The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1893-12-20

Our old friend, Carl Brown, of Cali
fornia, valiant worker in the
cause, writes us the following letter:
xs*
NAss1LLON, O., Dec. 90.
Hon. IGNArIUs DONNELLY,
Dear sir and brother:-How to get
the attention OF the people to re-
formation of our present money sys-
tenn, is the greatest question Of the
hOurl In my humble judgement,
the Coxey Good Road plan is the
best: Why? Well, in the first place,
there is no. dispute but that there
are many, many thousands Of idle
men all over the land. Secondly,
that all admit that good roads are
necessary. The employment Of the
idle thousands is imperative, and
what more plainly at hand than to
put the idle men to work building
good roads. Now, l believe if this
question is pushed to the front by
the peoples party at this time, we
can thus utilize these idle thousands
to raise such noise for work that
there would be a possibility of COM
polling congress to do this manifest
duty. Let us food congress with
petitions for it, and thus inaugurate
the initiative-the only true princi-
pie of law-making by a REPUBLICAN
system Of government-Of the SOW
ereign speaking to the servants
officials; thus by simultaneous ac-
ton by our forces on this line of
battle, at this time, we can utilize
the very results Of the present sys-
tem--idlcness and scarcity Of money
AS the means Of accomplishing
that which years Of agitation has
failed and may continue to fail to
do. by this means 1t may be done
by a rush. Thousands would sign
these petitions who could not be in
duced to vote the peoples party tick
ct, and yet it would practically
amount to the same thing if we could
get the law passed, for it would be
the enactment Of a law for making
legal tender money in accordance
with that provision of the constitu-
ton that cloths congress with power
to ''coin money and fix the value
thereof"
We send you herewith, or else
under separate wrapper, petitions.
Use one yourself to get signers, all
you can, and give the Others to good
men and see that they are all mailed
to the address given at the bottom
of the picture. We want to work
on congress as soon as possible.
Bro. COxey Is bearing the financial
and am putting in my whole time,
til it has fair trial to see ii the
Vui1
These petitions are sent to thou
sands all over the United States, to
Alliances, Industrial Legions and
Trades Unions, knights Of Labor,
ETC., requiring large expense for
postage alone to say nothing OF en-
craving and printing expense, and
other necessary expenditures. If
one man is public spirited enough to
bear this expense, certainly the rest
of us can give a portion Of our time
for 50 laudable an object. Now let
us test ourselves and see If we can
practice what we preach-pratical
cooperation for our general good.
Fraternally yours, CARL Brown,
National Recording officer.
The petition with grand, Illus
trated heading, is as follows:
PETITION.
To the House of Representatives, the Sen
ate and the President of the United
States.
Whereas, The public roads of the
United States, generally are a ma
tional disgrace on account Of their
almost impossible condition at least
one fourth OF the year, thereby caus-
ing great loss and inconvenience to
the people, both commercially and
socially; and,
Whereas, There is at the present
time, great depression in business
and many idle men are thrown upon
charity on account OF not being able
to dispose Of their labor, and belicv-
ing that human nature is such, that
they would prefer to labor instead
OF receiving charity ii they but had
the opportunity, and believing also,
that the agricultural classes are pay
ing all the taxes they can stand, we,
the undersigned, do therefore re-
quest and urge upon you the neces-
sity OF immediate action as follows:
That you enact law, to issue fire
hundred millions Of Treasury Notes to
be u full legal tender for all debts both
public and private, such money to
be set apart exclusively for public
roads, aud to go to each state pro
rata with the number OF miles Of
road in the state, and to be apprupri-
ated and issued at the rate OF tuenty
millions per month. :
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NAMES.
Certainly this country needs more