The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-10-31
PLAIN TALK.
Open Letters.--From a Workingman to
President of the United States.
NO. III.
HON. GROVER CLEVELAND, Washington,
ID. c.:

NO. III.
Hon. GROVER CLEVELAND, Washington,
ID. c.:
sIR-Amid all this suffering and national
wreck you have stood, still persisting in
your course and crying: 81 am not re-
sponsible for the situation; / couldn't
help it; it was the silver law that did it;
overproduction caused IL; il was
the Mckinley law"--or anything
else that you think will find be-
levers. To this / reply: 1t is all false.
The Silver law was repealed nearly year
ego, and the situation, instead of being
made better, has become vastly worse.
The mercantile ageacies, which reach
and know intimately regarding every
business and firm in the country, have
repeatedly declared their agents unable
to find unusually large stocks OF manu-
factured goods on hand anywhere, except
such as have lately accumulated through
efforts to keep workingmen employed.
The Mckinley law, which every one
could rely upon TO keep our own
trade and defend Americans from
lower foreign prices so long as it was sure
to be let alone, became, for that purpose,
the same as il already abolished the mo-
ment your election told US that it would be
done away with for new one, which
would soon let into the country the half
cost goods from Europe to recuce the price
OF and drive out our own, thus at once de-
creasing and forcing selling prices down
ward toward European rates. Every
other excuse you have made has likewise
been exploded. You are responsible for it,
and you could have prevented IL. Six
years ago you brought forward your
patent low-tarin process in message to
Congress and forced your party to help
YOU in it. Ever since that time you and
they have worked TO get it into operation.
and have exerted all your strength and
every means in your power TO that end.
You made use OF lying statements re-
garding its effect on the working class
to misead us into giving you n
chance. You even went 40 far as to tell us
YOU had gotten il up for our particular
benefit, and TO pretend you were passing
almost sleepless nights because OF your
desire to help us. AS you mlsled us, SO
you did half the people in the country.
In consequence, we gave you the chance,
and a position where you could show your
ability in the matter, II you had any. You
accepted il, and have since repeatedly
declared your determination and
done what you could to cheapon things as
soon as possible. The fact that you had
the power and the certainty that you
would make the attempt forced every
commonsensed man TO get ready for its
accomplishment and TO provide for his
safety. The results shown in the present
situation and forotold by your enemies
naturally followed, and for them you and
your accursed process must bear the
blame.
You could have stopped ell the trouble
and brought back prosperity at any mo-
mcnt since your election until now by
five minutes work and a single line
written over your signature-a promise to
abandon tho process and forbid its use.
Knowing this and having failed 10 take
such action, you have upon your should
ers all the loss, suffering and disaster
which has already occurred, and until
rcmcdied moy occur hereafter. IL Is an
account that yon will some time be forced