The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-04-15
---Ll-lZ I'D sIEINRLasTEns.


Theroesas never more coined silEcr In the
world than 60 day, not even when LucuIIus
used 10 give so. 600 for family breakfast,
or when alilhrdaies scattered silver and
gold along the route Of his retreat that Ko-
man legions might be induced to halt By
tie EaysIde, and yet We arc compelled to
use IN everyday transactions 4 Vretched,
rusty fractional paper currency, breeding
consaeion, end that would not have been
received BIZ the rudest savage Of ancient OF
modern times, and IS surely disgFaceful to
American civilization. Everywhere there
have been vars and great public debts
heapc,l ap b the peoples masters a here.
IN fho Emitted states. In proportion to the
valae Of public and private property our
public debt, compared with that Of Eng
land orof France or Russia, il almost ri.
ling; food Is abundant, land cheap. and
labor commands proper rewards; but, for
az that while European civilized peoples
hare gold and silver, we, richer than they.
and producing food enough, after supplying
our own wants. to feed fourth Of Europe,
hsEc currency that il deemed in Europe
significant Of barbarian. Europe dcspises
that folly and weakness Of American states
men which sqUanders public wealth in vast
sums for the beboOf OF placehoiders and
never q dollar for the people. Europe is
governed by statesmen; America by dema-
gogucs. Europe has gold and silver, and
ships and worldwide commerce; America
prates about European despotisms and the
wfetched poverty Of the Old World, and
yet our choicest public securities, in vast
sums, arc held in Europe, and thither goes
the gold to redeem interest coupons and
pay annual losses on trade balances and
freight charges. We have neither ships nor
money, and only tariffs and thieves and
intolerable public burdens, and nobil-
ity Of plaeemen, for whose subsistence
twenty millions toll like galley slaves.
We have a Bonanza and mountain Of sill
yer, richer than any PactoIus and yet, such
are Incompatible follies OF Federal legisla-
ton and such the want Of craftsmanship
and magnitude Of mighty evils incident to
our system Of finance, as devised for the
maintenance and multiplication Of Office
holders, that our masters are constantly re-
sorting to one and another little device Of
statecraft to make the people believe that
remedy is to be applied. Wepay the banks
nearly thirty millions per annum for the
privilege conceded OF robbing the people
and in the paper they issue we are sub
iected to loss Of from ten to fifteen per
cent. and then on this wretched fractional
currency, which Is wasted because Of its
seeming worthIessness, the government
BANKERS make not less than ten per cent. by
its DETACHMENT and destruction and loss.
The government itself is q fraud and
cheat, as any government must be that is
sustained by tariff, imposed instead Of
direct tax that the toiling people may never
know how vast arc sums stolen by profit
gate patriotism. But silver in gllttering
stream ever flows down the sides Of West
ern mountains. It comes in masses from
Mexico and is discovered in Texas. Il be-
comes so abundant that its value, as COM
pared with taat Of gold, Is steadily less
eped, and at last the blessed government at
Washington threatens to withdraw and de-
strOy the detestable fractional currency and
give the people everywhere as in Western
Texas silver currency.