The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1896-11-20
Pl.UTOCRACY REIGNS.
Gov. AItgeld Scores Mckinley and
His Backera
fhe Governor OF Illinois Expresses Has
Views the Result of the Elcc-
tioa and Its Eject On the
Country.

Gov. Altgeld has given TO the public
the following letter, written on the 4th:
ITO the Democrats Of Illinois: Although
de.eated. I desire to thank you for the loyal
supper; you have given me. and con-
graduate you on the heroic fight you have
Just made
Consider that only six months ago our
great party lay PROSTATE. IL had been be-
trayed into the hands OF stock jobbers and
monopolists by President Cleveland. u had
been robbed OF everything democratic ex-
cept a name. II stood for no great principle.
and its flesh was being torn by political
birds OF prey.
1T was loaded with political deadheads:
men who never did anything for the party
except TO ride It. and IL was infested with
political vermIn of both the smooth and
rough and dusty variety. yet under these
sore conditions the party broke the cords
with which the liliputians had tied IL IL
rose with new energy: II cut loose from the
domination of trusts and syndicates. II -
pudiated the man who betrayed II. X
threw off the load OF deadheads. II Grove
out the political vermin and with new
Inspiration IL again proclaimed democratic
PRINCIPLES and espoused the cause OF toll
ing humanity.
Although it was obliged TO thus reform
while under the fire OF the enemy IL has
made the most heroic political fight ever
the Doodle that could be scraped together
on two continents. 1t was confronted BY
all the banks. all the trusts. all the synci-
Gates. all the corporations. ali the great
papers.
1T was confronted by everything that
money could buy. that Doodle could de-
bauch. or that fear - starvation could
coerce.
1T was confronted by the disgust which
the majority OF the American people felt
Ait .f.-rra tr.w for
which they held US responsible
1T was confronted with the unfounced
charge Of being partly responsible for the
/ hard times. 1t was confronted by comb
nation OF forces slVh as had never been
united before and VIII probably never tie
united again-and. worse still. the time
was too short 10 educate the public
while we are defeated our party IS more
vigorous and in better condition generally
4 than 1t has been for a third OF a century
"a specially call your attention 20 the ut
ter insignifcance. as shown by the r.
turns, OF those men who after having
helped TO ruin our party, were either driven
out Or left II In this campaign
Two years ago these men were with Us.
and always insisted on occupying front
seats and wanted to lead. Then we were
not confronted with any powerful oppo-
nent and we lost The state by upward Of Ia
90 majority
This year these men opposed US, and we
had 10 meet all the forces i have n4Lied.
We had no sinews OF war. We had all the
power OF corrupt wealth against US We
had 10 reform under the IRE Of the enemy.
and the time was too short 10 make
proper campaign yet we have reduced the
adverse majority OF two years ago by
about ore-third. These men are al last
4 where they belong
While we are defeated we have dug the
grave Of the British gold standard. One
bury the palsied form al that curse which
has biighted prosperity and the happiness
Of mankind.
My fellow-democrats. on account OF my
Z health / welcome the retirement which Is
now assured me and which ! have long
wished for. but let me say in parting that
II you cherish republican institutions. then
your country Will need your services
Two years ago several states were car
ried by the same forces that have tri-
umphed this year. and In every one there
followed a saturnalia OF corruption and rot
tenness.
Now. these conditions are 10 be spread
over the whole country. and II will de-
volve upon the democratic party TO ulti-
mately stop them. The shadow Of the men
and the influences that viii control the COM
ing administration Is already OF the land.
Republicans tell US that the newly
elected president IS weak. that he allowed
the manufacturers TO frame his tariff I'LL.
and that as governor Of Ohio he was very
weak We may assume that the coming.
administration will be controlled by tht1
men who have been SO prominent in Sc
curing this election.
Look az some OF them: Mr.. Hanna. Mr.
Carnegie. Mr.. Depew. Mr. Pullman. Mr.
Huntington. Mr.. Payne. Mr.. Thurston- OF
Pacific railroad fame. and a number OF
others OF the same character. Many Of
them have long been regarded as cor-up-
tionlsts. as men who have helred TO spread
a moral leDrosy over this country. ana
who use this government as a convenience
to r-.ahs money for corporations
There VIII come bond issues and all
manner of government Jobs. and although
we have no enemy on either side Of Us.
an effort wiz be made to give this country
a standing army because plutocracy de-
mands this.
FAN effort viii be made TO advance the
doctrine that iocn self-covernment does
not go hand in hand with federal su-
premacy. but that the president shah have
the same power TO use the army that the
czar OF Russia has to use his army. and cf-
forts viii he made TO perpetuate govern
ment by Injunction and destroy trial hw
jury because plutocracy demands these
things. An effort viii be made 10 still fur
Their tighten the grip Of the money power
on the throats of the people and to grad
ually convert this government into a plu-
tocratic oligarchy. and IL will deyolve ON
tne uclnoSiAlS party 10 save llct lIsAltu-
lions
Il believe that at the next general s,ec-
ton the people will reverse the verdict OF
yesterday. the return Of prosperity will
not come as promised. No doubt there will
be a squirt OF activity built on false hopes,
but as the forces which have produced the
present distress will go right on. as the
dear dollar must. in the end. destroying en-
terprise. no permanent relief can be ex-
pected OF this administration
Remember !, was jefferson who led the |
way In freeing US OF British domination in
lss6. 1t was again Jefferson who SAVED 7
free institutions in 1890. Ii was jackson
who freed the people from The clutches
of the corrupt money power in Is22- II
was the great common people Of America Z
and not the rich who saved cur institr-
tons in 1851. and IL viii devolye on the great
common people OF this country to save 4
tree government in 1894
"IOHN z AITGEI.D-"