The representative., 1895-12-25
THE WINONA MEETING
w. w. ERWIN DECLARES HIM
SELF TO BE A REPUBLICAN,.
Is the G. O. p. Trying to Drive the
Workingmen Back Into
Its Ranks.
The Meeting Seems to Have Been Run by Man
Who Attacked S. M. Owen Last Fall.
All Over the State.
Editor Representative.

Editor Representative.
On the evening Of December 7th, 1895,
w. w. Erwin. of st. Paul. spoke to por-
ton of the people of this city, assembled
in the X. P. hail. He came here accom-
panied by three foxy guys to address
the laboring class of Winona. They ap-
peared too under the auspices of them
selves. They entered the hall unaccom-
panied by & single citizen of this city.
The doors of the hall were thrown open
by an unknown party, and those who
came to hear what might be said, and
every one picked up chair where it
was to be had, and placed it on the Slip
perry floor where they chose.
The president of the BARRIERS Union of
A. NJ introduced Murray of the Fedora
tion of Labor st. Paul. Murray, in Ian
guage very ungrammatical, and with
poorly pronounced words, took up little
time and then introduced some
Wood, or other, of the Typographical
Union-the miserable little scamp whom
the Republicans paid to circulate false
hoods all over this state, last fall, about
S. M. Owen, said a few words He in
turn introduced the great liberator,"
who assumed the reins first and intro
duced Murray.
The gist of their attempted remarks
was to the effect that they were no
"cranks" w. W. Erwin said: 81 am no
Populist; I don't believe in the platform
OF that party" He said if Carnegie and
Frick were to have $18. 90 per ton on
steel rails the same tariff should have
wage scale embdied in it.
He gave us to understand that he was
a Republican and was honest enough to
admit that Democrat and Republican
meant the same thing. The great Grim
inal lawyer illustrated the horrible injus-
tice of the option system There is more
wheat, cotton, corn, wool, barley, oats,
ETC., sold by option in the markets of
N. Y. and Chicago each year than 999
earths like ours could produce in thou
sand years. This system is legalized
robbery.
The main part of his talk was from
scriptural standpoint and Deacon Hunt
saw fit to leave the room while Dietze
| and Judge Buck heard all there was to be
| heard. Mr.. Erwin, like the New Woman
and Dr. Talmage, has bible of his own,
| and very good one it is.
A half dozen Republican DOODLE
politicians of this city, who were behind
| the scenes, and never showed up, paid for
| the hall, and also paid Mr.. Erwin to
speak: and the Republican State Central
| Committee evidently paid the Federation
of Labor chap and his too partisan tools
| for coming to Winona, and ferreting out
! fools.
There is only one hope for American
| Labor. and that is to vote the Peoples
| Party ticket; and they do the workmen
| an injury who turn them from their only
! remedy.
WINONA KICKER.
| Winona, Mimi, Dec. 20.
eve feel very kindly toward Mr.. w. w.
Erwin and don't think he deserves this
| attack; but we publish it because we
want the truth to be known-whatever
| it is If the above statements are false
| our columns are open to any proper re-
pIy-Ed. Rep)
ARE WE CARRYING TOO MUCH SAIL
AN OLD GREE,NBACKER CONTRIB
| UTES HIS MITE TO THE GREAT
| DISCUSSION-LET THE DEBATE
! GO ON AND THE PEOPLE HEAR
ALL SIDES.
| Editor Representative:
| / have read with a great deal Of salts
| faction the Ito me) very sensible letter Of
! Mr.. Thomas V Gator, of California, TO
| Senator Stewart. in regard to the forna-
ton of a party looking mainly to the res
| toration of silver in our currency. And I
| have read with consdera bic dsappoint-
| ment its reception at the hands Of many
| worthy Populists. / realize how hard it is
| for those who have spent years in battling
| for the down-trodden masses TO give up,
| even temporarily, what many consider
| measures fully as important as is that OF
| the currency.
| To fiaunt the declaration that we are
| Greenbackers of 90 years standing is
scarcely to be considered an argument
| against proposition that is Intended 10
| rally under one standard all who agree on
| what is generally accepted as the most
| important question with which the nation
! has at present to deal.
! Now, gentlemen. il was also my pleas
ure to cast my vote for that eminent phil
| lanthropist Peter Cooper, in 1876, and ever
since that time have acted with the party
! of reform, under wila name. l sew
| cred my connection with the Democratic
| party in 1861. and have At no time trained
| with either the Democratic or Republican
| party, in either state, national or other
contests.
If by any possibility the old Greenbacl1
| party were now to be resurrected and just
as it was nearly twenty years ago, with
/ the greenback as its main plank, how
| many of the old canpaigners, think you,
would be found outside Of its fold? (? That
| together in one united army. OF far more
consequence TO me than tl3e question Of
| gold or silver is the destruction of the ma
| tional banking question, ana making the
! government the only power to issue the
| money. Is there anything in the proposi
| ton for a silver party that conflicts with
| this principle? Whatever actual money
| there is in circulation today is that issued
| by the government, the only money that is
| really full legal tender. Certainly it is not
| proposed that private corporations shall
! coin the silver, though by legislation they
| have controlled it's money supply to the
| people. I consider the movement a step
| in direct accord with the platform Of the
! old Greenback party-the right of the gov
| ernment alone to issue the money. AS well
| allow the professional gamblers to dictate
| the laws relating TO gambling, Or saloon
| keepers 20 make the laws for rimseling,
| as to subnni. to the professional bankers
! and Shylocks shaping our financial laws.
/ After our past experience It strikes me
| that we are, to use homely expression,
trying to bite off more than we can chew:
and IL a platform better adapted to our
powers of digestion can be framed it
/ should certainly be done. Constant fail
! ure is demoralizing; success is duty.
| The skillful mariner, looking to the safety
of his storm-tossed craft. would not hesi-
tate in parting with any portion of his
cargo when it endangers his ship and i'm
| por;ls tho lives of his crew TO usA everv