People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 April 1896 — Watchman, What of the Night. [ARTICLE]

Watchman, What of the Night.

To the men who voted for Peter Cooper, and hsye followed the reform flag ever since, as the soldiers followed the white plume of Henry of Navarre, the present political situation, with all its complications and uncertainties, is intensely interesting. The overwhelming Republican victory of 1894, and the utter demoralization if not demolition of the Democratic party, pre saged the complete and triumphant success of the Republicans in 1896. But hard times, false positions, incompetent leadership, and forceful questions that will not down to accommodate cowardly presidential candidates, have so changed the political situation, that the outcome is highly problematical. The irreconcilable differences in the Republican ranks, have so far modified their views that they now speak of defeat, not as a possibility, but as a probability. The Democratic party does not now, nor has it since the election of 1894, even set up a claim to the election as a possibility. Their sole aim is to so manage the campaign as to prevent the entire disruption of their party. The Populist party with the most advanced political platform ever made by a great party, asplendid and compact organization backed by more than two millions of the most intelligent voters in the Nation, enters the ring bravely and hopeful of success. Such being the situation, our heading is appropriate, what of the night,” and are there any signs of promise? Populists claim some credit as prophets. Whether it is the possession of superior wisdom by them or the great ignorance of their opponents, we will not now discuss, but it seems that all Populists have to do to establish their claims as seers, is to prophesy that the wrong thing will be done, and they will hit it every time. Allow your correspondent to do a little forecasting, and the Pilot readers can note the outcome:

The Republicans are doubtful, the Democrats never had any hopes; the Populists are full of it. Were the canvass conducted without the interference of the money power, we believe the election would go to the House where our chances would be as good as any. But the confederated monopolies have powerful intellects among them; moreover, they employ the brightest minds in the land, and we believe that in view of the uncertainties of the presidential muddle, they have already fallen upon the following plan, the Republicans will adopt an out and out gold standard platform. They would like to have the Democrats do the same, but that would not do for it would result in a grand slump of southern and western Democrats into the Populist camp, and would result in the election of a Populist president, and that must be avoided, therefore the Democratic party will be so manipulated that at Chicago the two factions will engage in a battle royal, but it will be so arranged that the silver men will win. That will divide the west and south between the Democrats and Populists, while the Democrats of the middle and eastern states will vote the Republican ticket, thus insuring Republican success. This, then is our prediction. The Republicans at St. Louis will declare for the gold standard, the Democrats at Chicago will declare for the free coinage of silver at 16 to 1. Eastejn Democrats will slough from their party and go to the Republicans, and the next president will be a gold standard man and a Kepubli can. You think, then, that the silver Democrats bjr die money power will be made a stalking horse by the Republicans? Yes, exactly so. The money power will see to that. You don’t, then, expect a union at St. Louis of the silver forces? No. first for the reason given above. The money power will risk no such a combina tion. It would, be too dangerous to them, and they caught the hint and no doubt have acted on it before this. I mean the declaration of the silver men that if either of the old parties gave a platform and candidate thej 7 would seek no further combination. The money power will accommodate them by giving them a platform and candidate. Another reason why there will be no union of Populists and silver forces, lies in the fact that the leaders of the Populists, after having labored for twenty years in building up a great party pledged to many and great reforms, will not, and ought not, now to surrender al) to a party whose sole aim and object can be obtained by a single enactment, leaving other wrongs unredressed. Radical measures touching land, transportation, control of money, and taxations are just as important as free coinage, and will not be abandoned now for a mere palliation. " What, then, is the duty of Populists? .Stand by your principles; they are the corrective measures that will bring relief to the country and [hope and happiness to the downcast and oppressed. Follow the even tenor of your way, trust in God, and keep your powder dry. We

have everything to encourage us. There are dissensions in the ranks of our enemies. Cleveland would scalp Tilman; Tilman has scalped Cleveland; the Tribune dares the Inter Ocean to read it out of the party; the Indianapolis Journal denounces all as traitors who will not worship the golden calf; members of both parties have sharpened their knives and put on their war paint. May Satan aid them in their devilish intentions against each other, for when rogues fall out honest men secure their dues. Wadena, Ind. J. W. Swan.