Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-02-04
A Sensible Reply to the Letter OF
Chatham Young.

Chatham Young.
PORTLAND, Or, Jan. 26.-(To the
Editor. The letter Of MIR. John G.
Young, state chairman of the Peoples
Party, published in the Oregonian of
January "a, has been so generally
read and accepted as an expression Of
the sentiments of the members of the
Peoples party that think 1t not un
fair 10 point out TO the POpulist
readers of your paper a few of the
many cOgent reasons for different
policy from that which is advocated
by Mr.. Young.
Ready TO concede that the state con-
vention will settle the question Of
Union of Reform forces, Mr.. Young,
nevertheless, throws the weight of his
powerful influence against the idea
Of recognizing the existence of the
Democratic party by lengthy and
skillful arraiEnment of that Organiza-
tiOn for official misconduct from the
slavery question and civil war 20 the
failure to indorse Thomas Watson for
Yice-president. But are we to debate
upon war issues when the eyes Of the
entire republic are turned upon our
actions, when a victory for reform in
Oregon would send thrill Of hope
through every reform organization 10
America Are we to refuse the as
sistance Of the Bryan Democrats in
liberating the bondsman of the money
power, and the slave Of the sweatshop,
because their fathers refused TO liber-
ate the black slave ? But Mr.. Young's
letter argues that the Democratic
party in adopting the Chicago plat
form was inSincere, intlmates that it
nl 10 dana ia, l.
ment, that the Democrats at Chicago
forced the adoption of a reform plat
form against the frantic opposition of
the CleYeland men, without any con-
Yction OF the truth and justice of the
principles enunciated, but merely to
please the Populists and get their
votes. This Is violent absurdity.
Men cOntrO He'd by mercenary motives
never serge the interest of the poor
and oppressed when solicited by the
powerful; but who can say that Bryan,
Altgelt, Henry George, George H.
Williams, Daniels, Tillman and Others
are demagOgues and frauds, and that
Watson, Weaver, Davis, Norton, Al
len, Rogers are patriots and true re-
formers, and if, as Mr.. Young init
mates, the former are insincere, how
does he know. and il he thinks he knows
might he not be miSled and err ? Be
sides, Is Mr.. Young making any votes
for the Peoples party by such public
letters as this one After 10 years
hard work educating the people on
reform principles, supported by the
scanty earnings of labor, we have
brought the great part of the Demo-
cratic party TO publicly renounce their
errors and admit the justice of our
demands. Are we going TO get them
into our ranks by such letters as Mr.
Young writes
Not the least significant feature OF
the manifesto OF the state chairman
is the fact that any other than the
l6-tO-l silver idea, which has been adj
vOcated by the Democrats, is utterly
ignored, skillfully leaving the infer
ence that nothing else is represented
by the Chicago platform, But as a
populist, Mr. Young knows that; in
its advocacy of government currency
against national banks aud bank
notes, the Chicago platform rises
above the free silver issue, and when
IL declares against trusts aud private
monopOlies. and deuounces the des-
potism OF the supreme court IL rises
a reform document in the broadeS
sense of the word. Here the point
is made that irredeemable greenbackS
versus Cages national bank currency
will be the issue of the next congress-
ional camgaign, This Is the only
difference between the Populists aud
the Democratic financial plan. The
importance of this difference seems 10
have been unreaSonably magnltied
perhaps not always without "A pur-
pose, What is the difference between
a government legal tender green
back irredeemable, and one redeem
able In coiny III the former is not as
good as a dollar In coin, what have We
Populists been talking about these
many yearsy III IL is, AS Abe Lincoln's |
full legal tender issue proved at the |
time ot the nations peril, what mat |
erlal difference would IL make under I
free coinage OF both metals il the |
should exchange them |
tur coin on demaudY No Que thinks
for "A moment that the government |
sOuld be QnaharraS SSed nv DreSQntatiOn !