The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-10-10
THE MONEY QUESTION AND WHEAT
PRICES.
The Demon etiZatfOn of Silver the Big
gest Thief of All.

The Decentralization of Silver the Big
gest Thief of All.
Editor Representa- tive-Permit me to say
shat l admire the broad and liberal spirit
In which the Representative is conducted.
There is, you know a way of speaking the
truth In love without unnecessarily wound
Ing or irritating old prejudces. If the peo-
pie could only come together and talk mat
tiers over in a friendly way there would be
very little difference on main issues be-
tween the intelligent classes of the differ
ent political parties. Overcoming old party
prejudiceS is a matter of time Instanta-
neous conversions, even when sincere are
apt to be the result of a momentary enthu-
stasm, rather than serious reflections, and
evanescent rather than permanent. Your
work is educational and missionary. 1 am
therefor pleased to notice that the Repre-
sentative is moving on lirfes that imply not
simply headstrong aggressiveness, but
rather skillful generalship.
The main fact undertaking the present
industrial Depression is unremuneratve
farming. How are factories going to start
up as long as there is no market for goods?
Agriculture is the first step the ladder
of industry. Knock that out and, progress
is blocked at once. Here we have a farm
ing population of 80 900, 900 consuming all
kinds of goods, necessities and luXuries for
young and old, and implements and ma
chinery for the prosecution of the industry.
The fatal falI' in prices of commodities of
late years has now and for two years past,
affected the great farm staples SO that the
farmer is doing business a a loss. And the
trouble Is that there is very little hope for
any better prices in the near future. Hence
this panic Is very different affair from
failure of crops, a. season that may be over
come by a bountfful one the next. And why
is wheat for instance, SO low in price? 1t
is not overproduction, for there Is more
wheat raised per capita Of wheat eating
population In the world today than there
was 20 years ago. 1t is underconsumption
Of wheat due to poverty of the masses that
makes it low. The wealth is gathered in the
hands Of a few and the masses are too
poor to, buy bread. They live half ra-
lions or eat coarser food stuff. The mil
lonaire's family eats no more than a GER
tain quantity of bread. Now if the balance
Of his capital went out into industry, paid
for labor sufficiently to enable the latter
to live as he ought to, it would be all
right. But 1t does not. 1t is boarded as at
present in this country, or invested in
bonds or mortgages to pay debts already
incurred only to be returned to the capital
ist This is the condition today in this
country and in all countries on the gold
standard at least. Under our present ap-
precating gold dollar the capitalist can
lock his money in the vault, and 1t lies
there drawing 2k per cent interest and
without risk of loss There is the root of
the evil. The gold standard must be de-
stroyed; the approaching dollar must be
destroyed; before industry and production
can revive, before the worlds labor can be
employed, before the worlds bread-eaters
can buy our wheat before we can get a fair
price for our wheat. To be sure, elevator
combines, excessive transportation charges,
option-dealing and the thousand and one
devices to skin the farmer out Of his Just
due are important factors in wheat prices
but the gold standard has now finally
downed the worlds prices to a point that
means the utter destruction not only Of
wheat raising, but all agriculture all pro-
duction, all industry, all hope for the toier
Of the world.
If the gold standard is not the devil in
carnate what is it? 1t must be destroyed.
Unless it is we are destroyed; all civiliza-
ton. all progress, all humanity, all Chris
tianity, and all divinity in the world are
destroyed. There is no middle ground no
compromise no parley No international
bimetallism will solve this question. 1t is
only dose of opium to q man with a. cam
Ger in his stomach it will lull the pain
but not cure the disease. 1 have no faith
in it.
We must have an American system Of
finance, an American dollar, that will stay
here and whose value can be regulated so
that 1t will properly measure the brain and
debtor and creditor, and guarantee to the
producer and investor a fair and just re-
turn for his capital and labor I am with
you in this work in my humble way NV
conscience tells me that l have to be- Let
the dead bury the dead issues of the past
and let those who are alive close up the
| ranks in battle array
CHRISTIAN JOHNSON.
New London, Mimi.