The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1894-04-14

AbSolU'
ANOTHER RECRUIT.
2. Il Brunsr, ! Prominent Republican
Joins the Populist Party.
HALEY, April II, 1894.
Editor Wood Rissr Neaos- Miner:
am believer in the free and unlimi-
ted coinage Of both silver and gold, At =
ratio of 16 to /.
am satisfied that the chief cause of
the universal distress existing in America
to-day is to be found in the legislation
concerning money.
What parties enacted aud are response
BILE for that legislationi The records an
swer, the Republican and Democratic
parties.
Sometimes the leaders and moving spir-
its in the vicious legislation were Repub-
licans; sometimes Democrats. To- day
the leaders and the victors are . combina-
ton Of both Republicans and Democrats.
When the gold monometalllsts and money
changers intimate that 4 certain piece of
legislation is necessary and proper, tho
Legislation At once follows. When the
lion ,oinks in London the lamb in Wash
ington soinks, too, and the american con-
gress does the rest.
Apparently, those who have the gold
in their Golfers direct and control those
in authoritative stations as if they held
them in the hollow of their hands.
The great mass of the people, 90 far -
accomplishing legislation Is concerned,
might just ~ we'll be in the bottom of
the sea or hanging on to one Of 6aturn's
rings. For Frustrated, paraly xed, ignored,
they are now living on the ragged edge
of despair.
Which party is responsible. whether
one more than another Of the old parties,
it is now not necessary for me to enlarge
upon. It sufices to say that for twenty.
one years our main money law has been
in force. For twenty-on years the party
to which have belonged, and for which
have talked and worked and voted-the
Republican-have had it in their power
to enact one of the grandest laws for hu-
manlty and America that nineteeth GEN.
fury American citizen could ask for. Has
it been done2 No. The light of humani-
ty and Americanism seems to have burned
low since Lincoln died.
For twenty one years that most colos-
sal piece of infamy or ignorance, the s,l-
yer demonstration act of 1873, has been
upon the statute books. For years the
question of its repeal has been burning
one. For many years we have asked,
begged, implored, petitioned for and de-
manded its repeal. Relief has been de-
MED Us.
Twenty one years! That offspring and
conception Of iniquity, the demonetiza-
ton act of 1873, has only reached its ma.
jority. Better far for the country and its
people had it been treated after the man
ner Of the Spartan mother and throttled
in Its infancy. If not throttled soon what
will not the monster bring about2
shall for once try to heed the admon-
itions and teachings of experience.
Twenty ne years ago the population
of this country was about 81, 100000. It
was reasonably prosperous. Silver and
gold were both equally honored. The
miner Of silver and the miner of gold en-
tered arm in arm the minis of the United
States with their bullion, and departed
from those mlnts with that bullion in
bright shining coins of both silver and
gold; the money of the world for thOus
and of years. Silver was ut l.3S per o.,
or slight premium over gold.
To-day We have population of "a, 900,
900; the population doubled; business
quadrupled; silver demonetized, and 50
cents m ounce; and the most completely
paraiyzed country on earth; and gold the
only money, or rather possessing the sole
freedom Of the minis.
1t appears plain to me that those of the
Republican and Of the Democratic parties
Who at present control-and likewise for
some time past-have locked arms and
combined with old England to legislate
for her benefit. She has the gold mines,
controlling more than any other country
on earth. We have the silver mines. She
10 the creditor nation; has the gold; and
she directs the legislation that des troys
half the money of the world; locks the
doors to the treasure vaults in our hills
American hills! and with apparent safety
leaves the keys with the Combine Moguls
at Washington.
In after ages, when our descendants OF
some thousand years take up the book of
history and read the story of their fathers,
how they will wonder that they were the
offspring of such degenerate sires rs many
of those who sat ~ members In the halls
Of congress from 1873 to 1894.
am an American. am satisfed that
the United States has the wealth OF nat.
ural and acquired resources, and the power
of muscle and Of brain to enact and main
tain financial policy of her own against
the world. Ny own party the Republic
can-deuies the wisdom and the practic-
ability of such policy. l believe that
the majority Of the American people to-
day desire . distinctive and absolute
American policy. believe that the com
fort and welfare, safety and honor Of the
people of this nation will be wonderfully
enhanced by the free and unlimited coin
AGE of silver 1t the ratio of Is to 1.-The
adoption Of . pure American policy.
This the men who control the Republican
party deny.
will not follow where they lead, for
it is the direct road of disintegration,
disaster and death.
lay no claims to perfection. Perfec-
ton is hardly possible in these degener-
ate days. Ny observation convinces me
that the success OF IN American financial
policy, the free and unlimited coinage Of
silver, and general national prosperity and
happiness will DO accomplished and e.
tablished swiftest and surest, through the