dreams for a moment that Eng
land has any notion of making restitu
tion for her great and long continued
thefts. She wants no court of arbitra
tion that would determine matters of
this sort.
The Chicago Tribune concludes with
this unworthy sentence: “The Irish
would display more tact by displaying
a little enthusiasm over the woman if
they eannot over her reign.” That is,
it would be good policy for the Irish to
play the part of the hypocrite. The
brigand power of which Victoria is the
representative has wrested from Ire
land her material wealth; it has not,
thank God, been able to take from
Irishmen that sense of manhood which
has characterized them in every age
and under all climes. —The Irish World.
A POP WANTED-*-
4) At every post office—One who
41 means business—Who will hns-
4) tie for this paper. Write today.
ONX DOLLAR PER YLAR.
WHOLE NUMBER 355.
PERT PRESS POINTERS.
J
Late News of General Interest
from Many Sources.
POINTED PERTINENT PARAGRAPHS.
>
What Earnest Populist Workers Have to
Say—Editorial Thought of the Lead
ing Reform Papers Conden
sed Into Readable Shape.
A corporation is without a soul and
with very little principle.—People’s
Paper.
Populism will never die until the last
spark of manhood is dead among
Americans.—Reformer.
The first motto the People’s party
ever had was “keep in the middle of
the road,” and it is a good one yet.—
People’s Paper, (N. C.)
It is the men who upset the political
churn that don’t want a conference.
They evidently think that the less said
about it the better,—People’s Paper.
Under government, state and munic
ipal ownership of public utilities, the
cost of operation limits the price,
while demand regulates the supply. -
Constitution (Tex.)
The Honorable Bob Fitzsimmons says
he can trace his genealogy back to
biblical days, and the wicked Post
thinks he must be a descendent of the
Hitites. —Facts.
In New York city, near Wall street,
there are 2,000 inhabitants in a single
block, and not one bath tub in the
block. This is the model civilization
which we find in the great stronghold
of “honest money.”—Journal of the
Knights of Labor.
We might as well try to cast out
satan through be-elzebub as to try to
tret reform througli the Democratic
party. Any party that refuses to give
free and honest elections can not be
depended upon for reform.—People’s
Advocate.
Apparently there is no law in this
country strong enough to catch and
hold a trust magnate. Searles, like
Havemeyer, goes free. But Debs went
to jail and Coxey’s people had to keep
off the grass.—Johnstown (Pa.) Demo
crat.
A Mobillian, who is paying twenty
dollars per annum for the use of water
from three taps, mentioned the matter
to a friend from Atlanta, and the latter
assured him that his bill in Atlanta,
for six taps was about sixty cents a
month, or less than $8 per annum. In
Atlanta the water-works are owned by
the city.—Mobile Register.
While the democratic papers are re
galing their rejiders with articles on
what hey are pieaseu io term the split
in the Populist party, the democratic
politicians are wondering whether they
will be able to get enough of white
wash to cover the spots laid bare by
the Blalock committee.—Tribune.
A fusionists and a middle of the
roader may be equally honest but there
is this difference—the middle of the
roader is tired of any more foolishness
with either old political party. He
has been fooled often enough to get
his eyes open.—Times Democrat
An exchange says it would like to ask
Professor Barnard, the aeronaut, who
is sailing around through the clouds
over the Tennessee centennial, if he
can see in the dim distance from his
point of vantage any mark, sign or
token of the approach of the McKinley
prosperity wave.—Facts.
While Ohio and Kansas Populists are
engaged in trading principle for a
chance at the pie counter, Colorado is
placing principle before office, and
laying the foundation for a movement
that will force their principles to the
front.—Denver Facts.
Dr. Carl Peters, the German explorer
of Africa, which cruelty so shocked the
world when it was revealed a year or
two ago, has been tried on those char
ges and dismissed from the Imperial
service. It speaks well for the human
ity and integrity of the German courts
that even the influential friends of this
man could not save him from just pun
ishment.—Farmer’s Light.
One by one they’re coming to their
senses. It’s been a hard fight but
right, will win. The “Twentieth Cen
tury” falls into line and last week says:
“The alliance of last year has proved
all that Tom Watson of Georgia pre
dicted, and the only way to keep out of
difficulty hereafter is to avoid even the
appearance of evil. A party that fig
ures only as the tail of a kite lacks
dignity and importanee. It cannot
expect to be taken seriously in any
circumstance.”—Chicago Express.
Florence Nightengale, who has just
celebrated her 77th birthday, is ill and
not expected to recover. She has-lcag
an invalid, and will leave at her death
a magnificent memorial of her achieve
ments as a pioneer in the work of nurs
ing the sick and wounded on an organ
ized plan in the shape of a nurses’
home at the close of the Crimean war,
the horrors of which she did so much
to alleviate. —San Diego Vidette.
The only way to purify the law mak
ing body is to adopt direct legislation.
By this means the people will rule and
the legislator will become the servant
and not the master of those who elect
him. Indignation meetings and threats
cannot control the corrupt men elected,
as has been demonstrated in Chicago
this spring. The only way is to let the
people say whether they want the laws
or not. Then any party can get con
trol, it will make no difference, as the
people will have the final say.—Taco
ma Sun.
Passengers of the Pacific mail steam
er, City of Pora, report that yellow
fever broke out on the steamer a few
days after leaving Panama for San
Francisco. The ship’s surgeon called
it tropical fever, but the passengers
claim it was genuine yellow fever and
that a dozen people died of it and were
buried at sea.