The independent., 1903-07-02
OHIO POPULIsTS
National Committeem2n Groot Expresses
Hi. Con nvIction That the Money Ques-
tion is Still Vital and Paramount

ton is Still Vital and Paramount
Editor Independent: Your letter
OF May 16 and %, 1908, and copy OF
the Henry George Edition of your val
liable paper were duly received, for
which accept thanks. | note your re-
quests but will be unable to answer
them except il general way. Since
1896 the populists in Ohio have fol-
lowed the leadership of Bryan and !
believe they are willing to continue to
follow him wherever he may lead.
providing he does not abandon the
money question. Since 1900 they
have acted independently because OF
the peculiar conditions existing po-
litically in this state. They will not
abandon the principles of the peoples
party as announced in the platforms
OF 1892 and 1900. They distrust the
democrat leaders in this state and
many of them believe that they are
merely adjuncts to the republican par
ty and they will not be governed and
controlled by them unless they stand
suuarely on the Chicago and Kansas
City platforms.
If the democratic party should in
1904 abandon the money question the
populists will abandon that party and
will insist upon acting independently
OF other party organizations. 1t must
be understood that those of us who
left the republican party because OF
the money question will never affiliate
with any organization that does not
make that question the paramount
one as it is now and always has been.
Bryan has been true to his convic-
tions, although in 1900 he was in
.duced to put aside the consideration OF
the money question and to take. up
what many thought to be matter OF
more vital Importance, viz: imperial
ism." I thought then that he and
ali those who Wer> in control Of the
democratic party made mistake in
Sc doing and / know it now and /
think he does. am one of~those who
believe that no permanent good can
come from the discussion of political
questions that are of no general i'm
a,ortance. The fight fer political pow
er must be made + the plain people
Of this country upon the money ques-
tion and that alone, and that fight
must continue until success crowns
their efforts if they ever expect to re-
ceive any permanent benefits. Every
political question takes it's root in
the money question and when that is
solved as it should be the rest of them
will disappear. In 1896 the money
question was for the first time in the
history of the world made a political
issue and the reason we did not sue
ceed then is that the people had not
sufficient information upon the sub
iect to enable them to vote intelli-
gently upon it, and those who debated
the question upon the stump were not
qualified, except in few instances, to
convey to them proper information.
When it will be again made the para
mount issue is hard question to an
SWer.
II the democratic party in 1904
should abandon that question it will
be defeated by an overwhelming ma
jcrity as it ought to be- If it should
il would be an evidence of cowardicn
OF its part and the people are not yet
prepared to support policy of cow
ardice nor to elect towards to politi-
cal office. If our contention in 1896
were correct it is certainly correct
row. If it were of sufficient import
ance to be made chief political issue
then there is no reason why it should
not continue to be.
A good many people seem to think
that if we had single tax or if the
tariff were revised and the protective
feature abandoned or if we had free
trade we would have general prosper
lty and the people would be contented
and happy. 1t is singular how easily
people are drawn away from the con-
sideration Of the great question, the
money question, that concerns their
temporal welfare and made to believe
that some other remedy is necessary
in order to make them prosperous. If
the people of this country should
adopt the theory of single tax and
i. should be carried out in all it's full
ness or If they bad free trade pure
and simple, conditions would not be
changed for their permanent good;
prices would not be affected. 1t must
be understood that it is rot question
of taxation nor of tariff nor of free
frodo thnt ic I'm rtorfopt Il, A.