The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-12-26
Gov. Pennoyer Writes an In
sulting Letter to Cleveland.
SAYS OREGON rs STARVING.
Gov. Waite Calls Colorado Legisla.
ture to Enact Populist Laws.
Joseph Donjon. for Writing Letters Re-
semhifng Pennoyss's TO Senators and
Vice President Stevenson, IL Arrested
He Was Abusive, Not Threatening.

SALEM, Or, Dec 25.--iov. Pennoyer to-
day addressed the following letter to
President Cleveland:
The extraordinary circumstances which
greet the return of this holiday must be
my excuse for writing To you. Today is the
first Christmas in the history of Oregon
when more than two-thirds of its people
are without employment and more than
oas-third without sufficient means of sup
port. Business is almost completely stag
mated, money is not to be obtained. and
debtors are powerless TO avert seizure
OF their property and their homes 70 sat
isfy, at small percentage of their value,
the claims OF creditors. Repeated appeals
have been made TO me as governor of Ore
gon to Assem- bic the legislature in order to
alleviate this condition of affairs and avert
impending calamity. Redress is, however,
not in our hands, but inlyours. and hence
this appeal to YOU. The laws OF con-
greSs which have Disseminated against
silver and made gold alone full
legal tender money! giving to the
money lender the privilege of refusing
both the silver dollar and silver certificate
thus rendering unavailable more than one
nalf OF the national currency as absolute
debt-paying money, are the sole causes of
the decline Of values, paralysis of business
and consequent imroyerishment of the
/ p
pending starvation of their wives and chill
iren.
IF, when YOU stood upon the eastern
portico OF the capitol on March last, YOU
had announced to the people that you
would speedily convene congress in extra
session to carry out the pledges OF the
platform To which YOU gave your assent
and upon which you were elected, which
declared for the use of both gold and
silver as standard money, without dis
elimination against either metal the
widespread reyuision of business. which
has diminished the value OF the property
of the nation by fully one-half. would
never have occurred, and If now you
would give such advice to congress the
further downward tendency would ne
checked, and with favorable congressional
legislation business wouid again revive
and prosperity would again visit our land.
1t is honorable to carry out the pledges
OF party 10 the people. and 10 il not most
dishonorable not 10 do SOP The RESPONSE
bi ity lies entirely with yon. The complete
obedience of the lower house of congress To
your wishes has been observed throughout
the world. 1t would obey your behest, and
in this the senate would give
you support. You are father, and
you no doubt feel grateful TO
God when you, upon retiring to rest. look
upon your sleeping babes IN their couches,
the pictures OF health consequent upon
their having a snfliciesey OF food and
clothing. | pray you, however. to en-
large the scope of your vision and be-
hold, as you can, in many and many q
cot. children loved as much by their
parents as yours are by you, weak
and sickly from insufficient food
and clothing, the innocent victims
OF vicious financial legislation, whose
sleeping forms are bathed by the scalding
tears of mothers bending over them in
sorrow and despair, and then resolve, as
you should, to faithfully carry out the
pledges which your party gave to con-
fiding people. II you will do so God will
bless you and grateful people will ap-
plaud you."