davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-04-04

to champion their cause against the injustice
and oXtorton of the monopolists, Of whatever
name or kind, they claim to stand on level
with any granger or anti-monopolist. 1t Is
in this spirit solely that they caution the farm
crs against grand scheme IL plumber them
under the name Of the "Chicago Grand Cen.
trail Farmers Distributing Agency" This
agency, according to its circulars, proposes
to import and sell to the farmers not only ag-
rcultural implements, but every species OF
dry goods, groceries, clothing, &c, sc, at
first cost, except a small commission to GOV
er expenses. Is not this thing n fraud on the
face of 1t? Can one, two OF u dozen of
"agents," without capital or experience, eX-
pect to go into Chicago and set up grand
wholesale house IN competition with such cs-
adjustments as those of Field, Letter & Co.,,
Carson, Prize & Co, Day & Allen, &c. &c,
who have millions of capital and are known,
honorcd and favored by all the markets of
the world? II is clear rs daylight to any
must be a fraud
There is nodoubt that the farmers, by club
bling together, bayIng in large quantities, and
paying cash, can get all kinds of goods, as
well as agricultural implements and sewing
at much lower prices than by pur-
chasing at retail but to do this they need go
to no humbug grand purchasing agency"
they do not even need, in most cases, to pass
by the local dealers in their own villages
The dealers who can sell cheapest are those
who have the largest experience and most
thorough knowledge Of the trade they are in,
whether it be dry goods, groceries, clothing,
agricultural implements or any other commo-
lily, and these are the dealers who have spent
heir best days in learning the trade.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-04-04
Triumph Of the Rage:rats.

| The action of congress on Monday ana
Tuesday on the currency question shows that
the inflationists have complete control of both
houses, and that not only an addition of SAG.
OO0,0 900 will be made to the greenback curren
cy, but that anywhere from iorty-sx to two
or three hundred millions nay be added to
the national bank currency. After virtually
legalizing in both houses the permanent issue
of the $4,000, 900 reserve, the matter of en-.
larging the issue of national bank bills was
taken up, and the question in the senate com.
ing up on giving all the states national bank,
ing capital equal to Pennsylvania, which
would add about $11000O,OOO to the present
bank issue, il was voted down on the ground
that this was too small and the understanding
now is that the proportion of Maine is to be
adopted, which will add $17O,OOO,OOO to the
bank circulation; and to this the further pro.
position is to add free banking!
1t is impossible to regard this action of
congress in any light but as calamitous. 1t
is the triumph of wild, reckless speculation
over honest and correct business morality
and commercial probi'y. For a while, de
based and redundant paper may give the ap-
pearancc of prosperity, but, rs in the case of
Il fl Of drunkenness, the revulslon will come
inevitably, and then the misery will be great.
er than before, and as the poor drunkard
Graves for more stimulants, so our wild spec
ulators will clamor for more paper again TO
make the times good.
In every point of view il bodies evil only
and evil continually. 1t involves, in the first
place, a disgraccful breach of faith on the
part of the political party in power, which
solemnly pledged itself in both its national
conventions since the war To bring back the
government to specie payments at the earliest
practical period; and it involves a still more
disgraccful breach of faith on the part of the
government, which, when by the issue of its
grccnbacls during the war 1t made forced
loan off the people solemnly promised that
those bills should be redeemed in cold as
soon us the government was able to do so.
What are the solemn engagements of a ,ov
ernments worth when they are broken rs
recklessly as the action of congress on Tues
day indicates?
There is, however, hope of escape from
these threatened calamiticS in the dispatches
of Thursday, which show that the initiation.
lists in the senate have taken alarm on account
of II threatened veto from the White House,
and are now ready 10 be satisfied with legal.
Using the issue of the S4G,0O0,O00 reserve
alone, Ii President Grant has had the nerve
to interfere and bring these wild Missionaries
to their senses by such threat, there may be
more in his alleged third term aspirations
than was dreamed of
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-04-04
MORE CURRENCY.

