The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-04-08

Editor Representatives:
AS the north wind comes bowling from
the northern wastes and shakes the for
ests in its haste, and piles the snow in ed
dying drifts, think of Gods unfortunate
ones, of homes of misery and want, and
curse mans inhunsanity to man and the
blind party partisan bigotry Of the vot-
ing masses, and wonder why, with free
ballot and human intelligence they vote
and again vote as they have for years for
men and parties that have added new
miseries to their deplorable condition
after each election. Many of them still
talk that they will once more trust their
fate to men and political parties who de-
spise and hold them in loathing contempt,
not worthy to be called men, or OF sufti-
Gent intelligence to exercise the right OF
franchise Yet they kiss the hand that
smites them, and crouch at the party lash,
like ours instead of Independent freemen.
Freedom has cost their country thou
sand battlefields to preserve them, and |
ask myself are such things worthy an Ell
fort to save. Were they born to be slaves;
are they not receiving the just compensa-
ton of their mental acts? Let Justice an
swer with mercy, remembering cur
nocent women and children whose politi-
cal guardians We are, who are suffer-
ing the results Of the folly of the acts of
fathers, husbands and brothers, shall we
desert them, and with them our country
and it's institutions. This thought is what
makes me take up another hole in my
political war belt and look out into the
binding storm now raging for some
traitor English agent or blind party i'm
beetle to rip off his bleeding political
scalp to bangle from my war belt. The
thought of deserving the welfare Of the
innocent ones and allow our once happy
land to be destroyed, its freedom eXtin-
guished, our country the hope OF the
worlds oppressed, ruled by brute force,
should be a spur for effort by all that
love their country. Don't it disgust you
to hear men say they are waiting to see
what the Democratic and Republican par
ties are going to do in their platforms?
Let both parties put into their platforms
planks for the free coinage Of gold and
silver What then? Who :5 fool enough
to believe In their good faith after their
past history? But suppose they restored
free coinage, they would still remain, like
Bryons Corsair, linked to one virtue and
a thousand crimes. Politically they would
still remain the mere tool OF the lust of
plutocracy, would still be in power to sell
their counItry's welfare for personal gain
In my weak opinion the old parties on
the money question will declare in the
Republican platform, a straddle or gold
in the Democratic platform free coinage
of silver to hold the fool voters as many
as they can to give office in local elections
to Democratic ward statesmen and keep
the people from voting for the candidates
| nominated at the joint conventions, July
22 at St. Louis. The real object is to
elect a Republican president; in fact
play the Jim Hill-Geo. l.. Becker game
nationally, as it was played in our state
at the last election But the best laid
scenes of mice and men gang aft a-glee
What are the old parties, with their trait
tors, English agents and bribe-taiers, go.
ing to do with the patriotic men in joint
convention at ST. Louis and the candi-
dates they nominate at our next election
The people will have something to say a:
to who will govern this nation: for
stripped of disguise, the question to be
decided is: Shall the republic be main
| tanned? Shall England and the pluto
Gratis ruin and rule our country, or viii
| the people assert their privilege anl
| power?
l trust the people. They will save thu
| republic. ALLEN G.. SEXTON.
| Annandale, Mimi, March 81, 1896.