The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-01-07
OlIe Url|b1lne.
WITH SUPPLEMENT.
TIE NATInNkL nERT.

| there Is no question now before the
| people which elicits so much comment as
| that which relates to the payment of oul
national Indebtedness. Members of Con
gress deli yer speeches by the hour, thi.
one favoring the immediate resumption
of specie payments, that one asserting
such a policy to be ruinnns in the ex-
treme, while still others clanor for re11u
diotfoR. The Press of the country have
taken up the subject and each individual
editor has has plan whereby the noun
tain can be reduced to a mole hill, with
a very little effort: you can scarcely take
up a daily paper which does not treat
this ilonentous question asthough If was
the simplest thing in the world, easily
understood and the most readily man
aged Of all our governmental affairs.
They talk of millions and billions, as
though they comprehend those sums
because they can express them in figures
on paper. And public men talk learnedly
about the finances, and argue for hours
on a subject which they no more under
stand than they do the resources of this
mighty nation. And it is singular how
much the friends of good government
miss the mark they aim at by their i'll
advised solicitude in regard to the future.
They seem to fear that this great people
is on the point of bankruptcy and ruin
that in fact they are almost ready to
repudiate their obligations, and they
frantically exclaim that something must
Immediately be done!
There is no question but that we need
to make an effort to discharge the debt:
that is conceded at the outset, but that
everything else should be disregarded in
the mad haste to accomplish this object,
we very much doubt. A business
man who had paper falling due in six
months that should close his store and
rush about the street telling how much
he owed, would be considered crazy, but
if he opened his store early and worked
late to meet his creditors with the mon
ey, he would be treated leniently even if
he did not have quite the full amount
at the specified time. So with our gov
erument; if instead of blowing about
the currency the wise men OF the nation
would set themselves to work to increase
our facilities for the improvement Of
mines, wild lands, and other branches of
home industry. they would be better
engaged. If the Press would cease
its endless gabble about specie payments
and turn its attention wholly to the wants
of the community at large much good
might be accomplished through its
efforts. And if public men would study
out the great problem, how can the great
est good be done to the greatest number
they, too, might succeed In accomplish
ing wonderful deeds in their day and gen
Grafton. And finally, let the friends of
good government understand this: Our
country has resources of such vast mag
mtude that ten years hence, if We are
economical, and independent of foreign
nations, improving every opportunity to
increase our population aud wealth, the
debt will be matter of secondary i'm
portance. Depend upon it the American
people. will never willingly submit to the
reputation of one dollar Of this debt
which was the price we paid for national
existence. But says one, we are suffering
from an inflated currency true enough,
we cannot expect all sunshine, and let US
ask was there no suffering before the war
with wild cat banking institutions? How
the poor used TO be swindled by breaking
banks Is well remembered by those who
engaged in business then. IF there are
evils arising from the present state OF
the currency, there are also some impor
tant benefits For instance you want tc
send 800. to New York: draft cost
you :35cts. to day, ten years ago exchange
would have cost you $500. The poor
man puts five dollar Greenback into
his pocket with no fear that the bank
will break to-day, to morrow or next
month, aud he is not obliged to spend it IL
order 70 S,tce 1t.
Again We repeat, let this great queS
ton alone to take care Of itself and in
time, men will have clearer views OF it,
magnitude and will be able to grasp il
with Il lnaSter hand