The herald., 1898-06-03
A Voice From Redlands

To the Editor of the Los Angeles Herald
I have read with much interest what mas
been printed in the Herald in relation to
calling the state convention as early as
July II. l am constant reader and admir-
er of The Herald. But in the attitude you
have assumed in this matter l think you
are wrong. AS yet, no reason for a later
date has been suggested but that of econ
omy. That Is good as far as 1t goes, but
it seems to me that there are many reasons
in favor Of even an earlier date than the
18th of July.
1 beg leave to call your attention to the
fact that the main question Chat of
finance) which is to be an issue between
the Republican party on the one side and
the wealth earners on the other side, is not
we'll understood by the mass of voters
whom we desire to enlist in behalf OF q
fusion ticket. This, too, Notwithstanding
a large and respectable part of our people
have been trying to bring it prominently
before the whole people for discussion for
more than 80 years. During these so years
we have had to contend with both the
Republican and Democratic parties up 10
the holding of the Chicago convention. Up
to that time every platform of either of
these parties which even limited that they
favored the doctrines so bravely ennun-
ciated by the Chicago convention, did so
with a string to it. Without exception
there was some loop-hole left by which
the declaration could be evaded, such as
keeping gold and silver at parity-a thing
that cannot be done, never has been done.
and never will be done. The Republican
party made blunder (unintentionaliy)
once and issued 100000, 900 of full legal ten
der paper money. That did remain as
good and better, than gold, as long as it
was in circulation.
But this example did not teach the peo-
pie that it's value did not reside in the
paper, but in the money-function with
which it had been endowed by the sover-
eighty of a great nation. 1t had been APP
parent to the world for several years that
the Republican party had been tied hand
and foot. bound and gagged by the trusts
and money-lending corporations they had
created. The Democratic party had long
desired to cut loose from these vampires,
but a few leaders succeeded in keeping
the more ignorant masses from 1t until at
the Chicago convention. The honest
masses of the party, having discovered
that following in the wake of the Republi-
ton, and themselves individually, threw
off all restraint and with one grand en-
thusiasm declared their independence of
all trusts and combinations fostered by the
Republican party for the undoing of the in
dustrial interests of the country.
This had a good effect. 1t brought the Re-
publican party out in its true colors The
party was Immediately turned over openly
to the enemies of the people for a fixed
price. The offices Of the general govern
ment were practically put up at auction
and sold to the highest bidder. A large
proportion of the great newspa-
pers were either bought outright or bribed
to fight the principles enunciated in the
Chicago platform. But the rank and file of
the Republican party had not found all this
out when the st. Louis convention met,
and the highly enlightened and cultivated
delegates from California started to that
convention to a man yelling "Hurrah for
free silver" But oh, what fall my coun-
trymen! When they arrived at st. Louis
Mark Anthony Hanna and the money
bags were there, and our delegates were
told that they did not know what they
were talking about, and turned in with
the balance of the reconcentrados. They
had pocketed all their principles and given