Rensselaer Republican, Volume 25, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 September 1892 — WEAVER AND FIELD [ARTICLE]

WEAVER AND FIELD

Jointly Give to the Public Their Letters ot Acceptance. A Brief sbut Pungent Reeltai ofthePeopl.'s Party Claim to.the Consideration ot the Voters In this Campaign. " "*"~ ""n ~~■ ~~— and Gen. Field, the People's Party candidates for President and Vice-President, issoed their Tetter of acceptance, dated at Pensacola, Fla.. Sept. 17th. Omitting the prelude id which they return thauks for the honor, and a description of the enthusiasm with which they come in contact in the;r canvass, they say: The people are in noverty. Their substance is being devoured by heartless monopolists, trusts, pools and money sharks, Labor is largely unemployed, and where work Is obtainable the wages paid are for the most part unrenumerative and the products of labor not paying the costs of production. This is a matter of serious concern to the whole people. - The leaders of the heretofore dominant parties are everywhere controlled by the great monopoly and money centers and manifest utter disregard for the wants and wishes of tiie people. The parties are hostile camps arranged on sectional lines and represent the bitterness and cruelties ot the past, an&have spent their time for years discussing the Issues of the late war, which should long since have been allowed to pass from the political discussions of the day. Notwithstanding the bitterness existing between the old parties, they vie with each other in their svbservlenco to capitalistic and corporate greed. They are incapable of dealing sincerely with the vast problems evolved by the growth of the last quarter of a century, Upon the groat economic questions of the ago they are practically one iu purpose, differing just enough to enable them to carry on a sham battle, while the work of robbery and spoliation proceed unabated. In the meantime the farmers and planters.north and south, and wage earners everywhere, are proscribed. maltreated, brought into competition with convict labor, and in many Instances shot down by hired mercenaries acting under order of arrogant corporations who have unblushingly usurped the functions of government and presumed to act in its stead. These corporations dominate the daily press and control the lines of daily communication with the people. A still greater privilege: We hold that the right of a free ballot and a fair count are rights preservative of all rights; and upon their inviolability resttho perpetuity of free institutions and representative government. We are pained to discover in the public mind of the Southern States through which we have passed a widespread loss of confidence on the part of the people In the integrity of the judges ofuiections iu receiving the ballots of the people and counting them for the candidates of their choice. Wo think that this evil must be corrected by tho intelligence and integrity of the people of the country, otherwise scenes of violence and. perhaps, bloodshed may follow these efforts of parties in charge of the ballot boxes to defraud the

will of the voter. They will lead to a serious collision and that quickly. After consultation with the people we believe it to be true, beyond reasonable question, that the majority of the white voters of the South are with the People's party in every Southern State thus far visited and our information, leads us to believe that the same thing is true in the other States also. The white people are leaving tho old parties and casting.their lot with us and our numbers are continually increasing. We are informed by a large number Of intelligent and reputable people that in the recent State election in Alabama, Capt. Kolb was chosen governor by over 40,i0Tinajority and yet his opponent was counted in by a majority of 10,009. bounty tickets throughout the State were counted in. By tlie same unblushing methods wo are informed that in State election which occurred in Arkansas on the sth of September at least. 50.000 qualified voters of the State were deprived of the righto* suffrage: that the returns were inaccurate thtft at this election the People’s party, though polling a large vote in the State, were denied representation in tho appointment of judges and commissioners by whom tho election was conducted. In consequence of these methods tho will of tho legally authorized voters of tho State has been defeated. The only thing that our friends in that State have to guide them is In the few counties in which they were able (o force an honest count. In every one of those counties our vole ran fully up to expectations. lu Washington, Independenca, White, Clark, Nevada. Crawford, Sebastian, Scott, populous white counties, the People's party held an immense vote, their ticket leading ■the Republican largely and was about equal with tho Democrats. We believe that a fair count would have shown similar conditions throughout the State. The fraudsand irregularities in the State referred to, though local, are yet matters worthy of serious consideration of the people of the whole United States This deplorable condition of affairs cannot be remedied from without. Thesolution must come from the people within these States, supported by a healthy public sentiment everywhere and we believe It to be tho duty of all people, without regard to section. to stand by tho people of the South who have risen up to demand good government and honest elections. After an experiment of many years it is apparent that neither the Republican party nor tne Democratic party can or will accomplish this much desired ond, to trit, tho restoration of the ballot to a fair and honest basis in the States of the Union The People's f tarty affords the only solution of these mportant matters. All who desire tho revival of business; all who wish for tho return of prosperity to our country; all who desire to relieve the depressed Industries and wage-work-ers; all who desire an adequate Increase of' pur currency and tho free coinage of silver: all whodeslro tho abolition of banks of Issue and the constitutional control of tho great instruments of commerce by the Government of tho United States; all who desire that tho laws of taxation shall be equitably adjusted to the property of the country; all who desire that the publicdomaln snail bo sacredly held in trust for the people; all who desire that public highways between the States shall be rendered subservient to the popular good, and lilial - ly, all who d <sire the restoration of fraternity among the people and the obliteration of sectional animosities should at once regard it as their conscientious duty to align themselves under the banner of the great industrial and fraternal movement. In the presence of such opportunity to emancipate onr country from misrule of every kind, let party Hirers be forgotten, and let the generous tit me of a common patriotism uervo every heart and move •very soul. - ,

JJAMES B. WEAVER. JAMES G. FIELD.