Year: 1878

From the Kansas City Pioneer.


have watched with no little interest


and anxiety the discussion for some tim,


by some Of the leading men of our nation


on the subject Of finance and other impor.
tmt questions, now agitatmg the public


mind OF our people which has called ont


some Of the greatest minds of modern


times in the solution of what | will name


the problem of problems " As | wish tC


90 on record ON these great and vital sub.


lcctS, ! beg to accompany my name with


Elder d. =. Mitchell and others who have


cspOuscd the great cause Of humanity in


leading the oppressed out from under the
yoke OF aristOcratcal financial tyranny and
oppression back to the days of Washing
ton. jackson and Lincoln. In taking this
step trust may at least do more good
than harm. wish to say, however, in
the outset, that if what say cvokes cmti-
clSm from any quarter whatever among


my brethren, shall make no reply unless


conceive myself misunderstood, which |
hope to avoid. However, to all those OF
my church that may feel aggricycd at my
course in this matter, | have only to call
their attention to the fact that during
October 18th, 1899, the lamcntcd Alexander
Campbell, when after feeling it Il duty to
employ hls talents in II direction that
would be an everlasting benefit to his
country, he for the time being cOmpala-
lively quit his pulpit and took the stump"
in favor Of what his convictions taught
him to be right, which resulted in his
election to the Virginia legislature, and
while there welded great influence
in laying the foundation of
the abolition of slavery. Can amy one
for one moment, censure Mr. Campbell in
this? No. He acted from motive that
he believed WIS for the general good of
his county, In my Judgment this. was,
III il moral point of view, the crowning
effort of Mr.. Campbcll's life.


The poor white laboring men of the
North as well as the South are now in Il
similar if not Il worse condition in il finan-
cial point Of view; AMI the man that will
devise plan to relieve them of this ca
lamlty, be he preacher, lawyer, doctor,
mechanic or farmer, will receive greater
applause from these than the monarch
upon the throne, the President in his
chair or the General at the head OF vie
tOriOus army.


Again will take occasion to remark
that do not think that the discussion of
these great problems have been carried on
in that spirit that should characterize
those who are placed in power and are ex-
pected to labor for the great good of the
nation. do not agree with either the
Democratic or Republican parties in the
position that they now occupy Neither
do believe that there is coin enough in
all the world to transact the business of
its commerce. When Mr.. Buchanan left
the presidential chair the Democratic
party was in no good condition, and in
my judgment the Republican party at
the present time is not much better. For
near fifteen years the veteran soldier who
endured the hardshirs Of the war and
fought the battles of our country, has
been expecting to at lcastraccive I he same
bounty us did those of the "kid glove and
feather-bed fraternity who enlisted near
the close Of the war, that never saw SER
vice or IN many cases never even left their
own county. Now as the republican
party has done nothing for the
soldiers and as the democratic party
is not expected to do anything for them
the next best thing, and only hope for JUS
tice being done them is in that of third
party, based upon better promises and
upon IL better foundation. The Green
back party is that party, and just what |
have longed to see. Old things are pass
ing away, lat least such things as a free
people are not disposed to accept and ius- |
tice, equity and good government demand
that we have something new. Last Sat |
urday evening was the first time that |
have had the pleasure of meeting Rev. d. |
p. Mitchell and to hear him in an argu-
and mastery manner set forth |
the views entertained by his party, |
which was in my Judgment sufficient to |
convince the most superficial observer that |
he is right in his convictions and as an
honest man have been convinced of the |
same alternative, and as | belong to a |
different church to that of the doctor, no |
one can say that | have been moved by
any religious preference or interest. Meth
er does it concern me what "a mans |
church is when it comes TO- worthy pur-
suits.


As ! have not given the subject much
| will bring these introduc-
tory remarks to close with q promise to
do better in the future. Once more,
success to Mitchell and the Greenback
party! Respectfully,


Wichita, Oct l, 1873. A. B. SMITu.


You remember that tooth brush incident