The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-11-07
W LES UP.
A Rip Van Wrinkle on the BuSin ess
Situation.

To the Editor:
VIII YOU kindly allow me small space
In your excellent paper in which to oues-
ton Cas non-partisan) some of the state
ments Of politicians? Rip Van Wrinkle,
like, | have been asleep for many years
50 far as that brand of business, politics
AMI government is concerned. | therefore
profess ignorance regarding many things.
VIII YOU. or some kindly disposed person.
eniiGhten me where 1 fail to see clearly?
FIRST that which seems nearest to me is
hard times everybody knows the times
are hard. Question-Why, then, do tn,
newsplp with few EXCEPTIONS proclaim
that times are Improving" really bet
ter than few months or weeks ago."
Dun and Brads;reet say no. Thousands
ami hundreds of thousands of half-clothed
half-fed, unemployed human beings say
no! Thousands of small merchants
tradesmen ana manufacturers say no! In
Vulnerable farmers say no! Who lies?
Yes, excuse mel, before [ went to sleep
this thing would be called lying. Now,
beg YOU viii guide me, for there is much
dust in the air, and my vision is not
clear, Am l right in supposing, then, that
politics is dust machine with thousands
Of air-pircs, oHt of which rush great VOL
lines Of lust for the alleged edifcat;on of
.he spectators and the glory and profit of
nose who run the machine? There arr
other questions which bother me, Mr. Ed
:or. Populist, Socialist, Anarchist-who
IRE they? What are they? Somebody is
disturbed by them Do YOU really think
would be in danger of meeting one OF
hem if 50 cut after dark? Are they
me ana the same thing, or is more
ike bear. another like a tiger, another
Ike an alligator? Now, seriously d
5ou think any of these hear-bugs will bite?
If | were Il child l would be frightenedD
When ! first awoke [ heard a voice
laying that the anal chists of New York
chicago AMI other large cities were rob
ping the people of all their money and
work too, anl so L pity the people ana
Tread the anarchists. What can they
want of the peoples money. Do they eat
t, or wear H. or warm their dens with
t? l dread the anarchists, for | hear
mother voice saying that "one thousand
II them already have sevnty-five billions
IF the peoples money" And now l am
getting mixed, for il is said that Populsts
are almost anarchists. Am / TO under
stand 10y this that a toad is almost 8
.ros? l am trying your patience; bu;
ion't YOU think somebody would get lone
some if there were no interrogations for
The good kind. thoughtful and wise edit
.ors and yoke-makers Lawmakers and
goVernment-peddcrs to stumble over? All
wish is, to he educated Now tell me
about the tariff. Mr.. Editor, so that I, too,
nay possess a little public OPINION (edi-
:ors make public orinion, dent they. Mr..
EditorD Is not the tariff question tina;
,og bank, that unknown quantity that
2lind Old hagbear which is made up of the
Sst which is blown from the pipes of
rose two long lines of opposing dust
blowers? And am L right in thinking it
to be related to the people and their
needs about as closely as a sand-hea is
10 astronomy? Another question-Whai
IS all this noise about q citizen of this
town possibly being elected governor of
this pugilistic state? DO hear YOU say
that his election would he a horrible ca
lamity' TO The "law-ahdng. long-suffer-
ing people of the commonwealth, or (par-
Ion me- the uncommonwealth? l really
don't know myself; it might hurt their
feelings. But here is an idea; can't you
head him off Mr. Editor? Call big
mass meeting of ''the uncommonwealtl,v''
people and their dust-blowers from both
sides of the tariff question. and resolve q
big resolve to down him; what business
has he to NEEDLE with the uncommon
wealth and dust-llowers, anyway? Don't
You think my plan would work well! MIR
Editor? VIII the atmosphere ever clear
up? Here comes a mighty fog rolling in
from Denver, five thousand strong" So
the papers say. The Populists have rr-
inca the business and industries of Col
orado. Oh, l see Il little clearer now If
the Populists have ruined the business of
Colorado, then the Populists must have
ruined the business OF the whole country
two and two makes four, EN- Mr. Editor?
Well, these object lessons are a great help
To me in figures, and | find that there
must be at least five thousand "uncom-
monwealthy" citizens in Denver. Seeing
We are old friends, Mr. Editor, 1 would
like to ask who the common people are
whom | hear talked about of late? Are
they the ones who walk on the grass of
the "unc commemorative" If. So what brlsi-
ness have they out of jail? l see you
agree with me that they have no business
out Of Jail, not even an odd job. AS am
very anxious to see clearly and have 9th
ers see clearly also. would it net be well
TO agitate the question of dust-consumine
attachments for at least the larger news
paper plants of the city? An early and
honest reply will greatly assist me- | am
sure, Mr.. Editor. Yours in earnest,
RIP V. W.