Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-04-24
SOVEREIGN'S LETTER
SAYS MONEY our TON
SHOULD BE SETTLED FIRST.
All Friends OF silver Must Get To-
gether This Year and Win Great
National Victory Addressed to Gen.
Warner.

Dear Sir: The kind invitation from
yourself. Hon. II. G. Miller. Hon. r. G.
Chambers. and Hon. j. NJ. Devine TO at
tend the conference at Washington
Jan. p, was duly received. but other
pressing engagements prevented my at.
tendance at the meeting. However,
am pleased TO inform you that the reso-
lutions adopted meet my most hearty
approval, and as a member of the peo-
pies party, will do everything in my
power 10 harmoniZe the forces for vic
tory this year. The eXigency of the
times demand. and the working people
require, that every member of every re-
form element in this country make
every possible effort TO unite the several
divisions into one grand party, and
with one national ticket for ALL make
a concerted campaign against the gold
power and the national banks.
| entertain strong convictions on
other great national questions, but l
can wait longer for them TO materialize
into campaign isues than our poor,
destitute working people can wait for
bread and shelter | am willing 10
make the test, and measure swords with
the organized plutocracy with the
money question for the issue.
If WI cannot win on that issue this
year and secure a lasting victory for
the common people, then there is no
reform question now in the arena of
public discussion on which a victory
can be wen during the next hundred
years The perfdy of the gold power,
the greed Of the bond grabbers. and the
crimes of the administration, with the
consequent suffering of the people,
have brought the money question
nearer the hearts OF the industrial
masses than has been any other ques-
ton since the civil war.
With the avowed purpose of pauper-
izing our people and destroying free
government in this country the pluto
cratic classes have combined the gold
barons and the national banks OF two
continents 10 fight the battles of inn
perialism in America They have in
creased our bonded debt under the pre-
text of maintaining golj reserve. AMI
that in such way that al the maturity
of the bonds il viii cost he American
people more than FIVE hundred millions
TO keep one hundred millions intac7 for
three years obligated the people 10 the
extent of five dollars 10 Keep one COW
ardly, unp1triOtic dollar in the vaults
of the national treasury. With such an
TINT ~ IN fo ,ir,. lie
the people and wreck ana ruin wrought
by the single gold standard everywl ere
visible. if We cannot unite forces AMI
lestroy the last leech of the money
power in this country. we had better
curse the graves Of our forofathers ana
present an unconditional surrender 10
Cleveland, Morgan and Roths hilds. or
turn ont the lamp I'm the watch tower
and ask God TO stop the sun six hours
after il has gone down. If we fail
TO unite forces this year. we deserve 10
wear the yoke of bondage for all time
TO come.
There are honest. sincere reformers
in this country who believe that the
rapid concentrations of wealth i'm the
hands of the few and The ever growing
poverty o. the masses are por entous
Of a sweeping victory for the people
within very few years. and that II is
better to wait for general victory than
to unite the elements and give battle
20 the enemy on a specified issue But
let 1t be remembered that just i'm pro-
portion as the money power grows in
strength the people become weak AMI
dependent. With dependence comes
degradation. lassitude Of moral charac-
ter and laxity of vigilance. and no one
understands this result better than the
gold barons. They know that If they
control the money OF the nation they
can absorb and monopolize the indus
tries of the country aud degrade the
neonle and that a daaraded people will