Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1875-10-12
THE PEOPLE VS.. THE, MONEY
:, aa s,4. GRATIS. .,s;r i, .,r
MOTHS on TnE rUAT1oN--NUnlREE u. u
From the wheeling Sta18dard.j

4
US, Contraction brought ruin. Expansion
brought flush times. Compare the present
with 1865. -'''.'
There will be no Improvement until there
is change in the financial policy of Congress.
But that change will not occur until we get
rid of the present class of politicians. There
is less brain, there is less honesty in Office to.
day, than at any previous period of our his
tory. We want men who have brain and
nerve to proclaim their views. We want men
| who have ideas Of their own, and the courage
and the education to explain and advocste
them before the people.
The Ohio platform is right. and if our
party will present that doctrine boldly to the
| country, it is certain to win.
The moneycrats may spin their theories. and
predict trouble aud disaster in the future, but
the reply viii be: 7'''YOu have already
brought us to ruin, and times can't grow much
worse any charge will be for the better"
Let us throw the bauk stock newspapers
overheard. God save the country from the So
called leading Democratic journals, which are
published in, the financial centres. They
| would sell out our party Tomorrow to advance
the price of stock ten per cent.a- The country
Press should unite to break down the influence
of these journals They WELD powerful and
most pernicious influence. Since they are
| supported by the money Gratis to trick and de-
ceive the people they sell cheap, and working
their circulation into every country town mo-
nopGlze the pstropage which of right belongs
to the local pressi; hence our,country papers
do not thrive. These Journals refuse to pub
lish anything which makes war against the
doctrines they are hired to advocate. The
most adroit and cunning writers aresenployed
to manipulate statistics, and supply high
sounding geDeralities to the cross road poli>
ticians who dare not question the truth of
what they read in leading papers of their party.
BUT We must defer. this topic to future
article. lib .r.gs
The East, the centres of money. the strong
holds OF tho moueycrats, are making stren>
suOus efforts to scare our party from the Ohio
platform. But let US make the issue, fOrig
Dorant as the people are, and the bondholders
depend on their ignorance, they will compre-
hend that vote which is directed by the
-m0neycrats Is vote against tho producers.
They will understandthat, as parties will then
be.divided, to rote with Republicans will be
to establish s-monied aristocracyu The party
lash will be powertess to preserve order 10 the
rGnks. Party nanes amount to nothing when
parties change heirnprinciples., GYou can't
make me vote a uoneycrat ,tickot simply boz
years ago. that is aIlttle too thin. --..r.t,sR~
Well may Wall street trembIe before the
| Ohio platform. If our party has the sa>
sacity to adopt that doctrine; if the Democ>
racy sides with the people against the money
crst7. it is certain-to win. =. .s-.,.-..'-- =,
The question is narrowed, down to an in
| quiry as to the amount of available sagacity
10 the democratic rapks. Tic question is
whether half dozen bank>stock newspapers
will be Sble to. control our party. This will
be decided in the. course of the next FIVE
months, and the destiny of this great nation
hangs in the balance. If the Ohio platform
prevails our civil liberty under Republican
form of government is perpetustcd if that
doctrine is defeated. nonied aristocracy will
be enthroned at Washington, which will grind
the people under dcspotism that has heen
Unknown in England for more than two CEN
turies and half.
We write to induce the Democratic party
to seize this golden opportunity, and save our
institutions from destruction.
Although the course Of the Republican
| party for the past ten years is condemned by
| by a large majority of the American people,
yet We have not been able TO break its ranks
and the reason is plain. We have not pre-
seuted any distinctive issue, any tangible prin
trade has been abuse of the Republicans and
clap trap about voting for nominees. We
have been trying to obtain office, not on our
own merits but on the dement's of our op.
| ponents We are candidates Tor popular favor
not because we propose or promise anything
in particular, but simply because the other
party has proved itself unworthy of power
i7We have been trying to carry elections by
dOdgiDg the issues of the day -f"i'ni
This policy has generated race of trim
|. sail politicians. We lay it down as fonda
mental proposition. that no man is fit for Of
| fee who does not entertain Gxed and decided
views upon the great political questions of the
day aye more than this, the man who is iu>
dustrious to straddle every ISSUE. and who is
non committal. Is absolutely unworthy all
trust and confidence Yet these are the sue
cesSfuI politicians of this enlightened age,
| when newspapers are cheaper than the paper
oD which they are printed. The curse of our
party is that our leaders are political strum-
pets, who lack both courage and capacity
they dare not whisper plan or purpose of
their Own they have no higher ambition
than TO work their way into Office and then
| drift along, with the current. We repeat,
trim>ssil politicians are the curse and have
been the ruin of the Democratic party they
quail before the fve-cents a. line editorials of
the bank stock newspapers ike young hound
under the whip of the hunter.
All. Our party is dying for the want of bGckbone.
We want few bold. defiant men Of energy.
Put such men in front, give them our banners
and we will recruit our ranks until We sweep
the field. --s7z-. ,lssfa -
Our party is in. the minority; to. attain
power We must recruit from the Republicans.
But just go long as weFtake both sides of
every question, will We be defeated ststbe
pslls, aud ne deserve defeat. A minority
| nught 70 be hold nnshine a nd asgressize Mhn