The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-08-27
MR.. ALIENS SPEECH.
(Concluded.)
WHAT THE DEMOCRACY CAN Do.

(Concluded.)
WHAT THE DEMOCRACY CAN Do.
Such is the republican policy such is the
humiliation to which they have brought
this country and such is the humiliation
from which the democratic party, in the
might of its power, is destined, at no
distant day, to redeem it. We can then
once more carry out the doctrine of tariff
for revenue alone. And we can nay the
ordinary expenses of our government, for we
will have no further interest to pay. These
"bonds" will then be rede emed in SCREEN.
backs, and we will have them as circulat-
ing medium. An impetus will be given to
every branch of industry, and we can dis
pense with the protection to the manufactur-
ers. We can take care of ourselves, and re-
Heye ourselves from the heavy imposts upon
the necessities of life, and from the disgrace
of this internal system of duty, by which the
party now in power claims that the payment
of this interest upon bonds and the other ex-
penses of the government most be discharg-
ed.
We can do another thing; and that is:
we can furnish ourselves with an abundant
currency-such as it is, though it is not like
that we had in the good old democratic days.
But it is the best that the republican party
has ever given US. We can furnish our
selves with this abundant currency, to the
exclusion of these national banks" and
we can use it without having to pay them
from 10 to 20 and 80 per cent. las we did
last year, as profit upon their banking
business, in order that that they may furnish
US the currency. We can drive out of exist
ence these national banks, "-these trouble
some and expensive institutions, that don't
furnish any better paper money than the
"greenbacks" themselves, while they are
given the opportunity to charge US from 10
to 20 per cent. for the use of the money they
furnish US. We shall then have established
one currency which we propose to made uni
form and do the best we can with. When
we have accomplished this, we have relieved
ourselves from the burden of this revenue
system,-Irom the immense taxes which
these national banks" impose upon US, and
we have just as good currency as we can
get under the circumstances.
What objection is there to this "Oh,"
say they, sit will make money plenty" /
have already told you that [ am not alarmed
at this cry. 1t will increase the circulation
very largely; it will, to certain extent, in
fate prices; it will excite, to certain de-
gree, a sort of speculation. l have no doubt
many good men may fail under it, a good
many may overreach themselves, but it is an
evil that is not 80 great as the evils that We
are now living under. We have to look out
for that and take care of ourselves in this
emergency. And if we can control the con-
gress of the United States, so as to substitute
this circulation for the bonds of the govern
ment, we can, by that same congressional
power, control the amount of circulation on
hand, so as gradually to reduce it, until the
country may get down again to a healthy
volume of currency, without even seriously
feeling it. We cannot control this bank CIR
cuation by these government bonds. We
cannot control them, / repeat, and they are
liable to food our country, at any moment,
with circulation beyond, perhaps, what we
need; and then, when they furnish US with
even that, they don't hesitate to extort from
US from 10 to 20 per cent. for the use of it.
And all this, too, when we can have money
in the shape of "greenbacks," just as good
and useful, without paying these taxes and
this six per cent in gold. Are YOU then for
"greenbacks," or bonds or national
bank paper?
Are you for supporting these men and ex.
empting this $4,000, 600, 900 from taxation
Or are you for redeeming them in the same
kind of money that the government paid the
soldier and his widow, and the man that sup
piled material, arms, or ammunition, or
stores during the war? Or are you for re-
garding them as a privileged class, for whose
benefit the great laboring mass of the people
of this country are to tug and toll for the
next 80 years?
WHY
But again: Am asked how know that
the redemption of these "bonds" in green
backs" will increase the currency and make
money very plenty? ! will tell you why n
will do it. Here are $2,500,000,000 of mon
ey in the shape of government bonds lying
idle in the safes and banks of the country.
Suppose you compel these men to take
"greenbacks" for them. When they get the
"green backs they don't lock them up
they don't draw any interest! What will
people do with them? They will Immediate
ly go to seeking investments with them, and
they will 60 into the improvement of your
farms, and the building of bridges, and the
erection of machinery, and the construction
of railroads through the country; and, in
short, they will be distributed among us in
that shape that will make each one of us
the father, mother, son and daughter-feel
the beneficial effect of this increase of cur
rency in the country. These are the bene-
fits, and some of the blessings, that will fol-
low the redemption of this debt. But, above
all, it removes from US the whitening, blight.
ing curse of a national debt we are unable to
pay in any other way.
"a NATIONAL DEBT NATIONAL BLESSING"
Let me say, right here, that some men
have taken the position that "a national
debt is national blessingw How? How
does it bless nation? viii tell YOU: It
blesses a nation by building up wealthy
class, and by trampling to the earth the
great laboring interests of the country.
Such has been its effect in Europe, and you
cannot show me country cursed with a
national debt where education is diffused
through all ranks and conditions of men,
or but what you have therein your privileged
class, just as our national debt is today
building up privileged classes here. You
must, of necessity, have them. The mon
eyed power becomes the great power, and
the great laboring power of the country
the industrial power of the country-is sub