Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1895-02-19
ARE YOU DEAF AND 3t,ND7

an Open Letter Which Asks That Ques-
ton of Grover Cleveland. President.
70 Grover Cleveland, President of the
United States of America:
have read with adherence your rec
ommendation to congress to rob the peo-
pie of their money (greenbacks, etc.,
and give it to the banks in the shape of
$500, 900, 900 bonds to run SO years,
with interest at per cent, all payable
in gold, and all to to duplicated at their
pleasure by their notes.
Do you not know that tho patience of
long suffering people is stretched to its
utmost? That it will snap if this strain
be added? Do you not know that the
people never elected you-admitting for
the present that the people did elect you
for anything like this2 Do you realize
that what you propose is license to the
banks for wholesale plumber and extor-
ton? You have yourself witnessed their
utter lack of patriotism, their merciless
greed, in their recent raidings Of the
treasury, and yet you propose to offer
them the whole country as field for
their exploits. You do this, and in the
same message you dare to speak of the
national honor: " Do you not know
that the way to preserve the national
honor is for the nation to make none but
honorable promises? Is your idea of ma
tional honor to rob the many for ia.
vored few?
Do you not believe that if these bonds
that you propose are fastened upon the
people they will be broken? Do you look
upon the United States of America as a
nation Of slaves who will forever pay
tribute to the money power? Do you
wish to plunge the country into repu-
diation? Do you want to hear from mil
lions of threats, Burn the bonds and
bounce the bankers?'
Where were courage, wisdom, patri.
otism, justice and mercy when you made
| this wicked and cowardly surrender to
the demands of the spoilers Of the peo-
pie! Can you not look beyond the circle
! OF the 800, 900 stockholders Of the ma
tional banks to the people themselves!
Has their clamor driven you mad? Can
you not see that every step you have
taken at their bidding has put more
power into their hands, brought more
and more distress upon tho people? Why
do you take counsel of the peoples enc
mics?
Are you deaf that you do not hear the
voices Of the children weeping? Are
you blind that you do not see the long
and CHASTITY procession of suicides, driv-
en- to- desperation by the conditions
brought about by the men who stop at
nothing in their determination to get
full control of our finances? Is there no
answering t.1rob in yours to the CULVER
ing hearts that bleed under the crush
ing tread of these merciless despots?
Have you thought what future gen.
erations will say of the man who asked
to have an added mortgage of $780,
900, 900 put upon the toilers of this land
after they had worked in vain for 80
years to eDlancipate themselves and
their country from the slavery of debt?
This nation stands today before the
Son Of Man under this terrible indict-
ment, II was stranger and ye took me
not in, naked and ye clothed me not.
hungry and ye fed me not sick and in
prison and ye visited me not If your
recommendation is carried out, the ma
tion s fate is sealed Such a revolution
will come as will force you to see and
hear the things to which you now seem
deaf and blind
CELIA B WHITEHEAD
G11l