The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-09-21
A, New Method.

ATLANTA. Ca, Sept. 7.-Mr. Don
nelly: I hope you will excuse the lib
erty in addressing you, but it seems to
he that something ought to be done to
Try and stir up the people in the cities,
for to me they appear to be asleep.
There is not more than one in fifty of
the voting population who know how
political parties are run, and not more
than one in 100 who know what it takes
to constitute dollar. Almost to man
they think it takes piece of silver with
piece of gold behind it. These same
men are intelligent on almost every SUBJ
ject except finance and the workings of
the government. I will give you one
illustration. A gentleman here in At
ianta, an educated one at that, grad
uate of the chronological school To-
Gated here, who now has an office in this
city, and is considered practical
craftsman, wanted to know how a silver
dollar could be worth 100 cents as cir
culating medium when the silver in it is
only worth SO cents as commodity, I'M
less it had the gold behind it. ex-
planned to him that 1t was not the COM
modify value either OF the silver in it.
self, or of the gold behind it, but that it
was the fiat of the government that
makes it compulsory on the other fellow
to take it for debts and dues that makes
1t worth 100 cents. Then he could see
how it is that we Populists condemn
purely fiat dollar. Now this case repre-
sents the universal majority so we'll we
cannot help wondering why it is that SO
many bright, intelligent men are SO ig-
norant on these questions After hav-
ing sought for the cause we find it
comes from the prejudice caused by the
education they have received from the
newspapers which they generally read.
10 show to what extent that prejudice
prevails here in the South, Atlanta is
as progressive and metropolis
tan as any city in the South, and when
the candidate for governor on the Pom
ulist ticket came here to speak, there
were not over so people out to hear him.
| will give one more case of what | |
call ignorant superstition, which, to nv !
mind, covers the labor union question
and it's workings toward political re- !
form.
Some time ago met man, young. of |
inc address, intelligent as far as nature
<11N
asked him what he was doing now: he
'aid he had been travelling since March
n the interest of his union, as he had
'een appointed organizer for Georgia.
Jpon receiving that information i'm
nediately asked him what the unions
through their leaders and periodicals
we're going to commence educating their
members how to vote for their own in
erests. He looked surprised, and said
le thought they already knew how.
When l told him what kind of recep-
Ion the 5000 union men here in Atlanta
ave to Mr.. Hagean, he wanted to know
Tho he was, and when told him he was
he candidate for governor of Georgia
n the Populist ticket, he said, why
he Populist party does not offer the la
Oring man any thing"
Now, isn't man like that fine ig-
oramus for union to choose for a
eader to organize the great state of
Georgia, the state that holds the KEY to
ne political situation, for 80 goes
eorgia so goes the South" and this
hould be the fighting ground.
With that kind of ignorance and SUI
erstition to contend with, how are we |
} teach them. We cannot with news
apers, for the people are too poor to
Ike them. and would not take them il
ley were not too poor, so that avenue {
closed. Through their prejudice
ley will not go out to hear our speak
s. BY that means that avenue is :
osed. How to reach the mass of the r
ty voters is the all absorbing question.
) see it. There is only two ways that 6
have been able, after five years of
arch to discover. One Is to get out
nall dodgers bearing direct on the
lestions and mail them to individuals !,
no have not got converted yet. That | :
expensive, and will not do much good: !,
e other way is to send out mission =
les to the different cities, whose duty =
should be to go on to the streets and Z
each our doctrines in the highways
id byways. In the first place he must y
thoroughly posted on political c.
onomy;. in the second place he must
thoroughly inbued with love OF the
use at heart. This will 1T him to sac
Ice self and friends for the cause Of =
manity. he must expect at times to
t abused. II he never gets anything
,rse than eggs, he may think himself
ky.
am speaking from experience It
,uld be hard to toll how many times / I