Rocky Ford enterprise., 1895-03-14
ST. JOHN OF KANSAS.


Plain Words From the Ex Governor on
thu Politicu Outlook.
Topeka. i<ans., March G.-Ex-Gover-
nor John p. st. John reached here this
morning. To reporter who asked him
for his views on the political situation,
he said:
II came from New York. where I
can see what is going on, and I regard
this as the most critical period In the
nations history. Our financial system
has enabled few men to absorb the
wealth of the nation to such an ex-
tent that the people are rapidly being
reduced from hOme-owners to tenants.
Ninety-seven families out of every 100
In Chicago are tenants and about nine
ty-four out Of every 100 in New York
live in rented homes while nearly or
quite half of the farmers of the nation
arc tenants and If our present financial
system Is continued in another genera
ton ours will be republican govern
ment only in name-a plutocracy in
fact.
"When I speak of our financial sys-
tenn and Its evil influences l refer par
ticularly to the demonetization Of sill
yer and the reducing of the country to
gold standard. In face of the fact
that our country enjoys the blessing
of peace with the world, general good
health, abundant harvests, and yet COM
PEELED to get down upon its knees be-
fore the money power of the world beg
ging for gold to keep 1t from bank
ruptcy, Is not only humiliating to every
true American citizen but 1t Is dis
grace to the civilization of the day and
age in which we live"
"Do you think the next Congress,
! which Is reported to be a silver Con-
gress, will give the country some re-
lief|'
"No, I do not, for the reason that
both Democrats and Republicans went
before the people in 1892, pledged to
bimetallism, and in 1898, at the extra
session of Congress, treacherously vio-
lated their pledges by standing together
| and voting down five different PROPOSE
tions for bimetallism which were In per-
feet harmony with their platform
pledges.
SHERMAN and Cleveland are party
leaders and both stand together on all
| financial questions. The truth Is there
is no longer any real issue between the
two old parties. They are each plant
tools of the money power and will con-
tinue to be SO, and there Is but one way
out of the trouble, and that Is for all
men who are in favor of loosing the
grip that Wall street and the Roth
schilds have on the government to
stand together at the ballot box in IA
vor of all money being issued direct
| ly to the people by the government, ev-
cry dollar of which should be legal ten
, der for all debts, public or private,
| and to this end free and unlimited coin
| age of both gold and silver. In other
words, we need an increase in the vol
ume Of currency, backed up by the law,
which makes the dollar good enough to
pay the farmer for his wheat or the la
boring man for his days work good
enough to pay the bondholders' bond"
"You say a crisis Is at hand. What
will be the result If there is no RENE
dial legislation?' asked the reporter.
1.-THE laboring classes are already In
! a condition that compels them to sub
, NIT" replied Governor St John. "The
government is in the hands Of the mo-
nopolists. The arsenals are filed with
munitions of war. They are under
control of a government ruled by the
money power and such thing as rem
edying present evils by physical force
Is impossible Labor is without money,
without arms and is powerless except
in one way-it has the ballot and
through the agency Of the ballot 1t can
and will in 1896 get control of this gov
ernment and in that way get control or
the arsenals and all that they contain.
Then it can pass just laws for the pro-
lection of all the people and Will be
possessed of the legitimate power to
enforce them. Unless this Is accom-.
plished within the next ten years 1t Will
/ be too late and this government Will go
| down as did Rome"