The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-06-12
Friday, June 70, 1874.
Comments on the Illinois Independent State
Platform,

The resolution adopted by theconVentlon1
on the currency question is more ratlohai
than we had anticipated. The noise made
by the infationists had led us to expect
some sort of demand for an Expansion"
of the cnrrencv. The resolution adopted
is identical in language with that present
ed bv the Decatur Convention last year, be-
fore The imitation excitement began. 1t is
in these words:
That we favor the repeal OF our National Banking
law, and believe that the Government should supply
legal tender currency directly from the Treasury,
interchangeable for Government bonds, bearing the
lowest possible rate OF interest.
A more explicit resolution would GER
tainly have been desirable, since this one
neither affrms nor denies the expediency
Of a return to specie payments. 1t evil
IDENTIFY contemplates, as a permanent pol
icy, the supply of paper currency by the
government, but wheCher this currency
shall be redeemable or not is pot stated,
nor whether the bonds into which it shall
be convertible shall draw such a rate of in
terest as will make the currency equivalent
in value to gold. The Lowest possible rate
of interest" means anything or nothing,
according to the personal bias of the reader.
With the general purpose and aim of
the Independents we fully sympathize.
Their coming together is at once protest
against the rottenness of old parties and a
demand that the country shall 60 forward
and not stand squeaking and gibbering
over dead issues. That the first expression
of this protest and this demand should be
homogeneous in some particulars = that
those who have participated in it should
come short Of their desires and intentions
in part-was inevitable This is the ex-
perience Of all new parties. Chicago Tn
buRe.
The convention proved success in point
of numbers and responsibility Nearly
every section of the State was represented.
The currency question occupied a large
share of the attention of the delegates pre-
vious to the meeting of the convention, and
during the recess, although in the conven-
ton the gag law prevented its discussion.
There was great diversity of opinion on
the subject, some holding extreme views
on both sides.
Some of the resolutions adopted are un
deniably excellent; others, including the
currency resolution, are cowardly attempts
to evade the real issues. Somewhat oil
this lack Of backbone is to be attributed tC
the committee on resolutions, which wa.
composed of weak men utterly incapable
of comprehending the issues, and devoid o.
the moral courage to take a manly stand
ifthey did comprehend them. But the pres
identof the convention, by applying the eau
Gus gag law in the most despOtic manner, pre-
vented full expression Of opinion on any o
the resolutions, notably the currency plank
All debate was cut off, and those VIII
might have swayed the delegates into tn,
right channel were compelled osit supine
ly and see the convention practically com
mitted to the worst political heresy of the
age,-thc idea that promises TO nay arr
money, and that the more worthless shin
plasters are in circulation the more pros
porous will the people be. 1t is barely
possible that the errors committed may bC
redeemed at some future time, but
grand opportunity to accomplish a o.
gantic reform has been frittered away. =
Chicago Times.