The grander age. [volume] (Biloxi, Miss.) 1895-19??, 1896-09-01

may Know LnaL we nave no play
thing TO deal with.
Then again, what is the charac-
ter of these men we are depend.
ing on--MUsT depend on for sue
cess? Their reverence tor the
constitution, for ita and for gov
ernment, their ideas of patriot
Ism, and their adherence to exist
ing institutions make them fit sub
.jects for Plutocratic power. We're
it not for this character, they
would never have been reduced
TO their present condition.
This is the situation: No man
desires TO overthrow Plutocracy
more than you. No man labors
for this more earnestly or persis-
tently than you. The question is,
are the efforts of the people in
this great struggle in the
right direction They are not on
Populist grounds they are not on
Democratic grounds, even, for the
founders of Democracy every.
where declared for absolute legal
tender paper money at least re-
ceivable by the government for
all dues, and this is one of the
leading principles of Democracy.
They do net know on what ground
they are; they have an instructive
desire for relief from the great
pressure, and they have the idea
that free coinage OF silver Is TO 1,
will bring that relief-that is all.
Is not the fact that they are OPP
posing the power that oppresses
them evidence that they are NOV
ing in the right direction, and is it
wise 10 divert it Is there any
other available channel ? Pure So.
cialism is the mountain height to
which all good nlee-laaG women
aspire, but there are many inter-
vening steps that must be taken
ere the summit is reached. Shall
we ignore them9
The issue is between the rulers
and the ruled and it must termi-
nate one way or the other. 1t IN
favor of the people, will not step
be gained9 The prestige of po-
litical victory is immense. 1t pla-
ces the victors on the moral side,
and that is no mean advantage.
Besides it measures the power oil
the enemy and discloses our own.
These are the advantages that at
tend popular victory.
But if the Plutocracy wins, then
the people will be rebels. Will
they be better off by being divi-
deds Politics is species Of war
fare, and since the enemy resorts
10 military tactics, we are compel
ed to in self.defense. We cannot
reason with an enemy, nor can we
with our allies, only with a view
to cooperation and union of for.
ces in an extreme like this.
do not put these questions in
the light OF assertions; they are
for consideration. Our situation
is grave one, and we have not
much time TO think. 1t seems to
me that in our supreme need, We
ought to concentrate our whole
force against the foe. There is no
need OF sacrificing a principle or
abandoning our ground. The is
sue is upon us and we must fight !;
accept the best and most availa-
able conditions, and when one
step is taken, we will be better
prepared for the next.
/ admire your devotion to prin.
ciple, your adherence to truth,
your courage and persistence but
the HOW in the on-coming strug-
gle is more involved than the
WHAT, since the latter is not jeop-
ardized In the struggle now SO
near. +. j. ScIIELLHoUs.
A farmer in California, believ.
ing that he has grasped the situa-
tisn and its gravity, III imitation
of the Social Democrats of San
Francisco, who are denied the
privilege of free speech in their
open air meetings by the author
ities and other exploiters OF the
wealth creators, and who now pa
rade The streets with mute ban
ners, conveying to their fellow
men and citizens the drift oil So-
cialism. This farmer has painted
the following Significant matter
on blackboard lor the ediiica-
] ton OF those passing his ranch