The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-11-04
PLUTOCRATIC CONTEMPT OF
THE MASSES.

The eminent author F. B. San born
in his report as general secretary of
the American Science Association, at
the recent convention in Saratoga, N.
w. said that, in his opinion, what
gave 'such unexpected force to the
new party now aiming at the control
Of administration is deep,
often inarticulate conviction in the
popular mind that, as Dunning said
Of the rower of the crown under
George Ill, the influence of excessive
riches in this country has increased, is
increasing, and ought to be diminish
ed" He proceeds to say:
If correct in this opinion, then the
issue of the pending election cannot
stop the existing agitation, except by
removing the cause; and if that cause
is plutocracy (pleoneria form of in
sanity characterized by a desire for
gain,) my glance forward is anything
but comforting. Where the
lands and the homes are owned by
families that occupy them, as in our
country districts and smaller cities is
SO largely the case, there can be no
proletariat, in the evil sense of that
word; and without a prOletariat, So
make headway.
"But 1 have been shocked at the
levity and scorn with which the CAPT.
talist classes in this country, by their
own lips and through the newspa pers.
which they so closely control, have
lately been speaking of the farmers,
mariners, mechanics, and the rest Of
those laboriOus men upon whom rests
the real perity of our country.
1T was these men and their fore
fathers who made America what it is.
Without them the minority who
manipulate the paper evidences Of
wealth would neither have money nor
country to waste that money in.
What folly, then, what worse than
senseless anger, have been these SCOTS
and revilihgs with which the city
clubs and the city journals have treat.
ed the complaint of millions of hon
est men, that they were suffering
hardships removable by legislation.
1.-The measures they propose may be
wise or otherwise, but the grievance
was to be seriously conSidered; and
still must be. Contempt says an
Eastern proverb. will pierce the hide
of the rhinoceros.' II the future has
in store for us worse financial legiSla-
tion than that which has brought us
to our present enchanted condition, it
will be largely due, in my judment, to
the ignorent contempt with which a
minority of our people have met legit-
innate, Constitutional demands of the
tolls ONE majority.
The November number of The
Arena is an unusually strong number,
not only politically, but also in it's So
cial and economic features. In the
opening article, "The Issue of 1885,"
Prof. Frank Parsons, the well-known
political economist, discusses the
present crisis aud shows in remark
ably clear and convincing manner the
advantages that would result from
the remonetization of silver. Justice
Walter Clark, LII. D., of North Car
olina. who has made special study of
the money question, contributes a
strong article entitled Free Silver
Indispensable. but not Panacea," in
which he points out the oppressive
manner In which the present gold
people generally in the matter Of rail-
way passenger fares, freight charges,
etc. Hon. William H. Standish, ex-
Attorney-General of North Dakota,
writes on 1.-THE Impending Crisis y
and the editor, B. o. Flower, in a
most interesting paper entitled "Four
Epochs in the History of our Repub-
lic." containing photographers of
Washington, Jefferson, Jackson, Lin
coin, and Bryan, outlines four of the
most remarkable periods in American
history.
Other papers of more than ordinary
interest are, "Jesus and the Apos-
tles," by Prof. Joseph Rodes Buchan-
an, 1.-THE New Charity" by Bolton
Hall, kate Field" by Lillian Whit
ing, 1.-THE Simplicity of the Single
Tax" by S. Howard Leech.
As neighbors said yesterday: "There
are just two places in this country
where there is perfect liberty. One is
the polling booth, under the Austral-
ian ballot system; the other the grave.
Free Coinage Independent.