Washington telegraph., 1900-09-07

as uncertain as the QuAntEly. - a pit
| monopoly can suspend proauctlon ana TX
| the price of raw material as well as the
price OF the finished product the farmer,
| poWerIess to protect himself when he sells,
| is plundered when he purchases can any
! farmer hesitate to throw the lnhuehce OF
his ballot upon the side OF those VINO desire
to protect the public at large from monopo-
! lies?
The fact that the trusts support the re-
! publican party ought to be sufficient proof
! that they expect protection from IT. Inc
| republican party cannot be relied upon TO
extinguish the trusts so long as 1t draws
its campaign contribution from their over
| flowing vaults.
The "Prosperity" Argument.
1.-THE prosperity argument which the re-
| publicans bring forward TO answer all COM
| plants against the administration Will not
| deceive the farmer. He knows that Two
factors enter into his income: First, the
size of his crop, and, second the price
which he receives for the same. He does
not return thanks to the party in power Tor
favorable weather and bountiful harvest,
and he knows that the republican party
has no policy which insured permanent
increase in agricultural prices. Since ne
sells his surplus in a foreign market, ne Is
not a beneficiary of the tariff and since ne
produces merchandise and not money, ne
does not profit by the appreciation of the
dollar lie knows that the much vaunted
prosperity, of which he has never had his
share, is on the Wane in spite of the unusual
and unnatural stimulation which II has re
ceived during the last three years lie
knows that each month of 1900 shows
larger number of failures than the corre-
spending month of 1893, and that there is
already a marked tendency toward de-
crease in the output of the factories. lie
knows, also, that discoveries OF gold,
famines abroad and war on three conu-
nents have not been able to raise the price
of farm products as rapidly as trusts and
combinations have raised the price of the
things which the farmer buys.
Dangers of Delay.
at is sometimes urged by partisan pop
ulfsts that four years more OF republican
misrule would so aggravate economic con-
ditions as to make reforms easier. No one
can afford to aid in making matters worse
in the hope of being able to make them bet
ter afterward, for in so doing he assumes
responsibilities for evils which he may not
be able to remedy, No populist, however
sanguine, believes it possible to elect pop
ulist president at this time but the populist
party may be able to determine whether
a democrat or a republican will be elected.
Mr.. Chairman, the populist convention,
which your committee represents, thought
it better to share with the democrats in the
honor of securing some of the reforms de-
of remaining neutral in this great crisis, or
of giving open or secret aid to the republic
an party, which opposes all the reforms for
which the populists contend.
"Those who labor to improve the condi-
tions which surround their fellow-men are
apt to become impatient; but they must re-
member that it takes time to work out
great reforms.
New Issues.
81 have called attention to the issues
which brought the democrats and populists
together and which justified their coopera-
tion during the last four years. Let me now
invite your attention to new questions
which would justify cooperation at this
time, even though we differed upon all
economic questions. 1t is not our fault that
these new questions have been thrust into
the arena of politics; it is not our fault that
the people have been called upon to con-
slider questions of eVer-increastng magn-
tude. In 1890 the tariff question was the
principal subject of discussion, and the
democratic party contended that the masses
were carrying a burden of unjust and un-
necessary taxes. In 1892 the tariff question
was still the principal issue between the
democratic and republican parties, al
though in the west and south the money
question was assuming greater and greater
proportions, and the populists were con-
tending that our monetary system was
more responsible than the tariff laws for
the depression in agriculture and the dis
tress existing among the wage-earners.
In 1896 the whole question of taxation be-
came of secondary Importance because OF
the increased bodness of those who opposed
the gold and silver coinage of the constitu-
ton. When the republicans declared at
st. Louis that the restoration of bimetal-
lsm in this country, although desirable,
was impossible without the aid of the lead
ing commercial nations of the old world,
the populists and silver republicans joined
with the democrats in asserting the right
and duty of the American people to shape
their financial system for themselves, re-
gardless Of the action of other nations.
The failure of the republican party to Sc
cure international bimetallism and its open
espousal of the gold standard still keep the
money question in politics. but no economic
question can compare in Importance with
question which concerns the principles
and structure of government Systems of
taxation can be changed with less difficulty
than financial systems, and financial sys-
TENS can be altered with less danger and
less disturbance to the country than the
vital doctrines upon which free government
rests.
"In the early COS, when we were engaged
in a contest which was to determine
whether we should have one republic or
two, questions Of finance We're lost sight of.
Silver wiNs at a premium over gold, and gold
and silver were al a premium over green
backs and bank notes, but the people could
not afford to divide over the money ques-
ton in the presence of a greater issue, and
so to-day we are engaged in controversy
which will determine whether we are to
have a republic in which the government
derives its just powers from the consent
of the governed, or an empire in which
brute force is the only recognized source of
power.
IN government where the people rule
every wrong can be righted and every evil
remedicd, but when once the doctrine of
self-government is impaired and might is
substituted for right, there is no certainty
that any question will be settled correctly.