The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-11-02

with millions Of producers struggling for
q mere subsistence.
The time is coming. il, indeed, n is
not now here, when law no longer pro-
tects honest merchants and producers,
but shields dishonest ones in the failure
Of its execution. When law fails to pro-
tect those who are willing to honor 1t,
and when a railroad president can whis-
per the word that gives a monopoly in
oil, beef, coal or grain to single crimi-
nal, we may well be fearful Of the safety
Of our institutions.
THE public warehouse monopoly was
the mother of trusts special rates of
freights of food that prolongs their ev-
istence"
pies Party, Minneapolis, MINI.
Dear Doctor: have refrained from
expressing any political views for some
time as l find that we can educate the
masses by refraining from calling these
reforms "Populism." l find that the
rank and file of all parties are firm be-
levers in the doctrines of the Peoples
party, but the minute you call them
"Populists" their prejudices are so
great that they stampede from the
blith of Populism" and would rather en-
dure the conditions that they complain
about, rather than see their party de-
feated.
We have good illustration of this
condition going on at this time, as we
find both old parties appropriating to
their own use planks of the Peoples
party, and with cool effrontry calling
this their policy and platform.
While they grew black in the face
calling the Populists of the country
Anarchists, calamity howlers and lex
plosions of wrath" ETC., now find las
did at the recent trust conference held
in Chicago) that the leaders of the Re-
publican and Democratic parties are in
favor of antitrust" government con-
troll and ownership" Initiative and
referendum" publicity" man above
the dollar and such Populistic and
Socialistic ideas that if 1 did not actual
ly hear them would be 10th to believe
it.
l have, therefore, come to the cOnclu-
sion that the mission of the Peoples
party is not to get the offices las I do
not believe that it will ever be success
full at the poles as a party, but to keep
up the agitation and educate and
POPULISTIZE both the old parties and
compel them to carry out our reforms
more through political expediency than
any desire to enact laws that will benefit
the masses. But we are driving them at
tremendous gait into the road of re-
form. The Peoples party will achieve
it's mission if it succeeds in compelling
the other political parties to carry out
it's policy and reforms There is but
one thing for us to do. Be loyal to
the Peoples party and stand squarely in
the middle of the road.
AS to your questions, l will reply for
my county briefly as possible, as also
to give you the results of my investi-
cations in other sections of the nation:
l. The yield of wheat is about the
same, 10 bushels to the acre; the price
the same as last year-below the cost
of production.
2. Trust made goods are much higher.
Oil and gasoline last year 8 cents gal
$3.50 per ton to $3.50, this year $3.50.
Meat last year 10 to II cents per pound
this year II to IS cents. Clothing rs
per cent higher. Agricultural imple-
ment 80 per cent advance. Leather
goods about 80 per cent advance. Iron
and steel goods 100 per cent advance
Lake freights advanced by lack of boats,
200 per cent. Railroad freights to be ad-
vanced 25 per cent on all freight. The
fixed rates of marketing the farmers
products is from so to $50 per cent of
the value of the crops raised. This is
irrespective of the amount of the crop,
be it big or little, whether prices are
high or low.
g. Wages of regular employees in the
trade, commercial and industrial pur-
suits are generally the same. Farm and
day labor Of unskilled workmen has ad-
vanced 20 per cent over last year.
3. The general result of income and
expenditure is hard work to keep even
Rents are higher, taxes higher, and it is
harder to keep even.
4. Bankers. merchants and middle
men are the most prosperous.
5. The laboring man and farmer puts
in about IL to IA hours work. They have
no time for mental or social i'm
provement.
6. In the cities the children of the
poor leave school at from IL to 13 years
of age On the farm from IA to Is years.
Z. Conditions do not satisfy at all.
To change them send representatives of
the people to office who will enact laws
that will give special privileges to none
and equal opportunities to all. Execute
the laws that are in force. Make the
Man and not the Dollar the base of our
civilization, in accordance with the dig