The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-04-17
A STRONG LETTER.
"A PLEA FOR THE UNION OF ALL
ELEMENTS OF REFORM.
An Argument to Show That All AdvO-
Gates of Free silver Should Vote
Together in 1S0G-Virginia Appeals
to minnesota.


To the Editor: r&-
If there be wisdom in a multitude of
counsels," then there will be wisdom evolv-
ed to guide the people through the discus
sion of the Silver party movement. Few
men are better equipped that Gen. J. b.
Weaver to understand the nature Of the
mighty contest required to secure even the
simple justice of repeal. of the unconsti-
tutional. fraudulent act of 1873.
1t is life and death struggle for Ameri-
can liberty; for if we fail, there is no re-
course but revolution or abject submission
to plutocracy as relentless and unscrupu-
lous as the world ever saw. Since the con-
centrated power of the national banks has
been invoked to increase the national debt
and destroy the legal tender power of our
treasury notes and of our coined silver, the
Bimetallic League and many public men
of both old parties have seen the necessity
of restoring to the government the full con-
troll of the currency instead of delegating
that power to corporations. which have so
many times combined to direct the financial
policy of the government and in fact,
dominate in all legislation and even to con-
troll the national conventions.
The Bimetallic League, reinforced by a
powerful body of men, now insists upon the
point that the general government shall ex75
ercise it's sovereign power as to paper
money. as well to gold and silver. 1t is
not one plank by any means.
The present danger seen by Jeffer-
son. by Calhoun, and was foretold by Lin
coin Gen. Weaver, while in congress, saw
the power and in remarkable speech eX-
pressed the opinion now held by very many
that there is a secret organiZat ton in con-
troll of unlimited money, to use in carrying
out. their schemes in Europe and in this
country.
| cannot recall all his burning words. But
all men can see results, the causes of which
can only be accounted for upon that hy-
pothess. They depend surely upon the
avarice and greed of large class and by
comprising the defeat of all representatives
who dare oppose, and richly rewarding all
who betray the people and serve them, ana
by controlling the great public journals
and magazines of the country, they show
their power.
The power which controls dynasties in
Europe. and can as readily change it's map,
as it can the directors of an American rail
way will not be content until the power OF
the people is broken by poverty. Senator
Teller, than whom no truer man we nave
last winter said that the military power in
Europe is not maintained to make war, but
to keep down the people. Here the effort is
made to increase the military power but
more particularly to increase the judicial
arm of the government to check the aspir-
ations of the people. Such concentrat ted
power cannot be met by the goody goddess
among the Peoples party, who desire to
move all along the line of reform. What
weakness for intelligent, worthy men as r,
D1n a.
party platform is broad enough for ALL"
In .the same sense it would be if it took in
protection, free trade, single tax and pro-
Inhibition. Good, honest. worthy men are be-
hind all Of them but no two agree. Why
will not men recognize the fact that no re-
form is possible until the citadel Of plutoc
racy is taken, and that power broken?
Have they not seen the efforts made to
keep the people divided by fostering all the
Issues af1oat freely contributing to them
all, generally helping the under dog in
every fight. Defeating such men as {. II.
Van Wyck and Ralph Plumb (who exposed
the forgery of the bond act by the insertion
of change in the one word which extend
ed the time in which they could be re-
deemed), who dared to speak for the people.
Have they not seen every servitor of the
gold bugs in the treasury department am
ply provided for and most of the public
men in some way-ike the recent cases of
Springer and Kilgore?
Men like Blanton Duncan and Mr.. Har-
vey should recall the words Of John Bright
who, on the eve of triumph for his great
reform bin, was urged to tack something
else upon it.
Let "huddle and fight be the watchword
Temple Bar. but never six abreast"
Let "huddle and fight be the watchword
to lead to victory, as suggested by that
grand old fighter. Gen. Weaver. Millions
of thoughtful men dread any such increase
of the vast government machine, such as
an ownership of the railways and tele-
graphs involves, in view of the encroach-
ments of executive power recently witness
ed and well they may dread it, The vast
increase of public patronage is already a
menace to our institutions. It's abuse is
blot upon the proud escutcheon of our
great republic. Before a year has passed
1T will probably be seen the full magnitude
of the contest, for the battlefield for the
world will be in country. We are not
now over-awed by military power, but as
great a power in the concentrated influence
of money will be used upon people weak
ened, and in too many cases unnamed by
the very evil work we contend against.
America is the arbter, and this is admitted
by some of the ablest men in England.
Christian America is responsible to the
world for the evil done in 1873, and for all
the suffering in other lands as we'll as our
own, for SO long condonins that greatest
crime of the ages Without our assent
the great scheme to elevate gold above
humanity would not have been attempted.
France only yielded after our act. 1t is in
our power to atone for the wrong and place
our country in the proud position of the
deliverer of all nations. They look with
hope to the great republic-free, as they
think, yet under CALLING bonds.
J. w. PORTER.