The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-05-08

SHOULD ALL ELEMENTS UNITE
TO FIGHT THE COMMON
ENEMY.
ViewsPf DR.. Christian Johnson, OF
Kandiyohi County.
Let All Sides Be Heard and Their,
Decide.
THE Wilmar Tribune.)

(The Wilmar Tribune)
It is evident to every observing person
that the silver question is daily becom-
ing the great issue for the next political
battle. The silver craze, as it is called
by the gold monometallists, is spreading
with fearful rapidity both East and
West, and bids fair to sweep this coun-
try with tidal wave in 1895. Populists
and silverites Of the old parties may we'll
feel proud of their agitation for free sill
yer during the last couple of years. Less
than twelve months ago they were
laughed at and sneered at by the gold
bugs. But the business of their cause
and the terrible earnestness of their adj
vocacy, especially during the last CAM
paign, opened the eyes of the people,
compelled the people SO to speak to in
vestigate the question. Yes, the Popu-
list campaign last summer is alreay
bearing fruit beyond expectation. Let
no Populist begrudge the time and ef-
fort he spent during last campaign for
his party, for he will have the honor Of
having belonged to the party of progress
when nothing but principle could actu-
ate him to do so, and having led, in
stead of followed, in bringing about the
greatest reform of modern times, not
the abolition of African slavery except
ed.
THE SILVER QUESTION WILL LEAD
TO THE MONEY QUESTION.
Some Populists claim that the silver
question is of secondary Importance. In
one sense this is true. 1t is only sub
division of the money question. But at
present the whole money question is in
voled in the silver question. The silver
question at present means more than
simply free coinage of silver 16 to /.
1t involves several other fundamental
issues belonging to the money question,
such as: Shall the government issue
money, or farm out this function to pri-
vate parties? Is a debtor equally with
a creditor entitled to a governmental
protection, or is this government simply
organized for the protection of credit
ors? This Is why the money power is
getting scared, and the President has
been called upon to exert his influence
In favor of gold monometallism. This
is why President Cleveland and his Bit
terest political enemies in the Republic
an ranks are now combining for an ag-
gressive fight against silver. Conven-
tions are now called South, West and
East, of Cleveland Democrats and John
'Gherman Republicans, to form the COM
ing gold party. The money power has,
or is concentrating it's whole strength
on the silver issue. The Peoples party
and those who agree with them on the
silver question, must do the same thing.
The battle between organized capital
on the one hand and humanity on the
other will be fought in 1895 on the silver
question. If free silver is defeated,
then we shall have revolution and blood
shed. If it wins, common people will
experience such relief and industry take
such a start that time will be given the
people to solve the whole money and
other questions. So that while the sill
yer question may be simply a side issue.
yet at present it is the battle ground
for the whole issue between labor and
capital. To illustrate, four days before
the battle of Gettysburg, Cemetery
Ridge was of no particular Importance
in preference to other ridges to estab-
lish a position for an army. But two
days after, as the armies approached
each other and it was seen that deci-
sive battle must be fought in the vicin-
ity, the taking and holding of this ridge
involved the fate of nation and the
liberty of the slave. The concentration
of one army at that point compelled of
necessity the concentrating of the other
at the same place.
So the concentration of the mo-
power o. it's forces on the silver@Ql
ton likewise compels the People asn1
and those who agree with them 60