The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-01-24

! The following is an extract from a
private letter from Mr.. Jos. A. Roman, Of
Missouri, to friend in this neighborhood
WHEATLAND, MISSOURI,
November 18th, 1895.
| Dear -: What DID you think OF the election
Just what you predicted. Well, it is one of the
steps which had to be taken. Now what next?
The Republicans are afraid they are going to have
majority in the Senate before the close Of Cleve
lands term. This would compel them to take the
responsibility of some legisaton this they do not
want. They want to slide along through next
year on about the present status.
The object of Cleveland evidently is to prevent
the party he is at the head of from getting itself
| onto its traditional platform of free coinage OF
| silver. Next year he will control the Convention
and dictate the nomination of the candidate who
will likely be Gen. Schofeld if he thinks the race
to be not too hopeless. He is just the sort of a
Democrat Cleveland is, that is more Federalst
than Alex. Hambleton ever was. If Cleveland
controls the Convention it will adopta gold plank
pure land simple, under the sound money clap
trap. The Republicans will make another strad-
die to fool the voters and will fool them, or the
majority of them. What the free silver Democrats
like Gov. Stone, Senators Vest and Cockrell of
Mo-. Altgeld of ILL.,, and Morgan of Ala, with the
great majority of Democrats South and West will
do is doubtful. If they join in and follow Cleve-
land they are at the end of their tether. If they
make the fight think they will the Republicans
will have walk OVER in '96. But the reorgan-
lied Democracy, with Cleveland. German, Car
Isle, Bayard ct al eliminated will be in position to
force the fighting, not only for free coinage of
silver but for more strict control of the inter State
commerce and the suppression of the much talked
of " trust" the unfolding of which by Cleveland
has made Democracy smell odoriferous. Since
that bond syndicate steal there is not much use for
Democrat to say, trust monopoly or
combine" Low prices may be a
good thing but do not believe in them. How
man is to save anything out of the sort of income
these prices bring is what do not see. If they
are to continue, interest, taxes and salaries must
come down or the farmer "bust' and step down
into the peasant class In fact that is very near
where we farmers are now. This is where the
"goldbugs'' intend to keep us, and some of their
papers tell US so.
There is no hope for anything better during
this century. The Republicans will amuse the
people "tinkerjng the tariff while the bankers
rob them with sound money" I have hoped
that there was an element of the Democracy who
had courage enough to make sort of Andrew
Jackson fight, bnt it looks doubtful. Here in
Missouriwhere nine-tenths of the party, including
the Governor, both U. S. Senators and every man
almost who is known outside the State, except
Ex-Governor Francis, is for freeser. The Admin
istration is going to drive coax the party into
silence or "straddle''
The South is to be governed through the banks
One can easily see this in the Democratic papers
as well as the Republican. They talk about the
new South, the commercial South, taking the
place of the old plantation South, which means
that in every community the banks have got
mortgages on the planters and can compel them
to do their bidding. The great mass
of the people have no faith in the Populists and
either the Democratic or Republican party will be
in power IN this country. If we could once get
the line drawn as it was in Jackson's day there
would not be much doubt about the result. But
this is just what the banking class of Democrats
and the banking class of Republicans do not in
tend to let happen They are going to prevent it
if possible and this late Democratic defeat ia part
of the program. They intend to make the office
holders come to them for platform If they do
in 96 what it looks now they will-let Cleveland
and Carlisle make their platform-they will "be
beaten into jelly" If they make an honest free
silver platform Cleveland, Carlisle & Co. will
practically support the Republicans, and the
Democrats will be beaten Then there will be
four more years in which to starve the free silver
men in the party to death or to silence. =
THREE O'CLOCK P. M.-My writing was broken
in on this morning by the coming from she West
of a covered wagon with stove pipe sticking out
of the top, When it halted In front of my house
went out. 1t proved to be family from northern
Iowa looking for some place to stop. There were
a nam and wife and three children; little fellows
then the old father-in-law and a IA year old boy
They were originally from Michigan, had moved
to Iowa last spring where they had passed the
summer in tent; could get no house, the man
working when and where he could get work.
This fall he was with threshing crew and had
forty-five days steady work. Had to get some
place to winter for he could get no house up
there. Could not live in town for there was no
work; heard of this country; has an acquaintance
who came to the east SIDE of this county last sum-
mer whom he wants to find. On the way dow N
his wagon gave out and he had to give all the
money he had to boot for another. Said he was a
stranger and they drove hard bargain with him.
asked him if he had any horse feed as his team
was jaded looking. He said mo, nor feed for
nor no money" I gave him sack of
oats, and one of corn another of potatoes one of
Hour and chunk of beef to make pot of soup
for the woman and children; told him to push for
the river and get into camp under the bluff
where they could at least keep warm. He says he
has a job engaged two miles back on this road il
he can get his family into some place where they
can stay. He says the man would not pay in |
money but would give him meat, potatoes, corn |
Dr. anything he had in the way of supplies. | |
know the old Dutchman who offers the work and |
he is all right
L mention this case as type of what can be |
seen any day in Wheatlaud or Quincy If they
we're isolated cases they might pass, or if these
people were foreigners or gypsies. But they are |
Americans; just as pure Americans as anybody |
except Indians. This man was raised in Mich |
gan; says he can do any kind of farm work or car
work in timber. Now what is to become of these
mems ehildren2 Of course it is easy enough to |
say to them, go to work, there is plenty of |
work." Or to say, "Why not sell the wagon and |
seam?" Well their wagon and team would not
bring SIS, and it is just as important to them as
boat to fisherman.
have little patience with these political econ
omlsts who are preaching to the lahoring man the
beauties of low prices and 'ssound currency"
while he roaming for hundreds OF miles in search
Of place to shelter his wife and children, while
of those he passes would gladly give
him work if the price of the products of his work
would pay the bill.
There Is something WRONG in tbis oountr,, and T |