The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-07-22
Z. M. ROBERTS: SUPPLY HOUSE. sos. So III.

try that is pursuing the even tenor of
its way. Suddenly the citizens borrow
$4,000, 900 in money and build factories,
mills, road and various improvements
There is prosperity there, of course. The
history Of our debt ridden boom towns
is the history of our country under Re-
publican rule. We prospered because we
went in debt, and that is all there is of
it; so face the financial issue, and don't
invite criticism by asserting that it was
the tariff. 1t helped to be sure, but very
few of those industries were of those
protected by tariff. Taking the figures
of Congressman Walker Rep) and Sen
atr Daniel made over three years ago.
the total Indebtedness of our country and
people is about $50, 900, 0OO. 900. Since the
panic the loss in production has been
over $4,000, 100000. First-class prop
erty in our western cites has sold for
from 16 to IL per cent of it's cost, and
all property has deprecated enormous
ly. The total value of all property in
the United States cannot now be in ex-
cess of $4,000, 900, 900, while the assessed
valuation is SIT 100000. We have,
therefore, reached the limit of going in
debt. It is not possible then for us to
enjoy our former prosperity. The best
VIC CdA uOkeC 1OI lS SuCu prosperity Dis we
can get by stimulating our farming and
precious metal industry and thereby ad-
vance prices few points on the way to
where they were when debts were made;
for in this way only can we meet the an
nual amount Of $4,000, 900 900 due Europe
on interest, travel and matrimonial &C
count.
The purpose Of the extortionlsts and
usurers is to perpetuate these great debts
on the people. They are a class who
have prostituted their whole lives to the
one purpose Of money getting. They are
beyond doubt, the most densely ignor-
ent men on earth to day. Books abound
in their homes as furniture, but they are
never read, and only the contents of news
papers that interest them in business
way are noticed. Men whose minds are
bent to one thing solely soon become
wrecked. The man who acquires money
without cost to himself, either by rob-
berry or usury becomes a mailman and a
criminal. The criminal instinct is ever
present in every transaction. Possessing
money they have power, and the fear Of
it, or the use of it, CONTROLS party ma
chinery, unfortunate debtors. newspa-
pers from the great city dailies down to
the little country paper, which, for and
in consideration, ETC., use their gold
standard anti-silver plate matter. as one
Of them said in my hearing while east
some months ago,--"to teach the yeps
how to vote themselves into debt"
This influence extends to every class
and sustains each Of the one hundred
patriots in every town who expects to
get the postmastership il the party wins
That the great business. labor. mining
and agricultural interests OF our country
should be Frustrated by these frenzied
madmen and criminals, that absolutely
nothing will satisfy, Is shame that cries
out to heaven itself
Their very methods should arouse dis
trust in the most simple OF men. When
their editors were instructed to produce
arguments to prove that famine is
feast, those writer's knew that but one