The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-05-23
A NOVEL IDEA.
Bounty to Wheat Growers-A Strong
Argument.

Bounty to Wheat Growers-A Strong
Argument.
Editor Representative: Now, doctor, adj
hitting that your contention that prices Of
wheat and cotton, etc, enormously low.
how are you going to remedy it?' This is
the query propounded to me every day.
Let me answer so that every farmer may
know how to confront the adversary. And,
II any of your writer's or readers have bet
ter plans let them set them forth. We
must have clear ideas as to what we want,
and why and wherefore
F1rSt-A sufficient volume of the medium
or exchange, be it gold silver or govern
ment legal tender paper money, will cause
rise In prices Of commodities to a reason
able level. and a sufficient yearly addition to
the same, commensurate with increase in
population and business, will keep prices
steady. Steady and remunerative- prices of
the great farm staples are the only test
criterion of the proper amount of money in
circulation. This money solution of the
problem Of unremuneratve farming u.s. in
my opinion, the rational and scientific sOlu-
tlon In $780, when passing the Sherman
law, the Republican party gave hope Of
sowing the question to some extent in that
way. r. S. Lacey, comptroller Of the. cur
rency, in his report of $780, said: 1.-THE pass
age of the bill above mentioned SHERMAN
iaW), authorizing the issue of notes in pay
ment for silver bullion, is generally ac-
cepted as indicating the adoption of new
and permanent policy on the part Of the
general government and as tantaInount to
a declaration that the national banks are
not to be made use of in the immediate flu
lure 10 supply the country with the addi-
tlonai circulation required" This new and
permanent policy of substituting silver for
hatlonal bank currency was hailed by de-
ilgnt among Western Republicans, as an
earnest of further progress in a RIGHT d.
iectloh. But this very announcement seems
" nave aroused the banking fraternity, for
shortly after systematic contraction of both
loans and circulation was inaugurated.
lhus, In 1892, the national banks held $780,
4l5,s4o04 more of cash than in 1891 If other
banks held proportionately and general
credlt likewise curtailed, as we know it
was over s2oo0 900 was probably taken out
vi circulation Is months after the comp
trollers report. This contraction was the
beginning of the panic, the war on silver,
the cause of the late enormous fall in prices
ol wheat and cotton, and ended in the re-
Versal of this so-called new and permanent
poilcy. The Republican party, by the re-
versai OF It's policy of $780, at the behest of
John Sherman and Wall street missed its
greatest opportunity of serving the people
since the war, and scaled it's own doom.
Even if it should back-track on the silver
question, what confidence can we have in
statesmen who have once abandoned the
pronounced policy of their party at the be-
nest of the money power?
NOW, then, what prospect is there of get
ting proper money system? Not much
1or some time to come, l am afraid. Have
we, then, no other remedy for the farmer?
On, yes. We have, from the beginning of
thls government, legislated to encourage
American industry and American labor
we claim to have raised the American
wages by law. We claim it is right and
proper to save our laborers from competi-
tlon with European pauper labor. Well
ana good. Now we, the farmers demand
protection from competition with the ryat
Oh India and the serf of Russia. How will
we get it? Let congress pass a law giving
bonus of, say 25 cents per busheI of
wheat, or IL cents per pound of cotton, or
Whatever may be necessary to enable the
wheat raiser and cotton planter to live like
other people. Why not? There is a bonus
on sugar. Why not on wheat? Isn't wheat
OF more intrinsic value than sugar? And
the wheat farmer as worthy of protection
as the sugar planter? And hasn't the far
mer both capital and labor invested and
why should not farming, our chief industry
pc protected as well as any other industry?
Let our statesmen answer these questions
before they begin to talk about calico and
peanuts and tariff schedules. l believe in
the principle Of protection. That is what
the government is for: to protect the weak
against the strong; to promote the general
welfare of all classes of citizens: and ia
raise us. if possible, to higher plane of ex-
istence than the rest of the world But this
industry, and not partial, for the benefit of
a Few or certain classes, at the expense of
the rest. II our statesmen will not give I'D
The gold standard; if they honest in
their belief in the gold standard, let them
snow their honesty by giving us farmers 2
bonus to enable US to farm under the gold
Standard Haven't they revised the Wilson
bill five times for the purpose of protecting
some industry that would die for want of
1t? Some collar and cuff industry, involving
of foyy
about our 3o,Gl0000 farm population, doing
business at a loss of $1,000 0OO,00O annually?
Can't they revise the Wilson bill once more
and include bonus to the farmer? 1 say
let them show a little honesty; make some
attempt to act justly and on the square, or
let them quit The present tariff comedy is
100 ridiculous to merit the apDelation of
monkey show. Sensible people don't know
whether to laugh or cry over the spectacle
one Is reminded of the words of Christ:
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees hypo-
crits! for we pay 1.-THE of mint and anise
and cummin, and have omitted the weight
Ter matters of the law, Judgment, mercy
and faith; these ought we to have done and
not to leave the others undone Ye blind
guides, which strain at gnat and swallow
a camel
Now, farmers, let no one talk tariff to you
until he explains why the farmer is not a
subject of protection, like other classes of
citizens. Why bonus on wheat is not as
just as a bonus on sugar. If a party man.
demand from him what his party has done
or attempted to do for the farmer. Demand
proof of his honesty before you listen to
him on any other matter. The time for
fooling is past. In essentials, unity and
positiveness; in unessentals, liberality Sc
lect not simply honesty, but also brain for
your leaders. Remember that generalship is
as necessary as soldiers in war So in poll
tics. Select leaders of character and brain.
and give them carte blanche, and you can
march to victory in spite of all opposition,
for the Eternal has decreed that right and |
Justice shall finally prevail
CHRISTIAN JOHNSON