Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1894-12-14
Queries Of a Populist.

one ana the dcccucnce OF the other.
Queries Of Populist
With the understanding that q re-
ply to Il few queries by that active
Populist, J. G.. Conine, shall not lead
to an intcrminable controversy, in
which hairsplitting differences OF
opinion may be magniiied into vital
political issues, We yield space at this
time for what some may consider A
Fools Errand," an attempt to con.
vince one of that party of the i'm
practicability of his political aims.
Mr.. Conine says that he hopes his
queries will he answered fairly, and
that no disposition will exist to evade
them by subterfuge and sophistry,
as on former occasion. and he says
he addresses the STANDARD. because
ait is the best conducted and most
liberal paper published in the coun
ty." That taffy is not misapplied
Our columns are thrown wide, fol
once at least, in the HOPELESS task o.
removing aggravating doubts from the
mind of one who belongs to the elias.
who
- Convinced against his will
Is OF the same opinion still"
Query LIST. "If $4,000 plutocrats have
succeeded. by vicious legislation, in the
past 80 years. in accommodating over $3l :,
600, 600 900, or one-half the wealth of the
country, how long will it take them tt
gobble the other half, by the same sys
TEN OF legislation?"
That query should have been ad
dressed to the Olympian, if a fail
presentation of the diverse side of thu
proposition is desired. The party the
STANDARD represents ard the prinei
pies it advocates have had nothing tt
do with the creation OF the bugabot
"plutocrats" the Populists so delight
to pummel.
I'D, If half our railroad bonds are
owned in foreign countries, and half the
roads are in the hands of receivers, anC
the railroad indebtedness amounts t.
5000 100000, how long will it be be-
fore the whole outfit is owned by foreign
plutocrats:''
In the first place, the statement,
made as the premise of this question
look as if they had gone through the
Populist camp-kettle. They appear
somewhat steamed" Be that as il
may, if the present business stagna.
ton is much further prolonged by
Debs and Coxey outlawry, the whole
outfit" might just as we'll pass into
the hands of "foreign plutocrats. ii
The time will inevitably come when
universal ruin will stare US in the
face, unless labor and capital har.
monize through mutual concessions
The application of irritants does moi
heal sore. That "grievious words
stir up anger" is as applicable to large
affairs as small, and the shouting
Populist will find that where his revo
lutionary policy gains single convert
it drives a score to active support o
the "plutocrats." Time was whel
the Populists declared the railroads +
be fairly rolling in the wealth filche'
from labor. Now that they hav
passed into the hands of receivers from
inability to sustain themselves upol
their decreased earnings during
prolonged season of business prostra
ton, another scape-goat had to b
found, and our Populistic friends GRO.
the seas to find him.
Sd, "If We have to issue $50 900 ,OC
i'll bonds at five per cent, every 81
months, to pay gold interest, which mus
be filched from the pocket of labor, no
long will it take to pauperize the pei
ple?"
Here again is such glazing mi
statement OF the proposition submitte
that the conclusion implied is by n
means a logical conclusion. tt
premium paid on the late issue ,
bonds, reduces the interest to thre
per cent, and the alternative was onl
to tide over an emergency till Coz
gress met, and will not be necessal
n "every six months" as stated, an
t the assumption that the fund tn,
1 raised is " fliched from the pocket
t labor to pay gold interest" is one
4 stock in trade" assertion SO peculi,
, to Populistic arguments, involvir
}. the assumption that labor (representt
n by the class who stand around oste
It sibly waiting for job) pays all Il
e costs of the government.
t cath, If 80 years of Republican legi
!, ton has produced 5000. 600 paupers,
= shown by statistics, how long will it tai
8 the same system to bankrupt the 60
eminent"
a In the first place, are there thr,
million paupers in the United State
e or is this one of the Manchause
o statements that flowed so freely fro
e the Populists in the late campaign
r, A pauper is one who is supported
i whole or in part by charity. It
e absurd to suppose that one person
e 90, throughout this country is pa
# per. If it were true, by what assum
D ton is it claimed that the policy
Il any party caused such wide-spres
: restitution? The Populists make Il
y mistake OF regarding the governmel
e as the parent, bound to provide for i
i ofF-spring-the people. This patern
:, idea pre-supposes the existence of
y power higher than the people then
t selves. a provident. powerful, wis
y sagacious, loving entity, whose word
law and power omnipotent. Such
power might make fiat money ego
, and decree that free coinage shout
enrich everybody, and in that ever
, there would be no fear OF bankruptc
! of the people, and the government
could not of course become bankrur
under such conditions. But unfo
: tunately for this proposition, there
no power higher than the peopl
themselves, and if they keep part
in power by their votes whose polio
is baleful it is their own fault, an