Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1895-04-30
THE GREAT ISSUE.

THE GREAT ISSUE.
1t is evident to every observing
person that the silver question is
daily becoming the great issue
for the next political battle. The
silver craze; as it is called by the
gold monometalists, is spreading
with fearful rapidity both East
and West, and bids fair to sweep
this country with a tidal wave in
1896: Populists and silverites
of the old parties may well feel
proud of their agitation for free
SILVER during the last couple of
years. Less than twelve months
ago they were laughed at and
sneered at by the goldbugs. But
the business of their cause and
the terrible earnestness OF their
advocacy, especially during the
last campaign, opened the eyes
OF the people, compelled the peo-
pie SO to speak to Investigate the
question. Yes, the Populist cam
paign last summer is already
bearing fruit beyond expectation.
Let no Populist begrude the time
and effort he spent during last
campaign for his party, for he
will have the honor OF having be-
longed to the party Of progress,
when nothing but principle could
actuate him to do so, and having
led, instead OF followed, in bring
ing about the test reform Of
modern times, not the abolition
of African slavery excepted.
THE SILVER QUESTION WILL LEAD
TO THE MONEY QUESTION.
Some Populists claim that the
silver question is OF secondary
Importance. In one sense this is
true. 1t is only a subdivision OF
the money question. But at
present the whole money ques-
ton is involved in the silver ques-
ton. The silver question at pres
ent means more than simply free
coinage OF silver sixteen to one.
1t involves. several other funda-
mental issues belonging to the
money question, such as: Shall
the government issue money, or
farm out this function to private
parties? Is debtor equally
with a creditor entitled to gov
ernmental protection, or is this
government simply organized
for the protection of creditors?
This is why the money power is
getting scared, and the President
has been called upon to exert his
influence in favor of gold mono
metalism. This is why President
Cleveland and his bitterest polit-
: ical enemies in the Republican
ranks are now combining for an
aggressive fight against silver.
Conventions arenow called South
West and East, Of Cleveland
Democrats and John Sherman
Republicans, to form the coming
gold party. The money power
has, or is concentrating it's
whole strength ON the silver is
sue. The Peoples party, and
those who agree with them on
the silver question, must do the
same thing. The battle between
organized capital on the one
hand and humanity on the other
! will beifought in 1896 ON the
silver question. II FREE silver. is
defeated, then we shall have rev.
:. olution and bloodshed. If it
wins, common people will exper-
7 fence such relief, and industry
take such a new start, tn at time
will he given the people to solve
the whole money and other ques-
ations. So that while the silver
ton may be simply a side issue,
yet at present it is the battle
ground for the whole issue be-
: tween labor and capital. To H.
&lustrate, four days before the
battle of Gettysburg, Cemetery
! Ridge was of no. particular i'm
portance in preference to other
ridges to establish a position for
an army. But two days after,
as the armies approached each
other and it was seen that a de-
cisive battle must be fought in
: the vicinity, the taking and hold
!. ing of this ridge involved the fate
of a nation and the,liberty the
slave. The con centration Of one
army at that point compelled Of
d necessity the concentrating Of
II the other at the same place.
So the ncentratiOn of the
money power. of it's forces on the
Iii lIii Yer quest on ] likewise cotmpels
the Peoples Part and thoseWho
agree with them on the silver
question to mass their forces at.
THAT point. NJ e believe in the
Omaha platf orin, ell of i: mind
rsawffa - - Ii 80