Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1898-03-25
Congressman Freeman Knowles Ans.
Wers a Cold B|ooded Letter From
Providence Board Of Trade.
washington Times:)

vidence board of trade will cancel
Representative Freeman Knowles from
its list of correspondents. That the
men who constitute the board will be
disturbed by a communication mailed
yesterday by Mr.. Knowles is not likely.
A pack of hyenas who will seek to turn
isaster like that which fell upon the
American navy in Havana harbor to
profitable account is so lost to all sense
of decency that it cannot hope to under
stand the patriotism that animates
man like Knowles.
A copy of the following circular has
been received by every member OF con
providence Board OF Trade,
Providence, Rhode Island.
"Your ca, nest attention is called to
the following preamble and resolution
passed by the Providence Board OF
Trade, Tuesday, March l. 1898, having
been previously Endorsed by the sound
money business men OF Rhode Island
Whereas ordinary prudence re-
quires that nation prepare for all
nergencies in time of peace, and
Whereas the destruction of the
Maine in Havana harbor has fixed the
public mind as never before upon the
present unsettled and precarious con-
dition of the national finances, and
Whereas an interval of time seems
granted us, in which to remedy exist
ing defects in our monetary system;
therefore, be it
Resolved, That we heartily ap-
prove the principles of currency re-
form set for h in the report Of the
monetary commission, appointed by
the executive committee of the In
dianapolis convention, and we respect
fully and earnestly urge upon congress
the speedy adoption OF these principles
and their embodiment in proper legis-
lation at the present session of congress-
We do this in the firm belief that all
classes Of the community will be bene-
fted thereby, and, further, we are
persuaded that however strong nation
may be in men and heroism, this nation
cannot take her proper place in case OF
real danger of war, without such
prompt adjustment of the national
finances as will place our credit upon
permanent gold basis which is the same
that is used by all other great powers
among nations
-"George H. Webb, Secretary
March I, 1903.
Representative Knowles, after read
ing the unpatriotic and cold-blooded
proposition, concluded to honor it with
reply. The reply was sent yesterday.
1t is as follows:
House of Representatives U. S.,
Washington, D. c., March 8, 1893.
George H. Webb, Esq, Secretary
Providence. Board of Trade, Pro, ilence.
K. l. Dear Sir: Replying to your cir
cular letter Of March /, beg to say
that I can find no language to express
my adherence Of men who will seek
to take advantage Of the patriotism Of
tho people to force financial system
upon them which means their enslave-
ment.
In your circular you say: Whereas.
the destruction of the Maine in Havana
harbor has fixed the public mind as new
er before upon the. present unsettled
aud precarious condition Of the nationol
finances.
beg to say that there is no such
thought iu the minds of any portion of
the people, aside from the shylocks and
robber classes who seek to fasten upon
the people system of financial slavery
which will reduce them to practical
serfdom. You are the same class as
those who took advantage Of the pro-
ple's patriotism in 1S61-'65, to fasten
upon the toiling masses system OF
bondage by which you have absorbed
the entire product Of labor ever since
the war. You are Of the same class
who stole bill through congress in
1913 by which silver was clandestinely
demonetized and the gold standard es-
tablished. This class would not hesitate
to sell our country for gold, and would
welcome to our shores foreign armies
and navies, rather than lose the interest
on their bonds. This is the same class
which is now trying to fasten upon the
struggling patriots of Cuba the $780,
(
900, QUO of bonds which the European
shylocks have taken from Spain in re-
turn for the money they loaned that
nation with which to butcher the
Cubans Your class would gladly see
the Cubans exterminated and the
American people reduced to worse than
Spanish despotism rather than the shy
locks should lose their money.
You talk about going to war upon a