The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1875-06-05
TRIBUNE DEcEpr1oNs EXPOSED.

organ OF the money mOnOpOllsts, has been
doing all in its power 10 mislead its readers
by dlstorting facts, and by placing facts
which have no connection with the main
questions at is ue before the people, in
such light as to make them appear III
dIculously absurd. The article referred to
is of this character
One of the fundamental doctrines Of the
buliionlsts, and one which the Tribune
has repeatedly asserted, is that nothing
but gold or silver is money that it is i'm
possible for governments to make paper
money. Ignoring this record altogether,
the Tribune now implies in this article
referred to, that State. city, a town, a
county, and even a private corporation
can make paper money. The inconsistency
Of the paper upon this point is apparent
to every intelligent reader who has read
the Tribune during the past six months.
If the paper was right SIX months ago in
refusing to recognize greenbacks as money,
it is manifestly wrong now, in declaring
that all kin DIS Of scrip is money. 1t by no
means follows, however, that if the Tribune
was wrong in branding greenbacks as
worthless trash, it is now wrong in at
tempting to prove that the scrip, which is
called cheap money, is a curse to the
people.
1t misrepresents the entire issue, for
the following reasons The Constitution
of the United States expressly declares
that Congress shall have power TO coin
money, regulate the value thereof, and Of
foreign coins. The Constitution alse
provides, mo State shall coin money, OF
emit bills of credit" 1t has been UNI
formly held by all constitutional lawyers
that Congress had full power to make any
thing a legal tender 1t is perfectly mani
fest that no State, and of course, no in
ferior authority, has power to emit bills
of credit The scrip which Arkansas and
the cities, counties, towns and corporations
of Arkansas have issued are "bills Of
credit, at least they are just such bills as
were common at the time Of the adoption
of the constitution, and which the MEM
bers Of the Constitutional Convention un-
doubtedly intended to prohibit. This
being the case, the issue referred to by the
Tribune, are clearly illegal, if not actual
frauds. Any paper illegally issued, must
necessarily be at discount. cit can have
no real value. 1t cannot pay debt of
any kind.
Now mark the difference between such
scrip and greenbacks which are issued in
strict accordance with the letter of the
law, and made a legal tender tor all pur-
poses, save one, On the part Of the citizen.
There is difference as broad as between
darkness and light, but the Tribune at
tempts to make its readers believe that
the scrip Of Arkansas rests upon sub
stantially the same foundation as the
greenbacks Of the United States. Such
deception will deceive no well-lnformed
reader, but 1t is intended to mIslead care
less and thoughtless readers, and at the
same time to furnish material for the
money changers to regale their friends
with, as they point to the practical failure
Of paper money, which is not money III
any sense OF the word, for it will not pay
a debt. MoGey is the legal means Of pay
ment. Anything that viii ray debt is
money. Nothing that will not pay debt
can ever be money.
But there is another fact bearing upon
this question, # almost equal importance
with the one inst explained. Arkansas
has been overrun by bands Of. unscruPu-
lous adventures The Tribune has re
peatedly asserted that the State had been
plundered unIE ercifully by carpet -baggers.
Whether all the stories Of dishonest man
/ agement which have been told are true or
not, enough is known 10 make it absolute
ly certain that the State credit is ruined,
and that municipal and private credits are
at low ebb This fact is then, Of suf-
fcient Importance to account for any dis
count that exists, or is likely to exist upon
the paper due bills Of Arkansas towns,
counties, corporations, or the State itself.
1t is perfectly evident that there can be
no parallel drawn between the worthless,
illegal issues Of bankrupt, corporation,
towL, city, county, or State, and the legal
issues of the United States. The Tribune
having ignored all of the material facts
bearing upon the case, only exhibits its
own dishonest intentions, and insults the
intelligence Of its readers by publishing
such mass of receptions as is contained
in the article referred to. 1t is character
istic Of the bullion editors, that they will
resort to any INSCRIPTIONS means Of de-
ception t. gain temporary advantage.
This is always the indication Of weak
cause. The writers in papers friendly to
the Industrial cause are wise enough to
know that truth and candor are elements
Of strength, and as a rule. they have,
therefore, eourted discussion, sought dill
gently for the facts, and built upon solid
foundation.
This difference in the manner in which
the money question has been treated by
the writer's Of both sides, gives us the best
possible evidence as to the real truth. 1t
requires very little discrimination for a
reader who will examine what is said on
both sides Of a question, to determine
which is right, when he sees one party
frank, open, candid, and the opposing