The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-04-17
SAVAGE.


W0rkfngmen of the Cities Who
Howl for Liberty and Vote for the
fiutocracy-The Farmers and the
Great Middle Class the Hope Of the
WOrld-A Pessimistic Letter
To the Editor:
truly the way of the t1ansgressor is hard,
as the man will find out who sins against
hlmself by neguectng the advice of Polo
NOUS, First to thine own self be true"
IL you have any doubts about the matter,
JUST san into politics with the idea of help
ing your fellow men without regard to time
or money, and you will live to chew the
bitter cud of reflection as you take a ..hind-
sight" over the political gymnasium where
You vainly endeavored to educate the fool
voter 10 sense of responsibility in casting
MS ballot for better conditions than now
prevail. During the past two years 1 have
"oieu WIN pen and purse, supplemented
Win the best mental effort could control,
70 educate the plain laborer so that he
might rise to a sense of the power of the
ballot in the issue now Joined between Ia
Dor and capital. For brief period I was
vain enough to believe that 1 had succeed
cd IN proving to chosen few that our hard
times proceeded from the despotism of can
ltal, and that we are being ground to now
ger under the upper milestone of capital
ana the neither milestone of corrupt and
ignorant populace. After betrayal in the
late election by those who pledged fealty
10 the Peoples party in the county of Mar
quette Michigan, may be pardoned for
taxing a pessimistic view of the situation
SO far as the ballot is concerned.
Agltatlon and education are all right :
lndeed, they are the only thing left, except
10 puy a gun; and it is even doubtful if
the coWardly cur who sells his vote can he
rehed on to do the fighting necessary to
free the people from despotism more gall
ing than that of Russia. 1t is quite likely
that the fellow who is capable of selling his
manhood to the highest bidder would be
found on the side of the largest purse help
ing to rivet his own chains and those of
his fellow men forever.
The reason Of this diatribe is the fact
tnat we are unable to count W. any GER
talnty upon the Falstaffian regiment of
venal voters that infest our cities; men
whose mouths are wide open for freedom
and reform, while their palms are open be-
hind their backs for plumber. 1t is only a
difference of degrees between the venal
toler and the "bloated bondholder" They
are twin brothers in morality, with a diff
terence Qf any in favor of the plutocrat
Is there any hope for the republic except
through the Independent farmer and the
well to do middle class?
frankly confess l have little confidence
in the average voter in our cities, and if
necessary l can furnish good and sufficient
reasons for my want of faith but in spite
OF all encouragement it is likely that
shall continue to be a fool, and spend time
and money to help redeem a set of fellows
without principle, whose only apparent rea-
son for being on earth may be charged to
abortive agencies which have brought them
forth half made up" things of shreds and
patches; for the sole purpose of setting
them up as foil against principle and hon
esty. Were it not for their suffering fami-
lies there is some satisfaction in the
thought that the ignorant fools are voting
the conditions precedent to riotous strikes
when they will be met by another set of
fools dressed in blue, with all the pomp
and circumstance of glorious war: and
these young sprigs will be instructed to
''shoot to kill Truly there is a grim hu-
NOR in the thought Of the working men
scurrying off to their holes with a bayonet
in close proximity to their coat tails, when
the same fellows, had they not sold their
votes, bartered their manhood for a mess
Of pottage, might have controlled the red
tape in the high official stations, and from
their coigns of vantage they could have up
held the declaration of Independence and
compelled the other fellows to climb trees
or hunt holes at the business end of mus
ket. EDWIN d. COX,
Chairman p. p Co. Com.
Marquette, Mich.
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