The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1893-02-11

Whatever may be the view of the reader
about the advisability of passing the
Anti-Option Bill, there can be no possible
difference of opinion as to the character
of the contest wagcd by Sentor Wsshburn,
of Minnesota. No measure presented for
congressional consideration during several
years has provoked the opposition brought
out by the Anti-Option Bill Money, in
luence, corporate greed, commercial pre-
judice, and financial traditions were all
consolidated against him. The Junior
Senator from Minnesota has labsrsa ftA
energy and patience to attain his end.
Even the enemies of the bill unite in com
plimenting the Senator upon the legisla-
tive ability he has manifested in the con.
test. Senator Washburn said to the writer:
''This fight has been made in the in
terest of the farmers and producers of
America. No class of men have been so
heartlessly and criminally treated as the
food producers of the Nation by tho con-
scienceless speculators of the large COM
mercial centers. Long ago I determined
that if the opportunity was offered to me
to do 80. would strike one blow at the
gambling fiend that was robblng the honest
people of the country of their hard earned
substance. That blow, embodied in the
Anti Option Bill. The men who deal IN
futures, as class, compose the most dan
gerously criminal element of the CONNER
cial classes today. Behind the system of
dealing In futures the gambling spirit has
taken its final refuge. All other forms of
gambling become moral when compared
with this. It is not only robbing and ruin
ing the farmers and planters of the country,
but is doing infinitely moro Injury to the
gamblers themselves. Every great, organ
lied crime is always most ruinous to the
criminals who seek to profit by it. It
was so with slavery, with polygamy, with
the Louisiana lottery. 1t is 80 with option
dealing.
For two years have been traduced
and slandered as no other public man has
been since the war period. This I con-
slider the highest praise that could possibly
be conferred upon me personally, and the
very strongest argument in favor of the
justice and righteousness of my measure.
Until began this fight had no sort of
conception of the terrific ramifcations of
this organized crime, or of the mighty in
iuence welded for wrong doing. Every
step taken in studying the subject has
opened new vistas of criminality, injustice.
organized selfishness and downright rob-
be.y that have perfectly amazed me. I
knew years ago, by instinct rather than ;n-
formation, that option dealing was wrong.
But until lately did not know how in
famously vile it was. And its worst feature
is that it is utterly impossible to fix per-
sonal responsibility for any one Of, it's
catalogue of sins. II the crimes and mis-
demeanors of the system could be divided
and personalized, one seasons operations
in the grain and cotton market alone would
suffice to people and overflow every state
prison in the country.
''My fight against the system has only
just commenced. If live it will be pros
ecuted in other directious. If die there
are now plenty OF younger and stronger
men to take NJ the work where leave Of" !"