The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-03-27
A STRONG
Clear and Sensible Remarks About
the NewiSilvRr Pnrty-PODlists Must
Not De4ert Their Organization.

Clear and Sensible Remarks About
the NewSilvHr Pnrty-POplists Must
Not De4crt sYheir organizations.
To the Editor.
The Bimetallic League has made it's APP
peal to the people. and if it succeeds in the
organization of a purely silver party it may
be the means of adding to the reform move
ment many voters who would not other
wise be educated out of their old party pref
udices. AS remonitization of silver is one
of the principal objects of the present re-
form party, the new silver party may ac-
comphsh something by it's Introduction of
reform literature on this question, and in
thus leading sensible people to adopt one
accept propositions Of much greater con-
Germ than the free coinage of silver.
In the address to the people the league
has seen fit to not entirely ignore the ques-
ton of a government currency, but the in
dorsement of a greenback currency issued
by the government is so strained and linn
tied that we are led to think this little ia
vor shown it was reluctantly given; and
there is nothing to Indicate that the new
v dAS VIZ AL oAy way ppO lllC
present financial policy of letting banks and
corporations retain their present power Of
depressing all classes of people,. l am quite
well persuaded that every Populist now in
the ranks of the Peoples party has Joined
that party because he had sense enough to
convince him that no real reform could be
made-no substantial good attained so long
as the financial policy of the country re-
manned absolutely in the control Of banks
and corporations. We may adopt free COIN
age and issue greenbacks enough to bring
the circulation up to $50 per capita, and still
If the banks were to have full control Of
all financial matters their expressions
would be continued with unabated zeal. 1t
would simply give them more money and
more power to use in the purchase and
corruption Of legislatures and courts. The
Peoples party platform demands a ma
tional currency issued by the general gov
eminent direct to the people without the
use of banking corporations" This at once
destroys the banks and all their power of
oppression. 1t will give the people the mon
ey they need at a 2 or 3 per cent rate of
interest and on as long time as they may
wish for it; while under the present private
banking system the people pay, first the 5
per cent on the bonds issued to secure bank
circulation, and from 8 to 20 per cent adj
dftional to the banks, with the certainty of
losing their property given as security, if
the loan is not promptly paid when it falls
due.
The silver party evidently, does not in
tend to support a government banking pol
icy, and must, therefore intend to indorse
the present scheme of robbery known as
our present financial system. Is it worthy
Of the support of honest reformers with
this charge standing out SO plainly against
it?' Can any true @Populist who by hard
thinking has worked his way out to a bet
ter understanding give up this, the most
important question, in our PLATFORM, and
go over to a party Which proposes to ignore
it entirely, and leave the people still wholly
at the mercy of a cabal OF financial pirates?
Populists can indorse fully the proposition
to restore SILVER to it's Lawful position,
but it does not seem possible that they
can now surrender the fight for reform to
that one idea, and give up the ground al
ready won on other important questions.
We want bimetallism. The people never
wanted. decentralization, and it is encour-
aging to see so nan of our congressman
freeing themselves from the rule of the
gold gang. That Cleveland and Sherman
have been repudiated in their desperate
efforts to secure the issue of one billion so
year bonds by the last congress-, and the
destruction Of $500, 900, 900 of our greenbacks,
is hopeful evidence that the gold standard
clique can no longer control congressional
action to the extent it has for the past 80
years. Their anxiety to force the bond is
sue through at once is also evidence that
iSo cholP Va llill
bimetallism is destined to come. The world
is up in arms against the gold standard,
and hat silver will be restored to its right
full position can hardly be set down as a
fixed fact. For this reason was the des-
perate effort made to secure the passage of
the new bond act ait the last session of con-
gress, so that this country would be secure
ly bonded to the money power for another
so years.
The people have always been in favor of
silver; have always, since the war, been in
favor of the greenback currency in prefer
9ence to a bank corporation currency. They
never Endorsed the destruction of the green
back. 1t is only the politicians who favored
the schemes Of robbery, and these no doubt
favored them for personal gain. The resto-
ration of silver will do some good, but it
will not go to the real root of the evil. 1t
will not accomplish the result for which
the POpulist party is making it's fight, viz:
the destruction of the oppressive power of
capital. So long as the financial interests
of the country are controlled by private cor
SO long will the expressions of
capital be continued. Capital acknowledges
no God but self ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, and it's
greed for gain can only be satisfied by the
most potent oppression of it's victims. This
power to Cypress can only be subdued by
transferring the control of our finances to
the government and substituting govern
ment banks in place Of private corpora
tions.
FROM AN OLD FRIEND.