New-York tribune., 1900-08-24

y
he sorely feels the burden of them all. he Is ue-
he piants his ere crop he knows not whether it viii
be blessed with rain blighted with drouth; ne
hail destroy It, insects devour it, and the price
private monopoly can suspend production and fix
the price of raw materials as well as the price %
the finished product the farmer. poweress to pro.
tect himself when he sells. Is plundered wssh ne ne
purchases. Can any farmer hesitate to tnIUy b me
influence of his ballot upon the side OF those Swmo
desire protect the public at large from Inohop-
The fact that the trusts support the Republican
party ought TO be sufficient proof that tney eNpet
be relied upon extnguish the trusts, so long as
il draws its campaign contributions from ther
overfowing vaults.
NOT DECEIVED BY PROSPERITY.
The prosperity argument which the Republicans
bring forward to answer all complaints against the
knows that two factors enter into his income
first, the size of his crop. and. SECOND, the prlce
turn thanks to the party in power for favorable
s bier d 1ary ha eo poey Ne m
sures permanent increase I'm agricultural prices:
is not a beneficiary of tariff. and since he pro-
duces merchandise. and not money. ne aoes a nos
that the much vaunted prosperity, or Wnlch ne
has never had his share Is on the wane IN sPG Il
has received during the last three years He knows
failures than the corresponding month of 1899, and
that there is already marked tendency toward ;oI
also that discoveries of gold. famines abroad and
raise the price of farm products as rapidly :"
trusts and combinations have raised the price cI
Our opponents have tried to make 1t appear that
we are inconsistent when we desire general rise
tected manufactures or trust made goods. Ihere
tions. If general rise in prices occurs because OF
a permanent increase in the volume of money, all
the volume of money then increase in proportion to
d tine bne t9r can 6 done RS With fairness to all r.
however the price is arbitrary and only aiteete a
pUrcbssnp mover Of their income is decreased If
a bad monetary system drags down the price of the
farmers products while monopolies raise the price
md In1s+ evnecf 70 sIffer in comnarison with those
who belong to the classes more favored by leg1sla-
II is sometimes urged by partisan P9pulists, that
donr years more oi Iti 4 sk iG reforroe %
easier. No one afford TO aid in making matters
better afterward. for in so doing he assumes re-
sponsibities which he may not be able to remedy.
to elect PopuIist President side at this time but the
Popust party may 6e abe TO dntePmlne end6 %hetne %
Chairman. the Populist convention, which your
with the Democrats in the honor of securing some
of the reforms desired by your party than to bear
or of giving open secret aid to the Republican
party which opposes all ths reforms for which the
Populists contend.
TINE TO WORK OUT GREAT REFORMS.
Those who labor to improve the conditions which
surround their fellow men are apt to become impa
calling your attention to the slow growth of public
Johnson in 1855 recommen1e6 nI nonstitvtiona
amendment providing for the election Of United
States Senators by direct vote Of the people but
his recommendation met with no response About
twelve years later General Weaver then a member
Of Congress tried TO secure the passage of resou
forts, were futile. In 1892 the resolution recon
gressman Weaver finally passed the House of Rep
rese9tatlNes, but II has not yet reached vote in
lie discussion the proposition for the first time
received the Endorsement of the National conven-
shall see this reform accompIshed before the next
Presidential election. and with its accomplishment
medal legislation Which tbeT NAV desire Bnt hove
halting has been the progress! Holland has said:
Heaven is not gained by single bound
We build the ladder by which We rise
From the lowly earth to the vauted skies.
And mount to its summit round by round
And so it is with great social and political
struggling humanity marches on, step by step CON
tent If at each nightfal it can pitch its tent
I have called attention to the issues which
brought the Democrats and Popusts together and
new questions which would Justify co-operation at
this time even though we differed upon ali eco
nomc questions 1t is not our fault that these
politics 1t is not our fault that the people have
been called upon to consider questions Of ever In
the principal subject Of discussion, and the Demo
cratic party contended that the masses were carry
ing burden of unjust and unnecessary taxes In
1899 the tariff question still the principal issue
between the Democratic and Republican parties
although in the West and South the money ques-
tion was assuming greater and greater proportions
tsry SYSTEM was more responsible than the tarlr
laws for the depression in agriculture and the dis
importance becaUse ~ Ibn increaeea o
those who opposed The gold and silver coinage of
the Constitution When the Republicans declared
NJ St Louis that the restoration OF bimetallism in
country. although desirable. mr.
without the aid Of the leading commercial nations
licans Joined with the Democrats in asserting the
right and duty Of the American people to shape
their financial system for themselves, regardless Of
the action Of other nations. The failure of the
lis and its espousal Of the gold standard still
keep the money question in politics. but
question which concerns the principle and struct-
ure Of government. Systems Of taxation can be
TENS. and financial systems be altered with
less danger and less disturbance to the country
than the vital doctrines upon which free govern
ment rests.
WHAT DwARFs MONEY QUESTION
In the early sixties when we were engaged in a
contest which Vas to determine whether we should
lost sight Of Silver was at premium over gold,
greenbacks and banknotes. but the people could
not afford to divide over the question in the
presence of a greater issue. And so to-day we
are engaged In a controversy which will determine
whether are to have republic in which the
government derives its just powers from the
sent OF the governed or an empire in which brute
force is the only recognized source Of power.
In a government where the people rule every
wrong be righted and every evil remedied but
when the doctrine of self government is i'm
paired and might is substituted for right there ia
certainty that any question will be settled
recty.
A colonial policy would so occupy the people with
the consideration OF the Nations foreign policy
that domestic questions would be neglected who
viii haul down the hag?' Stand by the Pres-
cism Of the Administration and corruption and
special privilege would thrive under the cover Of
patriotism.
II is not strange that the Populists should op-
pose mtarism and Imperialism for both