1t Is an admitted fact that England and
France are the two most conservative nations
in the world in financial matters, and the his
tory OF those countries ought 10 have some in
llueEce with us. We take the position that
we need more currency To do the business of
our country. In sparcely settled countries
we need more than countries do where their
population is more denSe-but we have less
We have currency per Iapiid S13l1. Eng
land has statiSiically Sl9iS; but if We make
allowance Tor short time bills, and the amount
of gold in circulation, il cannot be less than
$25 per capita. France, during the war, had
at one time $40 per captta. 1t has now not
less than S32. If the experience of England
demonstrates, as it has done, that twenty-five
dollars is not too much for her people, and
the experience of France, that thirty-two dol
lars is not too much Tor the French; how is
it that the enlightened craftsmanship of bond
holding, hullion-loving, narrow contracted
money lenders OF the east can stand up IN
congress and say that Sl3l7 cents is enough
for the people of the United States Any
person holding TO such proposition is either
Il fool or a kGare. and in either instance Is not
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-04-04

When man pays his grocer a greenback
dollar and receives therefor dollars worth
of sugar, is not that promise to pay"-the
greenbaCk-redeemcd :" 1t strikes us that il
is, Just as much as il would have been if il
had been exchanged for Il quantity of metal,
known AS gold. Gold, as a metal, has It's
value, like other metals; but, in order To
make money of il, it must receive the govern
ment stamp-L0 SdILe Press.
But suppose a merchant buys sugar in Gu
ba al SIX cents pound in gold and can afford
to sell ii in La Sale at nine cents pound
and you come with your grcenback dollar
and he gives you six pounds for it; if you
are a man of sense, you will conclude that
you have been badly shaved or your paper
dollar is a fraud Six months ago when We
had about SGj0,000,000 of paper money OF
currency" it was at a discount of per cent
or, in other words, it was worth 5000, 900 ,OOC
IN gold. Now, by the action of congress Il
week ago, the prospect is that we shall have
an addition of $4G0O0,0OO 10 the volume OF
currency" or about S700,0OO,OGO, and as q
result our paper is mt a discount of If pei
cent, or worth in round figures, again about
SGOO,OOO,oO0 in gold. Now it, in October
last, the La Sale housekecpcr got 10 pounds
Of sugar for his grcenback dollar, and today
can get but . pounds for the same dollar
though sugar in Havana is no higher now
than it was then, how much has lac gained
although, by the action of the government
he finds 20 greenback dollars in his poke
instead Of nineteen? The odd dollar fall,
about 30 cents short of making up what h,
mas lost by the debasement of the currency
and that is just the way he gainsby the in
llniinn
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-04-04

fittorepresent our people Bloomington anti
! NOHOp0Ltst.
The Inti-VonopoltSt crrs in saying eve
have currency per capita $1317." We have
IN greenbacks and national bank bills abou
$700,000000, and as our population by the
last census was some 100000, we must have
currency some $40 per- capita. But, says the
int. Honopolist, England has currency S95
and France $32 per capita. This is the con
slant cry of all the blowers for more paper
money. But they are either ignorant Of what
they are talking about, or purposely conceal
the fact, that Of what they call the S2j per
capita currency" in England or $32 per capita
currency" in France, $1j dollars in the one
case and $2o IN The other ere gold and silver
Of course, il our expansionlsts will add to
our present s700,00o,000 of paper some $780,.
900, 900 Of gold and silver, nobody will object
to such an expansion. What the honest
business men of this country object to, is the
addition to our already over-issue Of paper
for whenever paper money falls in value be-
low gold and silver il is an overlssue-hun-
dreds of millions more, so as to cheaper or
debasc the currency and enable men who con-
tractcd debts to be paid in honest dollars to
pay them in dishonest dollars.
1T is an axiom in political economy that
the enlargement of an irredeemable paper
currency robs the creditor class, and that its
contraction robs the debtor class" Expansion
and contraction are therefore equally dishon.
est and the only way to avoid either is to
maintain the volume Of our paper currency at
such pointthat it will always be redcemable
in gold or silver
We are quite free to admit, with the int
Moaop02tst, that we have in this country not
enough currency, using the word in the
sense in which "curreny" in England and
France is spoken Of But in that sense, cur.
rency means hard cash-the real stuf'--wealth
Their currency are to England and France
exactly what their big factories, coal mines,
iron works and other infinitely varied indus
tries arctic accumulation of years of labor
Ii we would have the same amount of such
currency" in this country we must work for
it, barter our products for it, get the gold and
silver for it and when we've got them keep
them. Assuredly that wealth which is repre-
'entcd in france by her 100000 OF gold
and silver currency" can never be created
acre by printing paper promises TO pay. III
We go resolutely to work and bring our paper
money up to par with gold and silver and |
'ncc more get these metals freely into circu
alton among the people, it is quite certain we
hall very soon, in addition to our $40 per
apfta of paper money have also II circulation
If IS, $40 or $50 per- capita of gold and silver,
IS in England and France but that happy
will never be reached while we persist in
irving gold and silver out of the country byl
linging to debased paper rags as our only
CURRENCY
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-04-04
From Washington.
currency
BORN,

