The Louisiana populist., 1895-04-26
AS.TGEID RIPS 1T up.
Weakness Almost Excites Pity
And Alleged Arguments
Contemplate.

Springfield, ILL.,, April 15.-
Governor Altgeld when asked to-
day if he had read President Cleve-
lands letter on the money question, |,
said:
eff it had any other name than
that of the president signed to it
nobody would give it any atten- !
ton: in fact, if l had signed suc'l !
document it would be ridiculed
all over the country, for its weak
ness almost excites pity, but the
letter is remarkable in this, that it
is the first instance in the history
of the country IN which presi-
dent of the United States, after
using all the powers of the gov
ernment, has, in addition, condes-
cended to write for the newspapers
in order to serve his masters. For
this letter was intended to start a
boom and has been advertised for
week in order to give it an au-
dience. Other presidents have
been used as convenience by class
interests, but this is the first time
in which a presidents name has
been dragged 500 miles outside OF
Washington City for that purpose.
After nominating Mr.. Cleve-
land three times and electing him
twice to the presidency, the Stand
ard oil and Wall street people got
him to use all the powers of gov
ernment to further their schemes.
The country has been astoundcd to
see postofIices and patronage used
to cOerce congress into doing the
bidding of the east, from striking
down silver to packing of SUI
preme court. In the meantime the
country has been going from bad
to worse. With abundant crops,
with the most Industrious, intelli-
gent and enterprising people to be
found on earth, we are in paraly-
zed condition, brought on by no
natural cause, but by the arbitrary
acts of a number of the govern
ments of the world controlled by
the influences of the salaried class
es and of the bOndholding classes
of Europe and America. These
wanted to make all property and
commodities cheap and money dear,
and they have succeeded.
"The result is that the purcha-
sing power of the producing class
es has been destroyed, while all
the debts, taxes and other fixed
charges remain the same. 1t takes
all the people can get together to
meet the fixed charges. Conse-
quently labor is idle and the great
producing classes are in distress
and they are finding out the cause.
They have learned that the social
ed honest dollar is the most dis
honest dollar ever in demand for it
: compels the debtor to give twice as
, much property to pay his debts as
, would have been necessary at the
time the debt was contracted. How
does the presidents letter offer
3 remedy for these people! None.
: They have been bled until they car
d not stand up and he simply tells
4 them to be content. They know
that until they get more blood they
: cannot do business. They have
r submitted to this ruinOus policy
e long enough and demand change
Y The eastern manipulators see this
q and in order to keep their grip
upon the government are arrang
ing to again dehde the people
: For this purpose they are going tt
start a boom and as it is the west
ern people who were to be dupet
it was decided to start the boom il
Chicago, and in orderto draw tn,
" crowd they concluded to take th'
president out, but before they 60
him there the atmosphere becam
# chilly and they had to give this up
f then they did the next best thing
they got him to write a letter TO
publication. 1t has come and tn
a boomlet that will be born Of thi
q will be such a little one that it viii
not reflect on the virtue of its moth
:, en-"