Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1875-10-20
CAPITAL-IND USTR Y-CUR-
RENCY.

Capital is always powerful; some
times omnipotent 1t is often blindly
arrogant; seldom discreet in adjusting
public necessities. II is wise in its
narrow ways among the governments
of the Old World, where the govern
ment is the sovereign power; but ITS
teachings, its instincts, its commonly
selfish view of its interests, and its
necessary exclusion from the ways and
tastes and struggles and sympathies of
productive industry, unfit 1t for an en-
lightened judgment on public questions
touching the immediate interests of
labor in popular government. We
are just approaching the solution OF
one Of the gravest political problems
ever presented to our free government.
The thoughtless may say that the
question of cur finances will be settled
by the elections Of Ohio and Pennsyl-
vana. But it is not so. Indeed, the
results in those States, no matter what
their verdicts may be, will be but the
opening skirmish of the great battle
that is to be fought And it will be n
mighty conflict. Ii involves not merely
the question of our currency and Of
our whole financial policy, and of our
national faith and credit. but il in.
wolves our vast and varied industry,
with all its complicated necessities and
impassioned theories. If the contest
was to be had in despotic govern
ment, or even in the liberal monarchy
of England where political power is
concentrated, and where industry and
commercial interests and population
are so compactly interviewer with each
other, the solution would be mere
question of craftsmanship; but II is not
so here, There are many reasons why
it is not So and one of the saddest is
that our craftsmanship has of late
years been dwarfed to the tricks of
the demagogue, until what remains
is impotent in the councils Of the
nation. When the leader of the Sen
ate will sit down in Ohio, in the midst
of fearful peril to both industry and
the government and counsel, not how
to restore prosperity by honest meas
ures and honest craftsmanship, but
now iocai election can DC carried at
any ana every cost oil prlnclp'e, ana IS
lo,iowed py great party WIN sne
whoie power oil the government, II Tor,
bids hope or trust in the party of
authority. And when the party that
is without power couhsels' not now 10
restore u sound currency ana 10 MAKE
INDUSTRY souhuly prosperous, oui ur'i's
rom tnc hnehor o. intrinsic va'uos 70
..iaho auro'si'y sweep = Popun'r 'ioo-
.on, po.h chplu'' ane ,ni1s'ly iy are az.
oluuei 70 nec pause anu 'ooN 'nc
colhihoii por'' III INV i"oc
1t is a dream oi speculative capital,
the parrot-like gabble OF wall street IN
New York, and OF Third street in
Philadelphia, and OF the small classes
who are money-lenders throughout the
country, that the struggle for what Is
called imitation In ONO and Pennsyl.
wanna Is but popular spasm that VIII
flash and perish. They have been so
told by trembling politicians who are
upon trial before suffering people for
their misrule, and who would avert the
retribution that justice has IN store for
them. And capital, sensitive, timld
and unskilled IN touching the popular
chord that bad government has made
tangled and ont of tune, pours out its
treasure and bids the politician and
adventurer TO pollute the ballot and
return with the certificate OF q hard
money victory. Then, reason the
money-changers, there will be peace,
conservative laws, carly resumption,
and money will reap rich harvest of
the increased value of n dollar, and
debtors will pay tribute to IL by giving
gold dollars in satisfaction of dcpreci-
ated currency debts. 1t is simply
suicide, and those who thus teach cap
ital, sing the song of the syren that
leads TO destruction. If Ohio and
Pennsylvania should be won for in
fation, it would liberalize and enlighten
the intolerance of resumptionists, moth
ing more. The nation will never Tor a
moment entertain the policy of illimit.
able and irredeemable currency. No
party dare teach it, for 1t means re-
pudiation, dishonor and death. If
Ohio and Pennsylvania shall be won
ior nara money, resumption WIN be
more dihcult ana uncertain the day
such victory shali DC proclaimed
lnan al any time IN hve years past.
Inc accepted construction OF the vcr-