The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-07-10
THE PARAMOUNT QUESTION.
Which Reform VIII Bring the Surost
and speediest Relief

which Reform VIII Bring the surest
and speediest Relief
The notion prevails among the
masses that something is wrong in this
government The man who tolls from
sunrise to sunset does not enjoy as
much of the fruit of his own labor as
some other man who tolls not. The
people are aroused and are determined
to ferret out the cause OF these abnor-
NAL conditions. There are great
number of questions agitating the
minds of the people especially of the
producing classes of the United States.
Some believe that a reduction OF the
tariff would prove a panacea for our
ills; others that laws preventing COM
binations in trade and allowing free
competition would give the desired re-
lief. Many people think that free
silver coinage is of paramount impor-
lance. Some are conscientious in the
belief that if the liquor traffic were
destroyed and the hundreds of millions
worse than thrown away in that line
were kept in the families of many who
are suffering for it's want would solve
the problem. Then there are such
questions as governm entail extravar
gance, high salaried fficials, extor-
tions of transportation companies,
and a score of others that might
be named, which are receiving the at
tention of thoughtful people to-day,
No doubt but what every subject NAM
ed above is worthy of serious thought.
and that proper legislation on any one
of them would rebound to the welfare
of the people at large; but at this
juncture, when such wide spread de-
preston prevails. the question should
be, where is the widest gap in the
great government dam, through which
the waters of oppression are flowing
and inundating the unfortunate in
habitants in the valley? What is the
question the solution of which will
give the most and the speediest relief
to the people? If all could and would
agree as to what is the most important
thing to be done, all the forces could
be concentrated on that one object till
it was accomplished and many minor
questions, being dependent upon the
principal one would also be solved,
and then the smaller breaks in the
dam could be attended to at leisure.
President Polk, of the National
Farmers Alliance and Industrial
Union, in a recent interview is quoted
as saying in answer to the question,
What is the most pressing question be-
fore the people said:
1--WE want the next congress to de-
wise some system and to so change the
present financial system of this govern
ment as to furnish the country with an
abundance of currency to supply the
legitimate demands of the business of
the country, which we cannot get so
long as the currency of the country is
controlled by a few men. think that
this is the paramount question. Silver
legislation would be step in the right
direction. but we do not believe that
free and unlimited coinage would give
us all that is needed. We want it.
however, and are going to demand it.
We are solid for that, and do not be-
lieve that there is a man belonging to
the industrial classes of the country
who will support any ticket that does
not stand solidly On the platform of
unlimited free silver coinage. ''-Journ-
al of Agricultural