People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 February 1896 — SOUND SENSE. [ARTICLE]

SOUND SENSE.

EUiraal Vigilance Is the Pries of Liberty. Missouri World: This paper has repeatedly advised the silver men of tho old parties who could not see their way clear to poin the people’s party, to withdraw from the goldbug parties and form a party of their own, and expressed the belief that if they would do so nothing could keep them and the populists from coming to an understanding. We said that when old party ties were severed they would not see so much in the populist platform that was objectionable to them. When the single plank platform was first advocated we asserted that the money question in its broad sense was alone worthy of a dozen campaigns. But we opposed the one-plank move. The party was advancing rapidly on the Omaha platform. The railroad and government loan and postal bank propositions were dear to many of our people. These principles of the party had gathered to us, we had reason to believe, a large per cent of our strength. They were concrete and caught the attention of people whose attention could not be attracted by the abstract money question. They were a great aid to the party instead of a hindrance, as the one plank men thought. While the question was up for discussion the bimetallic party was formed at Washington City. In its platform there was none of the alleged objectionable planks of the Omaha platform. We hoped this new party would be able to gather round its banner millions of voters. But from all appearances it proved a complete failure. One trip across the continent by Mr. Sibley and little was heard of it afterward. The silver men —most of them—who had abandoned the old parties found a suitable place in the people’s party and this left no room for the bimetallic party. Our national committee by a majority vote of those present, decided, last week, at its meeting in St. Louis, to ask those desiring financial reform but who are not ready as yet to join the people’s party, to hold a national convention at same time and place as the populist convention with the view of getting together. Months ago this paper suggested that the silver men of old parties form a party, if they could not come to us, appoint their county, state and national committees and call a convention at same time and place as the populist convention, and expressed the belief that the two bodies would agree. It would seem that we had no room for complaint at the committee’s action. But the silver men have not withdrawn from the old parties. They have not formed state organizations. It is possible that the bimetallic convention will have no constituency. That the delegates will not be appointed by the people. That the bimetallic convention will represent a very few people. That it will simply serve to give the t one plank men a strength muchJarger than the one plank sentiment, in case the two bodies go together, and that with a part of the populist convention and all of the bimetallic, they will be able to dictate platform and candidates. On the Other hand, there may be a bolt from the republican convention and there is pretty sure to be one from the democratic convention, and it may turn out that the bimetallic convention will represent millions of voters. We hope so. But let populists bear In mind that “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty."

The next election will wipe Mason, and Dixon’s line off the map forever.