Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1894-07-26
CAMERON's LETTER.
Utterances of the Pennsylvania Statesman
that Attract Worldwide Attention.

Utterances Of the Pennsylva Statesman
that Attract worid-wi Attention.
The following letter was sent to the ma
tional convention of the republican league,
at Denver, in response to an invitation to
be present:
My DEAR SIR-Your invitation comes
at a moment when Congress requires the
attention of its members. / should be
glad to accept it, for we have entered
troubled time and we need mutual counsel
and support, but whatever | am to say can
be said only in writing.
This is not moment for stimulating
bitterness or inhaming passions. We need
all our powers of forbearance and self
control. Let us give credit to our oppo'
nents at least for good Intentions, even
though they give no credit to US.
ON THE EDGE OF REVOLUTION.
All Europe and all America are in
trouble. Everyone admits that the world
stands on the edge OF revolution-social
and political-but every one shrinks from
it. Neither North nor South, East nor
West, neither capitalist nor laborer, wants
TO create caste or classes, or to spread
misery, oppression, or violence. We all
see danger before us. We all want to
avoid it. Our only dispute is about the
path.
To those of us who have had chiefly in
mind the struggle between silver and gold,
this is the question which for the moment
presses hardest. The single, gold stand
ard seems to US to be working ruin and
violence. If its influence is to continue
for the future, at the rate of its acti>a
during the 20 years since the gold stand
ard took possession of the world, some
generation not very remote will see In the
broad continent of America only half
dozen overgrown cities, keeping guard
over a mass of capital, and lending it out
to population of dependent laborers on
the mortgage of their growing crops and
handiwork.
Such sights have been common enough
In the worlds history, but against 1t we all
rebel. Rich and poor alike, republicans,
democrats, populists, labor and capital,
railways, churches, and colleges all alike,
and all in solid good faith, dread such
future as that.
Nine-tenths of mankind are hostile to
the single, gold standard. Our 20 million
people are unanimous against IL. Most
Of the great European countries and their
governments are against it. South Amer
ica rejects it. The whole of Asia knows
only silver, and India, which contains Ave
si1ths of the subjects of the British crown,
IA as hostile to it as ourselves. Yet the
London bankers say we must submit, and
we have submitted.
AN ASTONISHING POWER.
So strange a spectacle has never been
seen in our history, and the argument, and
even the compulsive proof brought by
worldwide ruin, seems to be helpless
against such an astonishing power. What
IA the use of argument when We are CON
WINGED, and when at least ninetenths of
the civilized world agree, that England
holds us to the single, gold standard by
the force of capital alone more despot-
ically than she could hold us to her en-
pire in 1776i The mere threat of her
displeasure psralyzes mankind.
We want real money carrying
intrinsic value. Yet IL England succeeds
In her obstinate effort TO destroy the value
Of silver for coinage, nothing can save us
from paper. England may well succeeds
she seems already to be on the point OF
success greater than her government
wanted; and, in that case, irredeemable
papsr-fst money-stares us in the face,
Something, then, must be decided, and
quickly, for delay itself Is likely to be de-
cision. The republican party must either
az the single standard Of the nation or
reject 1t. This time We can no longer es-
cape the issue, and whatever We do must
be done openly. When great policy Ia
TO be entered upon, the straightforward
path Is the best.
The republican party held power for q
whole generation, and during all that time
made only one fatal mistake. Under the
influence of the banking interests, acting
IN what was then believed the true interest
Of the country, the party fell into the for
| - ~o,.nira,x NJ making a sfnOle GOLD