Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-06-26
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
Chair an ChaSles ii. Aver Bids a
Dignified and Impressive Fare
well TO KepubiicanIsm.

IL tee RtpuJlic,m Ccntr.h Cdmmtttee q
1hurston Comfy:
GENTLEMEN:
hereby resign my position as chair.
man and also as member of the Republic
can Central Committee of Thurston
! county. In laying down this work and
separating myself from you politically
wish to thank YOU for the courtesy and
kindness which you have always shown
me and for the zeal with which YOU have
assisted me in the work We have had to
do. In taking this action, as | do so fol-
political and not for personal reasons, it
may not be out of place to briefly give
my reasons for 50 doing.
A political party is an association OF
men desiring to accomplish a common
political object. The party is the means,
then, and not the end. Therefore one
should not associate himself with a
party unless he desires to accomplish
the object of that party as enumerated in
ITS platform. Questions of material or
political nature are forced by conditions
upon the people. Upon these questions
the people divide and organize upon
each side, each association taking a
name, not necessarily appropriate, and
the contest commences and is either set
tied by general consent or in time gives
way to new and more important issue.
The last issue before the people was the
principle OF protective tariff; whether
our tariff laws should be so adjusted as
to prevent importations and stimulate
home production. Upon this issue the
people taking the affirmative have won
signal and remarkable victory Those
taking the negative had apparently won
great victory i'll 1892, but as the time
came to act they in effect acknowledged
that they were wrong and passed a reve-
nue bill emb0dying very largely the pro-
tective principle. Thus the principle of
protective tariff has been practically
established, and the tariff question pre-
SCENTS nothing to the voter but question
of schedule, whether wool shall be taxed
and sugar placed on the free list, or vice
versa, etc, etc.
And now a vastly more important
question than the tariff question ever
was, confronts us; a question that is so
subtle that 1t deceives many, question
that has its origin in science that a
great number OF our peOple-people Of
great intelligence generally-know moth
ing about, not even that there is such
science, viz: the science of value.
Upon this question, as upon all other
economic questions, there are two sides,
two interests and two classes; first.
those who desire to increase the value of
the unit OF value, that is, its purchasing
power; and second, those who desire to
keep the purchasing power of the unit
down as near as may be to uniform
level. The first class includes all having
tXed incomes and salaries that are not
the direct outgrOwth of producing enter
prlses; while upon the other side should
be included all owners of productive
property and all persons who are en-
gagged in producing in any form. The
former class have associated together
and taken the name formerly used by
the protectionists, viz: the Republican
party. Those who oppose increasing the
value of money have not vet organized.
but will in the near future.
In deciding which of these principles
should receive ones support, believe
one should consider the interests of the
greater number. If the value of money
is advanced, money being the measure.
all that which is measured relatively de-
creases, the rise in the value of money
and the fall in the value of property be-
ing simply correlative terms. With
money advancing or property falling, the
production of property will be very large
ly suspended. People will not build
buildings, railroads and mills, or manu-
facture articles, or produce them in anv
I 20 b..,
row than they are to-day. Consequently
there is a cessation of production, labor
finds scant employment, poverty and
distress will be found everywhere. For
forty years the best students and think
ers OF Europe have been warning the
world that II they persisted in cutting off
one-half of the money supply of the
world, thereby increasing the value of
the other half, it would cause more suf-
fefing and distress among the people
than all the wars in modern times.
These views were not mere speculation.
but were matters susceptible of demon
stration. But in spite of their warning.
we have gone on and brought upon the
people this distress and poverty with all
It's attendant evils. And now, for the
first time, are the people becoming
aroused, not only to their condition, but
to the cause of it. The issue is now be-
fore us, and the question is, Shall we
take sides with the few, who have al
ready reaped vast unjust gains by this
increase in the value of money or shall
we take sides with the great masses of
producers?
Knowing as l do, that the demoneti
cation OF silver has brought upon the
world more misery, more suffering and
indirectly more crime than all the wars
for centuries; knowing as l do that this
IL a contest between modified wealth
upon the one side and the toiling and
may add, struggling masses upon the
other" the battle of the millions" as
1t has been called, millions of money
against millions OF men-I cannot hest
tate about casting my lot with the cause
which l believe and know represents
humanity. l do not take this step
lightly. l have considered it in all its
aspects. | have hoped against hope
that the Republican party would still
carry the banner of right and of human
lty. But we have reached "the parting
of the ways" l must either follow the
great principles of humanity and right
for which the Republican party has
stood, or must follow the empty party
name. | shall follow the principles and
ignore the uame.
Wishing you all Individually happiness
and prosperity in your several walks of
life, | remain,
Very respectfully yours,
CHAS. II. AVER,
Some OF the Reasons why 1 viii