! In the Sanborn Investigation before the
| Ways and Means committee on Monday Sec
rotary Richardson, who was the last witness
examined, made a sorry and humiliating ex
hibiton of himself He really knew nothing
about this gigantic fraud. The Sanborn con
tracts, like a hundred other things daily, were
brought to him by his clerks and he signed
them, but had not the slightest idea what
they contained! In fact, instead of being the
master mind Of the department, knowing all
that is going on, controlling ali even to the
minutest details, he was mere writing ma.
give them validity, but wholly ignorant OF
and Indifferent TO their contents The com
mittee felt so Inundated and disguised a, the
confession, that they will probably at once
insist on the Secretary's resignation
DISTRICT INVESTIGATION.
The District investigation committee have
finally struck "ile." In the testimony taken
on Tuesday several contractors sworc posi-
lively to having been heavily levied upon for
black mail not only by Treasurer Magruder,
but other ring thieves. The District ring is
now regarded as in fair way TO gaiI Il noto-
riety cminently fitting them for companion
ship with the Tammany thieves
McCRARY BILL.
The House on Tuesday, by small MAORI
ty, passed the Socalled McCrary bill, being a
bill "tO regulate commerce among the several
states" The bill claims to provide for en-
forcing upon the railroad corporations re
gard for the rights and privileges of shippers
and travellers. Under it the President is to
appoint nine commissioners, representing
the judicial circuits Of the Supreme Conu of
the United States, who are empowered, after
investigation, to establish freight and passcn
ger rates on all interstate roads, and to see
that the corporations obey the rules establish
ed. The commissioners must be disinteres.ed
persons, and are not to own any stocks, bonds
or otherproperty in which any transportation
company also has an interest All railroad
corporations operating in more shan enc
state, on continuous line, will come under
the Suppression Of the commission. Shouldn't
finally pass, the bill will have passed clearly
in Difference to the antmonopOly agitation
OF the producing interests of the west The
policy it involves is doubtless an innovation,
but, if another step towards the raternal sys-
tenn of government, is much less dangerous |
than other propositions that have preceded it. |
1t has. therefore, to say the least, negative \
merits If in its operation iii never allowed
to go beyond its protested object OF simply |
restraining the great railroads ot the country |
within the limits OF moderation in their |
it cannot fail to result but good.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-04-04

Has it ever occurred to people who allow
their cattle to run at large and Craze along
the public highways, that they might as well
allow their cattle 10 Craze in their neighbours
field? a highway running through Browns
farm belongs to the public only for the pur-
pose Of pcaceably passing over it; for all
other purposes the ground still belongs to
Brown as much as ever it did. Smith, there
fore has no more right to let his cattle Craze
IN the fence corners Of the highway on
Browns fam than he has to turn his cattle
INTO Browns field. The law books are full
OF decisions sustaining this point, while Il
contrary impression seems to prevail gcncr
ally
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-04-04

and endless amount of ring thieves, when
scoundrclism like this is ol'only coua,cn-
anccd and prompted by the highest authori-
ties in the governments When the Secretary
Of the navy with the connlvance of the Presi-
dent and cabinet, deliberately engage in a
plan to cheat the people of a state out of their
free choice of officers, at their local elections,
by colonizing voters upon them, can the same
high authorities be expected to hesitate 4
moment to rob the public treasury if thereby
the ends of party can be promoted?
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-04-04

