The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-08-08
AN OPEN LETTER.
To the President of the United States
From the President of the F. A.
q IT Of California.

From the President Of the +. a
& l. u. of California.
An Appeal to the Chief Executive from
one in Sympathy with and Repre-
senting a Large Body OF the WealVn
Producers of this Great Republic
Stubborn Facts Tersely Presented
that Should Command the Attention
of the Masses as well as that OF the
Chief Executive.
To Grocer Cleveland, President, Wash
i1qton, d. c.:
HoNoRED Strive are in the midst
of a financial and political crisis.
While public men and public jour
mails are shrieking prosperity. Jul
streets and highways are thronged
with idle men and women. The gaunt
spectre of hunger and wretchedness is
stalking through the land. The almost
prophetic utterances OF the immortal
Lincoln-'Yes, we may congratulate
ourselves that this cruel war is nearing
its close,
x
AS a result of the war corporations
have been enthroned and an era of cor
ruption in high places will follow,
while the money power Of the country
will endeavor to prolong its reign by
working upon the ~prejudices of the
people until all wealth has aggregated
in a few hands and the Republic is de-
stroyed," are being rapidly fulfilled,
and seemingly no effort is being made
on the part of the administration to
either palliate conditions or avert the
impending destruction.
Your party has been entrusted with
the reins Of government, and TO you
we should be able to confidently look
fer relief, but sir ourpublic u~ttePances
are not such as to inspire confidence.
It is a shameful and pitiable condition
under which the masses (regardless of
political affiliations seem to have lost
confidence in and respect for the exec
utive Of this onc great and prosperous
country, except they be either office
holders or seekers for office, and the
emoluments that follow from the ex
ecution OF unjust and discriminating
laws.
We arc asked to be patient under
the most trying conditions. Our PEG
pie are struggling under an interest
bearing debt of thirty billions of dol
lars with g. circulating medium Of less
than enc and one-half billions Cess
than enough to pay 4 years interest
at 6 per cent? a large portion of which
is in denominations Of five hundred
dollars and over, and therefore unavail-
able to the masses.
This great debt was largely con-
circulation of gold, silver and paper.
That circulation has been reduced at
least one,half (per capita) by the differ
acts Of Congress, debts payable in
papera and silver have been persistently,
and in violation of law and oath of
office, paid in gold, thereby increasing
the demand for and enhancing the value
of gold, until now it takes twice as
much of labor or It's products to buy a
dollar as when the debt was contracted.
IL Ca11CC4 ULC4L OSOGo VIII NAO4 C1O4O
cost the debtor class twice al much as
they promised to pay, while the cred
itor class will receive double the amount
due them, viewed from the standpoint
of productive energy.
In the face Of these conditions you
are extensively quoted as favoring a
further reduction of the circulation by
either Gripping Or Wiping out one half
the money we now have.
While u people are struggling I'M
der the hardships and privations en-
gendered by these conditions, while
stupid Incidence revels in luxury and
industry is clothed in rags and sur
rounded by conditions of poverty and
want, we are told by our executive
that the ~''sturdiness of our manhood is
being Slapped by extravaganza, etc.
Mr.. President, the class to which
your statement is applicable is very
small and is mostly composed Of pub
lie officials, who, while accepting pay
for their services from an already over
burdened people, are fitting away
their time on fishing and hunting ex,
c~ursions and drunken debauches, while
millions of the industrious and sober
are idle and destitute, and nearly all
the n~ecessaries and comforts of life are
controlled by heartless syndicates,
trusts and combines, with which re-
port says your interests are largely
ntifed.
n your late proclamation converting
1gress, you whereas the distrust,"
Now, sir, the distrust is not in