Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1897-06-25

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that they paid for in greenbacks depre-
ciated one half or more, were made
payable in coin and this coin was by
discardlng silver as a money metal, made
to mean gold coin, and coin that was
doubled in value by the doubling Of the
demand for it. Thus were debLs con-
tracted during the war quadrupled.
First, they were doubled by deprecating
by one.half the greenb backs in which they
were contracted, then they were again
doubled by enhancing the value Of the
coin IN which they were made payable.
This holds good, not only to government
debts, but to private debts AS well, for
all debts were contracted and paid upon
the same inequitabe terms. In this way
was an oligarchy Of money built up. an
oligarchy of the north and east in place
of an oljgarchy of the south and thus
the seeds of new sectionalism sown.
And to these ends has the Republican
party lent itself. 1t has cham pioned the
deer dollar. done nothing to rectify the
wrongs of system that has made debts
payable IN dollars worth four times as
much as the dollar borrowed. and thus
lent itself to exalting an oligarchy even
more dangerous to the future OF our
country than the oligarchy it overthrow.
Having changed its principles. it has
outlived it's usefulness.
We turn, then. from the Republican
party as the defender Of the party of
human liberty than the party that was
| organized to overthrow an ollgarchy
built on negro slavery, an oligarchy that
enriched itself by despolling 1000, 900
blacks of the fruits of their toll, but now
champions and protects the moneyed
oligarchy, an oligarchy preying on
70, 100000 of freemen, freemen from
chatlel slavery, despoiling them Of the
fruits of their toll and reducing them to
the slavery Of industrial poverty until
the name freemen bids to become but a
travesty on their condition. The Demo.
cratic party has pledged itself to rectify
the monetary system that, by increasing
the burden of all debts, has led to The
despoilment of our producing classes and
the enrichment Of the moneyed cliques,
system that the Republican party has
chamuioned. In 50 far the Democratic
party has opposed itself to the trampling
on human rights. 1t has thus far
espoused the cause of the people. But
at this it stops II ignores the use of our
railroads AS speculative engines IN the
building up OF moneyed oligarchy, IN the
despoiling of our producing classes of
the fruits of their toll in The sitting OF
industries and the enslavement Of our
people to this oligarchy.
We must, then, look elsewhere for the
party OF the people. The Peoples party
in Its cardinal tenets comes up to the
measurement. Yet the Peoples party
cannot as such. unite the defenders of
human rights, and lead the way to
victory.
For our past we owe allegiances to no
party, we care for no party name. The
American supported the Republican
party while it believed that party would
best serve the interests OF our country; it
supported Garfield for president in 1880.
and Harrison for president in 1888. be-
lieving from personal knowledge that
those gentlemen would place the rights
of man before the rights Of prosperity.
that both were bimetallsts. The first
showed weakness at a critical time. the
inception of his administrator. He
made mistakes that he later tried to
rectify. His desire to do right cost him
his life. The second was false to his
professions. The American during those
years alleged itself in general with the
Repu blican party, though it led the in
dependent movement in Pennsylvania in
1882 and again in 1890, that resulted in
the election of Democratic governor.
In 1892 there was no choice between the
parties. Both candidates were acceptable
to the moneyed cliques; both distasteful
to those believing in the supremity of
human rights. In 1896 we gave our
support to Mr.. Bryan. not because we
were satisfied with the platform of the
Democratic party or its candidate, but
because we saw in the rejuvenated Demo
cratic party the promise of brighter
futu fe, sae.ay OF promise that it would
become In whole, as it had in part. the
champion of policies dictated by regard
for the rights of man.
Partisan we never have been and trust
we never shall be; unless it be partisan,
whichit should never be in a republic,
to espouse the rights of man, to consist.
emily oppose those who trample on
human lights. We seek the party of
human rights and liberty, as opposed to
property rights and industrial slavery;
and caresnot by what name it goes. Our
PRAYER issthat the defenders of human
rights MD unite aud make success, pos
sible. Peoples party meets the