ERIE RAILROAD TRoUBLEs.-All trains ON
the Erie Railroad were stopped for Il day or
TWO IN the beginning of the week by The oper.
"uVes at Susquehanna Depot, where the road
makes bend into Pennsylvania, and where
lie company has its principal shops. The
grievance OF the workmen was that they had
not been paid in the last two or three months
ana they took this method to comnel ,,o
company to fork" The Governor If pm
sylyania sent 1000 soldiers and a battery of
artillery TO the place, after which the na..or.
ger trains were allowed to pass witbon, in.
'ef:uplioE. 1t IS said that Jay Gould son,
S'V'ooo to the operatives telling them IN
MAINTAIN a still upper lip and insist ON either
EeUihg their pay or smashing THINGS 4,
last accounts the company had commenced
paying OIL, which will probably end IN,
trouble. 1t seems strange that a compan,
with The revenue Of the Eric Railroad shout,
tie unable promptly 10 pay IT'S workmen.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-04-04

LlEEL Sulr.-The Joliet Sfgaai and ReDub-
''r'@ have for some time past been carrying
IN petty controversy which has finally
grown 50 not on the RepuJitcan that 1t sues
the Sfgha! for libel, laying damages AT $1O,-
900! The llbellous matter, it appears, oc.
cured In pretended interview " between
lhercporiers Of the Siga0l and of the ReDab-
.''o''. Inc 'lnleryiew' was responsive to a
ike sham interview the RcppJlican had got
up on the editor Of the Stgaa}. The latter
rather got the start in the tilt, but in getting
MAJ ana going to law about it the RCpa5licaa
makes itself childish and ridiculous.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-04-04
ILLINOIS LEGISLATURE.

The Illinois legislature in reality adjourn
ed sine die on Friday Of last week, but to
oivc the members and officers nearly a weeks
lmore pay, The formal adjournment was post
poncd to TUESDAY, when there were none but
a bakers dozen Of members present in both
houses.
/ Tho legislature has thus been in session,
last winter and the winter before, in all 2OS
DAYS. at a cost to the people of 1906, 500 Dur
inc this long SEES sion of nearly seven months
there were introduced in the two houses
DIGS bills, of which 2G5 were enacted into
laws
of the laws passed at the first session the
only notable ones were an exceedingly had
revenue law and the railroad law, Of the mer-
its ofwhicl it is perhaps still too early to
form correct judgment,
During the second session no laws were
passed that might not as well have remained
over for the next legislature, unless we except
the "rcyision," upon which almost the entire
session was spent OF the value of that re
vision we have spoken elsewhere We have
seen no reason anywhere to change our opln-
ION that it was very expensive and useless
Job.
The total amount of appropriations made
by the legislature last year, and intended to
cover two years, was $5,SG3,4G5, to which,
however, the late session added $12SSl423.
The legislature, like congress, INDUCED
lightly in the business of "investlgation,'
nd in each case rs in congress, though
Injustice, fraud and corruption were clearly
roved, The business, as in congress, ended
With a white-washing Such was the end of
be penitentiary Investigation, and such the
nd of the printing investigation, although
re proof Of robbery of the treasury, in the
liter case, was as plain as human proof can
AXE anything
There was nothing that saved the legisla. {
re just adjourned from hopeless condem- l
alton and disgrace but the wisdom of the c
amers of our present constitution in prohib-
ing special legislation. Had the late legis- 0
re had free swing" in that respect, it is
Tough to make one shudder to think of the L
lormitics they might have been capable of II
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-04-04

1t is to be hoped that A. j. Grover, OF the
Earlyile transcript, will be entirely, eXube
irantly and hilariously successful in extract
ing from the treasury Of the La Sale County
! Agricultural Society those $4,000 which the
Board of Supervisors unlawfully voted to that
society to aid them in purchasing grounds
and getting them ready for the state fair two
years ago. As all the property of the society,
however, is mortgaged for more than it is
worth, we fear the process Of collection will
be somewhat slow Itcost $25, 900 to prepare
the grounds to enable La Sale county to have
the State Fair for two years, one of which she
was cheated out Of by the State Board Ot,a-
wa agreed to raise $4,000 Of the money, and
the outside towns $4,000, the intention being
to mortgage the property for the balance.
Ottawa, we believe, had raised her quota, or
most of it, and the outside towns bu. frac-
ton of theirs, when, on the eve Of the State
Fair, the work Of preparation stopped for
want OF funds. Our representatives at Spring
field had assisted in begging hard of the State
Board to locate the fair at Ottawa, and had
pledged the county to do her part, as Marion
and other counties had done before, in getting
the grounds ready. Under the circumstances,
the Board of Supervisors, then in session, was
appealed TO, and without, perhaps, as closely
the legal points involved as they
ought to have done, decided to save the good
faith OF the county thus pledged by her rep
by voting the unfortunate $4,000
If the people Of Earlville would only get over
their prejudice against Grover long enough
to elect him supervisor just once, we have no
doubt he would be able so to magnetic the
Board with his wisdom as to enable them to
contrive plan to get back that money Let
It be done, By all means.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-04-04

