Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1896-03-13

yourself, Hon. II. G.. Miller, Hon. Il. G..
Chambers aud Hon. j. NJ Dcvine, to
attend the conference at Washington,
Jan. y. was duly received, but other
pressing engagements prevented my at
tendance at ihc meeting. However, |
am pleased to inform you that the rcso
lutions adopted meet my most hearty
approval, ami rs member of the
Peoples Party, will do everything in
my power to harmonic the forces for
victory this year. The eXigency of the
times demands, and the working people
require, that every member Of every re-
form element in this country make every
possible effort to unite the several di.
visions into one grand party, and with
one national ticket for all, make IA con
certed campaign against the gold power
and the national banks
entertain strong convictions on other
great national questions, but can wait
longer for them to matrrialize into cam
paign issues, than our poor, destitute
working people can wait for bread and
shelter. | am willing to make the test,
and measure swords with the organized
plutocraey with the money question for
the issue.
If we cannot win on that issue this
year and secure a lasting victory tor the
common people, then there is n" reform
question now in the arena of public dis
cussion on which victory can be won
during the next hundred years. The
perfidy of the gold power, the greed of
the bond grabbers, and the crimes of the
administration, with the consequent
suffering of the people, have brought the
money question nearer the hearts of the
industrial masses than has been any
other question since the civil war
With the avowed purpose of pauperiz-
ing our people and destroying free gov
eminent in thus country. the plutOcratic
classes have combined the gold barOns
and the nationa banks of two continents
to fight the battles of imperialism in
America They have increased our
bonded debt under the preteXt of main
tanning gold reserve. and that in such
a way that at the maturity of the bonds
it will cost the American people more
than five hundred millions to keep one
hundred millions intact for three years
obligated the people to the extent of
five dollars to keep one cOwardly, I'M
patriotic dollar in the vaults of the
national treasury. With such an in
famous record fresh in the minds of the
people and the wreck and ruin wrought
visible, if we cannot unite forces and de-
stroy the last leech of the money power
in this country, we had better curse the
graves of our forefathers and present an
unconditional surrender to Cleveland,
Morgan and the ROthschilds, or turn
out the lamp In the watch tower and ask
God TO stop the sun SIX hours after il has
gone down. If we fail to unite forces
this year, we deserve 70 wear the yoke
of bondage for all time to come.
There are honest, sincere reformers in
this country who believe that the rapid
concentration of wealth in the hands of
few and the ever-growing poverty Of
the masses are prOtentOus OF sweeping
victory for the people within very few
years and that it is better to wait tor a
general victory than to unite the ele-
ments and give battle TO the enemy on
specified issue. But let it be remembered
that just in proportion as the money
power grows in strength the people be-
come weak and dependent With de-
pendence comes degradation, lasSltude
of moral character and laXity of vigil
lance, and no one understands this re-
suit better than the gold barOns. They
know that if they control the Money of
the nation, they can absorb and mOnOpO-
lie the industries of the country and de-
grade the people, and that a degraded
people will part with the last yestige of
liberty for TRIVIAL and temporary con-
sideration. Slaves can never free them
selves, and therefore, if | had but one
thought to utter this side Of the grave,
ii would be to warn the common people
of the very near approach to the point
where their own weakness and depend
ence will bar the possibility of social and
political corruption. Whenever the
money power becomes stronger than
the people, it will apply its arrogant
lash with relentless fury, and liberty
will be lost until through reign of
terror the Oppressors have exhausted
their force in the gloom of another
night.
TO form union, will not recede from
any declaration contained in the pream-
BILE of the knights of Labor or the
nn,aba DIotforn, Nor IL If nanassort,