The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-05-29
DANGERS AHEAD.
Causes of the Growing Unrest.


Causes of the Growing Unrest.
(To the Editor of the Philadelphia Ameri-
CAM
DEAR SIR:-Any observant mind
must be impressed with the growing
spirit of unrest rapidly spreading over
this land. It has been obvious for
years, but today is more impressive
and out-speken than ever. 1t has
been brought about and fostered by
the arrogance of wealth and by the
corruption of political parties.
Wealth obtained at the expense and
oppression of labor has made the toll
er for his daily bread dissatisfied with
the result of his toll, ready to band
together for the purpose of strikes for
a higher wage and decrease in work
ing hours. Political corruption has
destroyed self-respect by a greed of
office, great and small: desire to OBJ
tain living out of the Golfers of the
state-a living by doing little or no
work for pay far above the value of
any honest trade. The wealthy, daily
grow more and more indi fferent to
those in humble life, and daily take
every measure in their power to make
their wealth secure at the expense of
the working people. Politicians see
to it that laws are enacted for their
own special benefit, and at the same
time hoodwink honest toilers into
the belief that a vote for them means
protection to labor. Elections over,
the laboring man is either forgotten
or ignored; official salaries are secure,
at least, until the next time suffrages
are plead for, and the same humbug-
gerry is gone through over again. The
capitalist, by means of a more or less
subsidized press, clamors for credits
to be based upon gold coin, knowing
full we'll that it would be impossible
to carry on the commerce and trade of
these great United States in that
commodity alone. This steady clamor
for gold is in itself a strong proof of
the fact that capital is afraid of it's
present condition. Actual gold would
not go far in the commerce and trade
of the world, nor, indeed, would silver
as single standard. All trade is
based upon credits, and in the multi
plicity OF the worlds transactions but
little coin is used, and used only to
settle balances between the nations as
we'll as individuals. In the demone-
tization of silver, capital as we'll as la
bOr has received severe blow. The
former may not have yet felt it. the
latter has. Shrinking values affect
both to greater or lesser degree. De-
stroy half the money (so-called) OF the
world, or make it inactive, and half
the energy of it's people is paralyzed.
Return that money into it's regular
channel and prosperity must return
as natural sequence. But the un-
rest Of our people? A fair land, rich
in everything to make it's people happy
and contented, and yet on every side
discomfort and daily growing poverty.
Why? The politicians elect to run
things their own way and carry out
their ideas of finance to suit them
selves; and handful of rich money
lenders, who see in the use of an ex-
elusive gold money means to enrich
themselves at the expense of all other
people. The unrest of the people
may teach them their error.
History records times much like
these we are passing through. Greed
is often caused by it's overgrasping
ambition. Let any thoughtful mind
turn to the history of Rome on the
verge of the collapse of that great
Empire, to the proud fame of the
Venetians, to the stormy days of
France in 1885. Our unrest may not
come from exactly the same causes,
but the similarity of the state OF feel
ing is alike. Our judiciary are getting
to be unpopular with the people.
''The laws delays and insolence of Of
fee" here. too, are apparent. Why are
the rapaciOus and voracious so-called
trusts allowed to have the control
they seem to exert? Declared illegal,
the courts upheld them. The plain
people have no right to complain.
Again, the rich who want all things in
gold! When Mr.. Lincoln said this was
"a government by the people, Of the
people and for the people," he meant
1t, but is it so. now? The people, i. g.
masses, want work; they beg for it. It
could be had but for those few (only
mere handfuD who by their efforts to
change the natural laws of trade for
selfish purposes want to tie up every
thing by the word gold, in the curren-
cy Of this great nation. So will this
unrest Of our people go on and on until
one OF two things come to paSS-eith-
er our legislators will be enforced by
the people of this land to restore to
them the use Of silver as we'll as gold,
bringing back the long-delayed pros
perity; or the people will take a hand
themselves, and, driving out the in
competent politicians, put the capi-
talists in position where they will be
obliged to beg for anything to save
their great accumulations Of wealth.
History repeats itself. @. M.
Philadelphia, March 18, 1895.
FOR PRESERVATION OF WOOD.
A cOmpoSitiOn> for preserving wood is