The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1893-10-27
LEFT THE OLD PARTY
a LETTER THAT. MADE A SENSATION
IN IOWA. POLITICS.

A LETTER THAT MADE A SENSATION
IN IOWA POLITICS.
Senator Bolter. For Over Twenty Years .
Democratic Leader, Breaks With His
Party-says He Is In Limo With the Prin-
siples Of the Peoples Party.
A special dispatch from Des Moines
says that Ex-senator L. R. Bolter of Lo-
gan, who has been a member of the leg
islature for the last "a years and for 10
years has been the Democratic leader in
the senate, has repudiated the party'spo-
sition this year and writes tho following
letter to the chairman of the Peoples
Party:
Hon. r. G. Scott. Des Moines:
DEAR SIR-Your kind letter Of the 10Th inst.
duly received, and all must admit the truth of
what you say. Yes, we have come to part
ing of the ways. A political revolution is upon
Us. The lines are rapidly forming, but are not
yet 90 distinct as to be visible to the unaided
eye.
The day for separating the sheep from the
goats, or rather from the wolves, draws near.
The great question now is whether our sys-
tenn OF government shall be plutocratic or dem
ocratic. The American people are today the
greatest debtor people on the earth, and those
debts, though represented in different forms.
are largely held BY Great Britain. To adopt a
single gold standard at this time and under
such circumstances would be equal to-aye,
worse Manipulating British guard over ev-
cry house.
The fraud of 1879, miscalled an act of con-
s7ees, should Internationally and without
time 10 debate DO repealed. Nor should con-
gress stop here. A full legal tender paper
money should at once be provided for and
enough issued directly by the government not
only 70 relieve the present stringency, but SUI
6cient in quantity to do the vast business of
the country on pay as you 60" basis.
The stupendous crime of placing chattel
mortgages on children not yet born by issuing
bonds payable by future generations should
not only forever hereafter cease, but any at.
tempt 20 to do should be regarded and pun
Ahed not as high misdemeanor merely, but
- cowardly felony.
lam . candidate for no Office whatever, nor
do ever again expect to be, hence this is not
said to captivate the populace merely. Nor is it
. newborn zeal nor q recent inspiration, for all
who know me best are we'll aware that these
have been my oft expressed sentiments, long
before there was q Greenback party, long be-
fore there was any party formed pledging itself
to ouch principles. had always hoped and
believed, however, that should the Democratic
party, in whose cause have 50 faithfully la
bored all my manhood's years, como into pow
e. it would adopt these or similar measure at
once, or without unnecessary delay.
find, however, that the power of patronage
seems to be greater even than q crown. We
80 in the midst of such a financial drought as
never overshadowed the republic before. IN
der the present conditions it is clear that all
mortgaged houses must 60. Tens Of thousands
Of homes that are not mortgaged, but whose
owners are in debt, must also be swallowed up
BY the same Unsuitable NAV if the present sit
uAtion continues for even few months, or, at
most, . few years. This is admitted by all
What remedy is proposed7 In Washington
we are told by leading men OF both parties that
the remedy lies in making money still scarcer
the unconditional repeal Of the Sherman act.
In Iowa we are informed by very high author
ity that no national issues need apply for con-
sideration: that we really have no voice or in
6uence whatever in these great and pressing
questions; that all our ills in this state lie on
the gateway of the beer key issue: that IL re-
lief shall come at all it must come through
the bung of the beer barrel; that if we can only
got proper legislation on this then will the rocks
not only pour forth rivers of oil. but we shall
be enabled to wash our weary feet not in
water, but in beer.
Thanking you for your kind invitation to
onsof LILO CssnVaoS, WILL say 1 am nOt YET IN
situation where my work, such as you suggest,
would be of value to the cause. Having been
. Democrat all my life, and claiming tho above
expressed views to be in full accord with true
Democracy as indicated by its patriotic found
ers, its platforms and all its sacred traditions,
/ still prefer to be classed and known as such.
If, however. you will kindly send me some of
those speeches, such as the one you sent me-
which was a good one-I will distribute to such
as, in my judgment. still adhere to this doc
txine, which conceive to be the true Demo-
cratic faith. Truly and very respectfully
yo1M, L. r. BOrHER,