The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1897-02-03
LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA,
Horrible Connditions-Money so Scarce that
Potatoes are Used for Currency-How the
People Were Fooled

Horrible Conndtions-Money so Scarce that
Potatoes are Used for Currency-How the
People Were Fooled.
Editor Representative. ---e-----s--'-
Enclosed are two dollars for two
REPRESENTATIVES, to S. A. Moul-
ton, and the other to Whitman's
Store, Campbell, CAL, where the
men congregate, whitman is good
PopuliSt), SO that those fellows who
were hallering for confidence" and
"protection," before election, can read
a few facts that the subsidized papers
don't give.
Forty years ago the writer went to
Kansas, n the days of old John Brown,
to help stop the spread of slavery. l
had heart to fight then; but now it
is question Of white instead of black
slaves. The people on Nov. Sd. voted
themselves into gold bondage; held
out their hands to receive the
shackles and are now bound in bond
age. We have the gold contract law
gold coin only. 1t is in every note and
mortgage and within four years it
will be in every note, mortgage and
money obligation in the United
States; and | tell you this what scared
lots of men nto voting for Mckinley
and Sound Money, fearing it would
drive gold out of the country, and not
having sense enough to see for them
selves but listened to such paid hire.
lings as fatty Tom Reed, with his
lingo Of protection, prosperity, conf
dence, business revivals, ETC., after
elections; and succeeded in fooling
many simpleton to vote for the
money power. But instead Of prosper
ity times grew harder, property values
are twenty per cent lower today than
before election. The proof is that the
banks are breaking all over the coun-
try because their securities have de-
preciated. Property is lower and
will continue to get harder. Conf
dence went out the wrong end, and
the thin ble- rigging faro banks will
continue to break, until we can have
Postal Savings Banks, and a money
that is American and enough to do
| the business of the country with
One language over the whole world
would be beneficial but not one kind
of money, unless the same govern
ment extends over the world. Inter
national bi-me tails m even if we get it,
(Which l doubt), will not bring US re-
lief; only scheme to fasten the
chains tighter and give the gold con-
tract law a chance to get we'll set in
the United States. A law that COM
pels man to pay what he cannot get,
because it is not here is a bad law.
Our money is all gone or going, to pay
interest on a fraudulent debt that
never should have been.
l have seen the soil on these West
ern mountains where man could
raise his living, washed into rivers run
into the bay and ocean. and the place
left barren waste of rock piles
where a rabbit can hardly make liv-
ing. to get the gold. A 1000, 100000
and oyer all gone and giving into the
gold Snylock'S hands in Europe
Times are hard here, where we raise
or dig money out Of the earth. For
instance, at a church social here, DO
tatoes were used as money to pay ad-
mittance, as coon SKINS and cattle
hides are taken for taxes, sometimes
in Arkansas; and all kinds of truck in
many other states used as a substi-
tute for money. The life-blood of
the nation is getting thinner every
year; and the harder those fellows
that hold our bonds suck the thinner
it will get. The expense of the ma
tion, state and counties, goes on the
same as when money and labor were
at par one with another; high salaries,
ect., that were established when
things were more equal and the end is
not yet but all things have an end-as
fires, floods and cyclones.
IS. A. Moulton.
Campbell, Cal.