The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-04-26
A LETTER FROM GORDON.
TIE SENATOR WRITES ON THE
POLITICAL SITUATION.

sympathy With the Principles ofthe
Farmers Alliance-The First Thing
to be Done is to Find the Right Road
to Relief.
ATLANTA, GA, April 25.-The following
better from Senator John B. Gordon on the
political situation is made public to-day;
K1RKwooD, Ga. April o. 1893.
To AessTs. II. j. Lang, Chairman Democratic
Committee: T. b. HolLsnstedd, b. s. WriJht,
" T. Murray. p. N sale, 4. NJ. Cdrpeat ter,
George Patterson, Editor LiRcointon Nel0s,
GrSrLrMEN'-I heartily thank you for the
confidence implied by your request Tor my
views on the political situation Before begin
ming the discussion, however, you VIII indulge
me in one or two personal illusions.
l. am notnow a candidate for office, and the
approaching elections cannot Affect my poHttcai
status in any way whatever. / have therefore
no possible political or personal interests at
stake except such as are common 10 every
citizen of the state.
2 lam in the fullest sympathy and accord
with the general and iaudable purposes for
which the farmers alliance was organized.
Their principles are my principles; their people
are nv people, their interest is my interest, and
their calling my calling. Nor am | anew con
vert to these views. For nearly twenty years
have urged the organization OF the farmers Tor
their own protection, and have battled for the
prime objects which called the order into eX-
istence. In season and out Of season, in public
and private life, for long series OF years and
spoken for, written for, and labored for the
success of the essential measures which
now so deeply concern and so pro
foundly agitate the agricultural and labor
ing masses Of our people. The public
records prove that no man in this whole union
has longer or more consistently and persist
entity labored for the reforms and the relief
which the people need and ought to secure. |
enlisted in the cause long before the present
Farmers war upon protected privilege and gov
ernmental Partially was declared, and am
enlisted for the whole war. was in the fight
when it was not popular, and when the few
who fought with me we're in the minority.
Through years of disbursement and dlspar-
agement have stood by the cause and fol
lowed its flag, and propose to still stand by it,
Of life is spared until the victory is won and re-
def secured.
This much it seemed important for me to say
for myself in order that our intelligent, honest
and patriotic farmers might fully understand
my position. If my sincerity and devotion are
doubted. then there is no efficacy in works as
proof OF ones faith.
FIND THE RIGHT ROAD FIRST.
Let us now come squarely and fearlessly to
the discussion. If we can find the road to re-
lief, propose, for one, to follow it to the end.
But in searching for the right road, let us not
be deceived by flaming sign boards placed on
the highway by designing hands. In other
words let us not be deluded by the fiery decla-
nation Of those who are interested in mislead-
ing us. One thought would solemnly impress
at the outset-I would hammer it into the very
fiber of every farmers brain in tie country. 1t
is this: Our condition is so serious and threat
ening that we cannot afford to make mistake,
and the only way in which to avoid mistakes is
TO find the truth; and then to stand by il; and
the way to find the truth is to sift the evidence
and rely upon established facts and not upon
mere theories
Now in order to recognize truth with Ger
tainty, let us lay down few fundamental prop
osit6ns to which all viii agree and then bring
every suggestion TO the test of these maxims.
sUMMARY-MAxIMs.
/. Reform or relief must come if it comes at
of mn mi al
policies which have produced the wrongs from
which we seek relief.
2 A change of policies requires a change of
rulers; and our only way OF changing rulers is
through ballot-boxes, by votes.
8. A change of rulers, to be effective involves
the necessity Of electing by votes a President
and both houses of congress who are the avowed
and known opponents of the men who have in-
tiicted these wrongs upon the country,
:. There is no hope of eleCting such Presi
dent and such a congress by the united votes Of
all the friends of reform.
s. If we can ascertain with certainty what
party is responsible for the wrongs OF which we
complain, we shall have located beyond doubt
the enemies Of reform aud of relief. Locate the
men who perpetuAted the wrongs and you
locate those upon whom 1t is your duty to make
war.
WHO ARE THE AUTHORS OF THE wRoNGsY
Now let the investigation proceed without
fear or favor Let the specific wrongs of which
you complain be taken up one by one, and each
wrong laid at the doors of the men who are the
authors Of IL, and laid nowhere else.
shall only be able to summarize, but ohal-
lenge successful denial of a single one of the
propositions submitted.
NATIONAL AND STATE BANK sYsTENs-wHo Is
RESPONSIBLE?
One OF the most serious complaints is against
the national banking system, against its par
TALLY and its incompetency to furnish a suffi-
Gent and low rate circulating medium. Who
imposed this system upon the country? The
answer is. a republican House. a republican
Senate and republican Presid ent, and in doing
10 fhaV HOYtr afa han -fpa-
cannot pass this point without briefly con-
trasting the two systems
Under the national banking law $1,000 of
gold will not pay for $1,000 bond on which to
issue bills, and, therefore, each s 900 of gold
under this system will furnish less than ST 900
for circulation; whereas, under the state bank
ing system, each 1000 of gold furnished the
basis for 900 in bills, or more than three
times as much money for circulation as is DOS
sible under the national banking law.
Again, with the national banks your land is
not regarded as security. Under state banking
real estate was one of the best of securities.
CONCENTRATION OF MONEY ON WALL sTRRET-A
CONTRAST.
A second complaint is that the country's cur
rency is concentrated largely at certain seasons
on Wall street and in the money centers This
was impossible under the state banking system:
because the currency was local and largely CON
fined TO the limits of the state; but it answered
all the purposes for which the people needed
money.
will not stop now to show, by further argu-
sarilY contracts instead of increasing the cur
rency, nor how it taxes the people co pay ths
interest upon the bonds on which the system
rests. 1t is enough for my present purpose to
fix upon republican congress and President
the responsibility for that system and for the
destruction Of the state banks.
THE DESTRUCTION OF sILvEA-WHo sTRTcK IT
DOWN?
A third and general complaint is that silver
has been demonetized. Who is responsible for
this? Who struck down this class of dollars
and dishonored a currency which had success
fully maintained its position in this country for
three-quarters of a century. The answer again
is that this outrage was contaminated by q
republican House, Senate and President
CRUEL CoNTRACTIoN-wHo COMMITTED THE
WRONG?
A fourth wrong of which we complain is the
needless and cruel contraction of the greenback
currency in the mad and untimely effort TO
force specie payments, by too rapid strides
Who is responsible for this great wrong
upon the debtor class aud upon the masses of
the people? Who controlled the government
and established the policy of rapid Contraction
by which general and Astounding prosperity
was suddenly changed TO universal panic and
widespread ruin? The same answer is the true
answer a republican House, arepublcan Senate
republican President
THE THIEVING TARIFF TAX-wHO Is RESPONSIBLE
fifth and most just murmur Of dis content
comes from farmers producers and intelligent
ll mi N k.uW