The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-09-23
MEET H ISSUES.

DIES anu luGOISSGS III bhO OHSSS "a
sas, steadily and persistently refuse to
engage in n discussion of the living
issues that are engaging the attention
of the people in the pending political
contest. We have repeatedly pre-
sented these issues and invited a dis
cussion of their merits, and they have
been, and still continue to be persist
emily ignored. We propose at this
time to reinstate them and again invite
Republican patriots to a defense OF
principles and their party. We pre-
sent the following distinct and specific
propositions which we again defy Re
publican journals to controvert:
First-During the past twenty five
years there has been a constant de-
cline of the general business interests
of the C ountry.
Second-During this time there has
been a constant depreciation in values
of laid, of labor and the products OF
industry.
Third-The demand for labor has
largely declined, and as a consequence
the land has been overrun with tramps.
Fourth-The masses of the people
have been and still are becoming poorer
day by day.
Fifth-The wealth of the country
is rapidly concentrating in the hands
of a few men.
Sixth-England, by the purchase of
our lands and industries, is rapidly
achieving a conquest of America with
her gold that she could never hope to
achieve by the sword.
These are a few of the grievances
of which the American people com
plain. We charge these evils directly
to the following among other specific
acts of class legislation:
First-The exception clause in the
act providing for the issue of national
currency which deprived the old
greenback of the properties and pow
ers of a full legal tender currency. By
this act two kinds of money were
created-one for the banker and
bondholder, and the other for the
people; and the value of the peoples
money was deprecated by act of Con
gress.
Second-The issue of interest bear
ing government bonds which were not
only entirely unnecessary, but were
designed in the interest and for the
enrichment of a disloyaI but favored
class.
Third-The establishment of the
national banking system, by which
the authority to issue money which
belongs alone to the government I'm
der the Constitution, was delegated to
a favored class upon whom we're be-
slowed numerous special and valuable
franchises and privileges, all Of which
are detrimental to the interests of the
people.
Fourth-The act providing for the
contraction of the currency by which
all debts, National, State, municipal
and individual, have been immensely
augmented and the people correspond
ingly robbed to enrich a few unscru
pulous Shylocks.
Fifth-The refunding of the Ma,
tional debt, by which these same Shy
locks are enabled to demand immense
premiums on III government bonds.
Sixth-The act enormously desig
mated as the "credit strengthening
act" by which the bonds of the gov
eminent, bought at an immense dis
count and paid for in deprecated cur-
rency were made payable in coin.
SeventE-The demonstration of
silver, by which these same bonds
were made payable in gold alone, and
another immense robbery perpetrated
upon the people.
We charge the foregoing vicious
legislation, and all its disastrous con
sequences-the present de~plorable
condition of American industries and
the American people-to the deliber
ate policy of existing parties, and the
greater part of it to the Republican
party alone. We are prepared. to sus
tain these charges by the history of
the past thirty years. We have re
peatedly presented these issues to the
Republican press. How have they
been met? Only by ridicule and
evasion. The argument o. is: "The
Alliance is a Southern institution.
The President, L L. Polk, is a Rebel
and the order is Democratic. Its pur
pose is to defeat the Republican party"
This is the only answer to the issues
presented. This is Republican logic.
Is there a Republican paper in the
State of Kansas today that will dare
to undertake a candid and logical dis
cussion of the questions presented? If
so, let US know the name of it. We
are prepared to affirm each of the
foregoing propositions and establish it
by lncontrovertible testimony. Who
will undertake to lay aside falsehood
and ridicule, and honestly and fairly
c%ontrovert our arguments q? We pause
for the appearance Of the champion.
Topeka Advocate.