The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-06-13
VOL. II. NO. 7. WHOLE NO. SO.
A CORRECTION.

A CORRECTION.
We have received the following
from very able gentleman, for whom
we have the highest respect. He calls
himself Democrat; but a post-snorten.
examination would show that his
brain, heart, liver and lights are all
Populist. We take pleasure in pub
fishing his letter; but does not the ex-
ception,-of Tom Johnson, ,-prove the
rule?
How MINNEAPoLIs. May 81, 1894.
r Dear Sir-In your write up of the Hon.
Loren fIetcher you say that no Republican
protest against the clubbing Of Coxey's
men at the capitol. That statement is not
true true; !. and as no one knows be tier than you
the enclosed report Of Tom Johnson's
From ri his 'naf rearfs yIo will learn that
have at least, one Democrat In congress
who believes that the heads of the poor are
servants in Washington. You will also OBJ
serve that he does not hesitate to express
himself in the same forcible manner that
enough to give us Democrats credit for this
much and publish at least a portion of
coRey ana ibSseSe bsmSea koa9 for fair play to
OLIVER ERICKSON
We make the following extract from
Mr.. Johnson's remarks, as requested
by Mr.. Erickson:
81 claim, Mr.. Speaker, that as the
capitol grounds are in charge of the
the two houses of Congress, any
cruelty, any such outrageous conduct,
as was witnessed by members of this
70 Cor ho
this side is matter that affects the
dignity OF the house. It is a disgraceful
thing for innocent men to be clubbed
by policemen, in any case, but in the
present instance it occurred under
such circumstances that tine disgrace
attaches to the members and officers
Of this house. The policemen who
beat and bullied lot of defenseless
men were acting as our guardians.
we, the representatives of 65,00O,000
people, were being protected by the
clubs OF an organized force against a
few peaceable unemployed men,
whose leader, wished to read an adj
dress from the step of the capitol.
Now, | do not believe in the PROPOSE
tion of Mr.. Coxey, that the govern
ment should provide work for the un-
employed by issuing greenbacks and
building roads. The ultimate effect
of such scheme for making public
improvement would simply be to in
crease the value of land where such
Improvements were made, and thus
make land still more inaccessible to
home-seekers and wealth producers;
and all the money issued would at
once begin to flock into the pockets Of
those who control natural resources
and great monopolies. Opportunities
for employment abound on every hand
mining lands, city lots, water rights
sufficient to support at least 1,000,-
100000 people, but they are withheld
from use. All that the government
needs to do is to free opportunities
and men will employ themselves. |
have, however, the profoundest SYM
pathy with the misery and destitution
of which this movement is but All ex-
preston, and l recognize that it is the
failure to appreciate the true cause of
their suffering that leads men to i'm
practicable schemes. But, Mr.. Speak
er, that the representatives of this ma.
tion should have no better reception
for peaceful body of poor, unem-
ployed men, no matter how erroneous
their economic views. than to meet
them with the upraised clubs of police.
is. in my opinion, a disgrace. 1t is
politically blunder and morally a
crime; and it cannot but stir up feel
ings of bitterness, which a proper
course would have allayed"
We do not want to make point es-
pecially against Democrats. The rank
and file of that party are good, honest
men; just as good and as honest as our
own people; and if they were not re-
strained by pride and prejudice would
every man of them,-Mr. Erickson in
cluded,-be in the Populist camp.
But the controlling force of that par
ty, like the controlling force of the
Republican party, is owned body, soul,
and breeches, by the Plutocracy.
Those policemen, be it remembered,
were appointed by Democratic Con-
gress,-Democratic, by large major
ity, in both it's branches; and the
Democratic speaker of the House,
Crisp, ruled Tom Johnson out of order
and shut off his remarks.
But we are glad to hear from Mr.
Erickson any how, and hope to hear
from him again. We will never con-
sciously do injustice to the Democratic
party, or the Republican party, or any
one else. "Fair play is pretty
thing" and that is the platform of
the REPRESENTATIVE.
And we would further say, that, in
the hurry of composition, we may not
put the necessary limitations and ex-
ceptions to our remarks. We want
our readers to make allowance for
that fact. We do not intend to be
personally offensive to any one: and
when we whack at an element we do
not intend to hit an ipdividual;-e
pecially an individual who has good
sense and good taste enough to read
our paper. Even when full of right
eous Indignation there is no malice in
US. l. ID.
A POINT.
The man who can see a great issue
in tho tariff on calico and ammOnia