The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-08-29
4 VOICE OF DISSENT.
IT, 7, VI I'M,
County Central Committe,

The FREE TRADER publishes with pleas
uYe the communication of IN D." of La
Sale, containing some structures on its posi-
lion on the currency question; and as IN d."
seems 10 be somewhat befogged on certain
points, and TO desire information, we shall
attempt TO cnlghten him.
N d. is unable to understand how the FREE
TRADER can say there is no differ ence on the
currency question between the platform
adopted by the Independents at Spring.
field, and that adopted by the republicans in
the same city, and proceeds to point out q
radical difference between the two, showing
mat, while the Independents demand repeal
o! the national banking law and advocate an
exclusive legal tender paper currency, TO I've
issued from the national treasury, the Iepub-
ican platform would limit the issue Of legal
tenders TO the present amount in circulation,
and iavors the indefinite increase of the paper
issue Of the national banks.
Very true; that difference obtains 50 far as
the KIM Of paper to be issued is concerned;
bat y. d. forgets that the FREE TRADER is
an advocate of specie payment, and that on
mat vital question the two are substantially
alike, 1t is true, by sort Of forced Construc
ton, the platform of the Independents can be
made 10 mean an ultimate return 10 specie
basis, and 50, for that matter, can the rcpub
Lean platform; though in point of fact, every
man Of sense iniers that neither WAS intended
snph fbIuu lint that both
intended TO pander to the insane hailucination
mat the prosperity Of the country is in some
way to be promoted by the plentiful issue OF
IN irredeemable, deprecated paper currency.
At best, therefore, both are either dgdtHst spe.
eie payment, or meant to ignore, 0vadc or
aDdge the question
50 the FREE TRADER is misunderstood in
the matter of "paternalism." In charging
hat the Independent convention evadcd that
question, we referred mainly to sumptuary
iaws-that assumption of the right of the
state, like the father of family, to prescribe
for the people what they shall eat or drink,
"A question which is daily becoming more
vital in our politics, and upon which a libcr
al, progressive party should occupy definite
ground. But the objection Of patcrnaism
holds with equal force against either the In
dependent" or the republican paper money
scheme Both involve the idea that it Is the
duty Of the government TO give the people
money and 10 make 1t plenty or scarce;
IN assumption which we hold TO be as un.
reasonable rs it would be To demand that the
government shall give the people potatoes or
soap and make them plenty or scarce. And
the Independent platform is even more patar.
nal than that-ior il desires the government
70 issue bonds "at the lowest pOss bic rate of
interest" whatever, in the name of all the
gods, that may mean,) 50 that when Il man
has more -reenbacks than he can loan at a
higher rate Of interest, lie can make the gov.
eminent borrow them ION cali, as the bank
err say, and pay him interest until he can get
a better customer IL there is any other en-
PLANTATION Of the interchangeable" feature of
The Independent, platform we should like to
know what il Is.
The FREE TRADER hold. all this planning
and scheming with reference 10 paper cur
rency to make money plenty or scarce to be
IN contempt Of every sound principle of p,-
Iitical economy, and srrant quackery, stuff
and nonsense. There is no morcy but gold
and silver. Every pre;cnsc to furnish a sub.
s'itute Tor II is sham and a fraud, and the
government that attempts il commitsa crime.
No government has any money or can make
1t. The money is made By The people, and it
is plenty or scarce a. the people earn it or