Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1895-05-04
ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE.
sGOyernOr McCcnnell's Appeal in Behalf
Of The White Metal.

Va AUG
To the People of the State of Idaho:
The depressed condition of the in
dustries of not only our own state but
all over the United States is such as
to command the serious consideration
of every citizen The nearly empty
trains which ghsul-hke fit across our
continent, the broken windows of our
silent mills and factories, the grim
tunnels and shafts of our mines, send
forth from their weird depths no sound
of life, the wan, pinched faces Of the
unemployed in our cities evidenced in
language more convincing than words
that the time has arrived when intel
iigent and patriotic action must be
taken by our people to meet the con-
.ditions which confront US. The man
tie of partisanship must be laid aside
and instead we must don the garb of
-uduHOOO anu NOuduuOOu anu lCSOANG
ourselves into what we should be
Americans. For two years President
Cleveland and his cabinet, with con-
gIess in sympathy with their views
on political economy, have been, l be-
lieve honestly trying to better the con-
dition of our country His first i'm
portant act was to cause the repeal of
the purchase clause of the Sherman
law promising as result the revival
of confidence and business.
Time has demonstrated that bis pre-
dlction and those of his advisors were
wrong. He next brought about a
change in our tariff laws, and that too,
failed to bring the promised relief 1t
need not be stated that confidence is
sorelv shaken in the present national
administration and the theories by
which it is governed. 1t is therefore
time that the people of our state
should, as Is their duty and right, pre-
pare to assert themselves in the con
ventions which will be held next year,
and they should determine as nearly
as possible without party bias the
cause or causes which have contribu-
ted to our present depressed condi-
tion.
! believe, in common with, ! think,
more than nine-tenths of the people,
west of the Mississippi river, that the
low prices of everything in which
mankind deals as a commodity, wheth,
er it be the product of labor or labor
itself, is caused by the enhanced value
of gold, brought about by the demon
citation of silver. No considerable
number of people in the west will
differ with me on this question. 1t
therefore becomes our duty not to
waste time abusing those opposed to
our views, or arguing with one anoth-
er, but rather let US proceed at once
with such intelligence as We possess
to restore the white metal as money
of final redemption at the ratio of 1t
to l.
A call has Deen issued by Governor
Richards, of Montana, for a meeting
to be held in Salt Lake on Wednesday
May 3 next. He has written to all
the governors west of the Mississippi
river requesting them to be present
and send three delegates from each
state. The call was timely and he has
received assurance that all the states
will be represented The object of
the meeting is entirely nonpartisan
and will be held solely for the pur-
pose of organization, and devising
means Of distributing silver literature
throughout the eastern states. All the
political parties will be represented,
not as partisans, but as loyal citizens
determined in their efforts to promote
the public good. Money viii be need
ed to pay for whatever literature the
meeting determine to circulate. Idaho
cannot afford to take b9ck seat in
this movement. We will he expected
to furnish our pro rata of the funds
which will be absolutely necessary to
carry the conflict on TO a successful
conclusion. In furtherance of this
object, have outlined the following
plan, and hereby appeal TO the citizens
Of Idaho to cooperate with one anoth-