People's Pilot, Volume 4, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 May 1895 — NOTES AND COMMENTS. [ARTICLE]

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The old party papers are not saying much about many Populist victories in cities and townships at the late spring elections. The returns, however, are coming in by slow freight. Pueblo, Colo., city of 25,000 population, elected Populist mayor, while Leadville, with 11,000 population, elected a Populist city ticket. Moline, 111., with a population of 12,000 elected a Populist mayor by 400 majority. In Illinois the Populists elected a large number of county supervisors throughout the state. Many small towns throughout the country were carried wholly or in part by the People’s party. These are straws. * * * The late municipal and township elections throughout the country have demonstrated in many places a surprising strength to the cause of Populism —the People’s party carrying many towns and cities, where the Populist vote was light before. Thi6 is most encouraging to the old parties. * * *

The average earnings of labor in 1892 was $250; in 1894, it dropped to $195, and the prospects are that the average for 1895 will be still lower. On the other hand, millionaire incomes are increasing, and official salaries climbing. Are you going to be foolish enough to vote for a continuance of a system that makes such conditions possible? * * * It is said that nearly 17,000 children are unable to attend school in San Francisco. How can the so-called humanitarians of to-day, who shut their eyes to the environments of the poorer classes, expect to build a noble manhood and womanhood where the great majority of the children are denied proper education? * • * It is estimated by Superintendent Byrnes and Elbridge T. Gerry that there are 40,000 prostitutes in the city of New York. It is safe to say that a large per cent of these unfortunates are driven by poverty to a life of shame. What a fearful responsibility is resting upon those who are forcing present conditions upon this country. Poverty, such as is forced upon one-half the American people to-day, can have no other than a demoralizing effect, the worst features of which are to be realized. * * * At a late delegate convention held in Chicago of German labor organizations, seventy-five German labor unions formally adopted the People’s party platform. That is wheeling into line by battalions, regiments, brigades and divisions. # * * The tariff question has gone glimmering—given way to the universal cry of “money!” "money!” “money!” The persistent demands of the People’s party and continued agitation of the finance question finally forced it to the front, in spite of the sham fight between the two old parties on the tariff. Truth and justice will prevail if we are faithful to the cause of reform. * * * The effort to side-track the People’s party on a single plank platform has been met with such a storm of opposition and condemnation all around the country* as to paralyze the schemers, and has had the further effect of uniting the People’s party forces more strongly than ever before. * * * Bad eggs were thrown at Carl Browne at Massillon, 0., recently. Browne is Coxey’s lieutenant, having charge of the headquarters for the distribution of the good roads literature and the organization of good roads leagues. When men resor t to rotten eggs as an argument they prove conclusively that they are without any others.