People's Pilot, Volume 4, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 April 1895 — ON CURRENT TOPICS. [ARTICLE]

ON CURRENT TOPICS.

THE “SOUND” MONEY ADVOCATES ARE SCARED. “Iren in the Hands of Kings and Princes” —The Railroad Corporations Have No Use for Populists—Keep ’Em on the Bun. It seems to be a well settled question now that the currency problem will be the leading issue in the campaign of 1896. The labor and reform element in the country have been pushing this question forward for years, but havq always been told that the tariff question was the paramount issue. While the people have been misled in this way and fighting each other over a sham issue, the money powers of this country and Europe have been preparing for a struggle which they cannot put off any longer. The Globe-Demo-crat, the leading Republican paper of the Mississippi valley, commenting on the situation, says: “The finance 'question will undoubtedly be the chief issue in 1896. It far exceeds the tariff or any other question in importance. A campaign of education on this issue is urgently demanded. The popular ignorance on this vital subject is dense, particularly in the west and south. Demagogues like those who founded the Greenback party and like those who are at the ■ head of the and of their annex, the new silver party ; play upon this ignorance for their own selfish purposes. Thus panics are brought about, millions of persons are thrown out of employment, and the country suffers for years. The remedy for this sort of things is correct information. This the New York Reform club is furnishing The sound money cause would be invincible if the people had a little elementary knowledge of financial subjects. It is neither dishonesty nor malignity that impels men to clamor for the unrestricted coinage of 46-cent dollars' or the unlimited ..issue of inconvertible government paper, but merely ignorance of the rudimentary principles of finance, and the newspapers and other agencies which are in a position to dispel this ignorance ought to begin the work at once.”

In the meantime the people are being educated on the “sound money” doctrine through a series of object lessons that are much more impressive than the literature which the New York Reform club is sending out. For-ty-cent wheat and 4-cent cotton to make our money “sound” in Europa may tickle the fancy of bankers, but it is not a condition which the producers in this country will exert themselves to any great extent to perpetuate. In Europe they have not got over the idea that kings rule by “divine right,” yet either to avoid troubling divinity or to assist him in preserving a balance in human affairs, they keep large standing armies. Recently the army in Prussia celebrated Prince Bismarck’s birthday, at which the emperor was present. The following extract from the speech of the emperor would more fittingly come from the lips of a cannibal than the ruler of a great nation. In presenting Bismarck a sword he said: “Your serene highness sees in. the spirit behind this band the whole band in battle aray who celebrate the day with us. In the presence of this band I come to hand you a gift. I could not find a better weapon than the sword, the noblest weapon of the Germans symbol of that instrument which you and my blessed grandfather helped tc forge, sharpen and wield —symbol of the great building time during which

mortar was blood. Iron is a remedy which never fails, and which, in the hands of kings and princes, will, in case of need, preserve unity in the interior of the fatherland, even as, when applied outside the country, it led to internal union. You see engraved on the sword the arms of the Reichslands, and your own. May your serene highness look upon this as token of gratitude for deeds recorded in history, which were brought to a conclusion twenty-five years ago. “Let us, comrades, shout hurrah for his serene highness, Prince Bismarck/’ This speech is a declaration that all you have to do is to put plenty of “iron in the hands of kings and princes” and they will have peace if they have to fight for it. There is no denying the fact that corporations are doing everything they can to disrupt the People’s party. If there was no further evidence that the Populists are right than this fact alone, it would be sufficient. We give below an affidavit from an old Missouri boy which is only one of many that might be obtained of railroad discrimination against employes who were Populists:; “State of California, “County of Alameda, s.s. “C. E. Gardner, of lawful age, being first duly sworn, deposes and says: “I have been in the. employ of the Southern Pacific Railroad company, in W. B. Ludlow’s department, since July 26, 1894. Shortly before the defeat of the Reilly Funding bill Mr. Ludlow secured the addresses of all his employes, in their own handwriting.

morning, February 12, 1895, I secured a lay off for a few days. Tuesday morning, February 19,1895, a man calling himself Kidney called at my residence, 951 Cypress street, Oakland, and inquired of my wife if I was the C. E. Gardner who presided at the People’s party mass meeting at the Tabernacle Monday night. My wife answered him in the affirmative. He then told her to tell me to call at Mr. Ludlow’s office, West Oakland, on Wednesday morning. I did so, and after telling Mr. Ludlow the position I occupied in the People’s party, was informed by him that I could not engage in politics and work for the Southern Pacific company. I then told Mr. Ludlow that I was a member of the People’s party campaign committee, also of the auditing committee, and that I proposed to exercise my right of citizenship. He then Informed me that I could, get my time. I did so and received my discharge. "C. E. GARbNER. “Subscribed and sworn to before me this 20th day of February, 1895. ♦ (Seal.) “R. B. MEYERS, “Notary public in and for Alameda county, state of California.” It is a notable fact, however, that such discriminations are opening the people’s eyes, and in the very county where Mr. Gardner Ilves, in the City of Oakland, the Pepulists defeated both old parties combined, with all the railroad influence, by about 800 majority. “The mills of the gods grind slowly,” but they do grind.

W. S. MORGAN.