Red Wing sentinel. [volume] (Red Wing, M.T. [i.e. Minn.]) 1855-1861, 1859-02-19
THE FINANCES OFIOWA.

Ihe financial condition of the State is Ia.
mentable. The property is in the hands Of
bond holders and brokers' Just before the
crisis there was clamor made in the Lesis.
!ature to repeal the usury laws. The Ban
kers wanted the usury law repealed because
their repeal would lessen the rates of interest
upon the same principle that hanging in
creases murder-that marriage laws increase
RIGHTEOUSNESS, and larceny laws increase
theft. The Legislature, which is inordinate.
y sasacious, came near seeing it in this light
but the poor foolish people did not. The
usury law was THAT it would bring capital
here among us;'' but unfortunately, it would
carry just the same capital away with the
|superaddition Of 80 to 36 per centum pc,
annum. just such operations have nearly
bankrupted us.
What is the brief history of Iowa? Sh
commenced to live under Democratic raIe
with hard money. Her Democrats turned
brokers; the country has been ]esislated fo1
by brokers'. Our Congressional me-, are bro
kers; our Supreme Judges arc brokers': ON
Superintendent of Public Instruction are
brokers'; our State Senators are bx,kers.
yes. our State Senator's are brokers': our
Representatives are brokers. and orr DIR.
chasers are brokers, and the whole State leg
is'atlon of the State has been made for the
benefit Of brokers'. I have never been able
to see any difference between the gambling
saloons, the grog shops, bawdy houses. and
usurious brokers' offices-like these othor
institutions there may be grades, but in prin-
c'ple ana IN tact they are the same. The
ga'"bler is an unlactul sreculator--nothipe
more nothing less; the greg sells, IS an un-
lawful dealer in ee1ib1as anil refreshments -
the keeper of u house ofill fame is an ,uz1,-
tul dealer in love. And pray where is the
difference Let four men seyerallv visit
each OF these places as common reso:t and
1t IS hard to tell who will go to the devil
first. But the man who does all his lns;.
ness through brokers' shop will come. il
not soonest, yet certainly to ruin The men
WIN" do their business with brokers' become
VICIOUS; the broker becomes rich, the victim
grows poor. After being ruined in these
,ae"o Of her'leos robbery, he so s,.ro &c, e.sl.
ms re'lef IN one or the other of those infer
nal places. He will 60 to the gamb bling sa :
loon to recruit his fortune, or to the wh;s-
key shop to drown his sorrow. or to that
other hell, to cast himself as wreck away
The only difference between the thief.
the robber, and usurer is simply this the
thief takes advantage Of your absence-the
robber takes advantage Of your weakness
and the usurer takes advantage Of your ne
cessity. Aud the only act Of violence in
the lifetime Of Jesus Christ was to casticate
the usurious villains from the TEMPLES of
God: Thousands Of dollars usuriously taken:
will be again demanded by the law, and
what has not been paid will be protested.
The brokers will plead "honor among
thieves" but it will be plead in return that:
thieves standing on level may make bar
Iains but poor man under the duress of
necessity can place himself under no con-
tract to be recognized even according to the
law Of thieves" &
That was sorrowfal day when the Dem
ocratic party left the cardinal doctrines Of
anti Bank policy, recognized in the admin
Of Gen. Jackson, and every step
We 60 hurries us to political ruin Just as We
leave the great principles and policy of JEFF
(erson and Jackson in regard 10 monopoles
OF every kind-Banks, Railroads, and every
thing that conflicts with individual rights Of
person and property.-Du5uque Express and
Herald.