BUSINESS MEMS MEETING.-The business
zen, and in fact all Ottawa, is Interested IN
q public meeting which is to be held at the
Court House on the evening of the 18th inst
The Business Mems Association have invited
Judge Cation, Hon. W. Bushnell, Andrew
lynch, w. Il. W. Cushman, and Hon, NJ. IL.
swift TO address the audience. The general
subject will be Ottawa, and her business anG
manufacturing interests and how to improve
them. We hope to see a full attendance up
On that occasion.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-04-04

There lave been eight or ten additional
ballotngs in the Massachusetts Legislature
since our las: for U. S. Senator to succeed
Charles Sumner, but with no material change
IN the strength Of the opposing candidates
Dawes highest vote thus far has been 81
with 1873 necessary for choice, and that OF
Hoar ST. There is rumor now that the
democrats and supporters of Hoar have
agreed to unite upon and elect Gen n. p
Banks.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-04-04

II Is said Gen. Grant is getting very FESTIVE
about the broken pledges of the republican
party on The subject Of initiation. In his first
and second inaugural addresses, and in nearl,
all his annual messages, and most notably N
his last, he took special pains to repeat tho
pledge, made 10y both the republican na,iono,
conventions that nominated him 20 in sboro
the fnaGcial policy of the government, as "a
bring il back TO specie payment, (which ,, in
the language Of the Philadelphia convention
lis dema nded by the highest consideration.
Of commercial morality and honest govern
ment" Grant threatens If the party in CON.
gress goes any further in Ibis initiation bust
ness TO send iD special message protesting
against such breach Of solemn pledges.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-04-04

1T is ever thus" The day after the late
New Hampshire election one thousand men
were discharged from the Portsmouth navy
yard, many OF whom had been employed but
Two weeks. All had voted at the election the
day before, though many of them had no le-
gal right 10 vote. OF course all this must
have been done, if not under the express Iii
government at Washington. Is it strange
iha, the public treasury IS being daily robbed
by the Sanbnms, Jayne, Lcc;s, Stockings
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-04-04

NEW GRANGEs-J. 5. Armstrong, Esq, as
general state deputy, organized on Monday
the following oranges of the Patrons Of Hus.
bandry:
White Willow Grange-Master, J. Nc.
Grath, Lisbon, Kendall Co.. Secretary,
Norman 5. Shoetelt White Willow p. O.,
Kendall Co.
Lisbon Grange-Master, Lot Schofeld,
Newark p, O., Kendall Co., H.; Secretary,
Geo. T. Nortod, Lisbon p. o., Kendall Co.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-04-04

STAND BACK.-Look ont for that mammoth
stock Of spring goods which lIeenan Il Co. arc
about to receive from the east. Mr.. Flanagan is
now among the large manufactures and import
ing houses making selections, and in few days
the new goods will begin to arrive, and then you
will see stock of goods worth looking AZ IN
the mean time the old stock is being sold " dirt
cheap" to make room for the new stock. Mr..
Flanagan promises to bring on the finest stock
ever opened in this city,
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-04-04

The VICTOR NIcToRIOUs.-Thc improved Vic
tor family sewing machines is the best, cheapest
most durable and easiest run oi all sewing
machines now in market. It does al sorts OF
fancy work. II works equally well in the thick
est and thnucst material. Every one warranted
The machines are very handsome and well made.
they will be sold very low for cash or on time on
small monthly payments. = new supply received
on yesterday OF six varieties hy OF