People's Pilot, Volume 6, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 September 1896 — Peoples Party Convention. [ARTICLE]

Peoples Party Convention.

We are in the midst of a gold standard panic today. The free silver panic is upon us now; it is the panic of republican politicians. The banks of Rensselaer have suspended specie (gold) payments. It is nothing specially new for they never have been overloaded with the precious metal, but now that people realize what it is to have their notes payable in gold they are trying to get a little of the yellow stuff against the day of reckoning with their money loaner.

Four years ago, after the close of thirty-two years of uninterrupted republican tariff legislation and republican financiering this country had reached such a condition of commercial depression and distress among the producing classes that the party responsible for the distinction of prosperity was overwhelmingly defeated at the polls. Through the treachery of legislators elected to correct the laws that caused the ruin to American industries, the same republican financial policy has been adhered to and the same condition of business paralysis has been intensified. This same financial policy the republican party proposes to continue; it is the gold standard of England, do you want it?

The delegates to the Peoples Party County Convention are called to meet at the Opera House in Rensselaer, Ind., on Saturday, Sept. 26, 1896, for thepurpose of nominating a county ticket to be voted for at ths election in November. J. A. McFarland, L. Strong, Chairman, Secretary. Have no fear of the free silver panic, the gold money<bags will get in out of the wet before it rains. The republican managers are making frantic efforts to direct attention from the financial question to the tariff. They are tired of their gold plank. Think of the consistency of declaring that the free coinage of silver would be a good thing and then refuse to adopt it. That is the republican platform on the silver question.

The people four years ago demanded a change in the financial system of this country; they did not get it. but they are making the demand again and are determined to have it this time. The republicans are perfectly satisfied with all the financial legislation enacted by the Cleveland dynasty and propose to finish the job intrusted to him by Mr. Harrison and which he has so faithfully superintended for three and one half years. What is a panic? It is something unexpected. If it was known that a bank would fail in six months every body would prepare for the event and when the time came there would be no panic. That is just the kind of panic we will have when Bryan and free silver is triumphant in November; the people will be prepared for the event.