The Portland daily press., 1875-08-18
A Representative Democrat

Mr., William Allen, sometimes affectionate-
ly termed rag-money Bill, Democratic candi-
date for governor of Ohio, has been express
ing himself freely and vigorously on the finan-
cial question, larding his conversation with
many and curiously constructed oaths.
''This financial question is the great one in
this contest" says he, "and it's-nonsense
to talk of its being minor issue. You might
as well talk of destroying all our railroads
and canals and returning to the old-fashioned
stage-roads for our only means of intercourse
in moment as to talk of resuming specie
payments without running the country. It's
more honest administration of the Govern
ment and greater confidence in its willing
ness and ability to pay that we want, and
then it don't make a--bit of difference
whether we have any more specie than is
necessary for foreign exchange. Upon
the financial plank of the Democratic plat
form our fight must be made this FALL There
are no questions at issue that approach it in
dignity or Importance, and it's the beginning
of a great national struggle upon the same
question which must be made next year."
The profane old man accuses Pendleton of
hedging, and says Thurman has made a
fool of hinself-in which opinion he is
about right. Being reminded that he once
favored specie payments he said:'T would
favor specie payments now, if it could happen
as it did one day when was in the Senate,
and the Secretary of the Treasury placed a
notice on each of our desks that he had paid
the last dollar of the public debt" That is,
Governor Allen thinks we should be honest
while we are prosperous, but when we be-
come debtors we should endeavor to cheat
our creditors.
The Governors position seems to be that
of his party: "Be honest only while it
is Immediately profitable" In respect to
the prominence of the financial question he
is certainly right.-as right in that as he is
| wrong in the stand he has taken. 1t appears
that he is inspired to take this stand. He
makes no preparation for his speeches, but
submits himself to an ''infuence," land
very bad influence it is too) and speaks he
says, ''as the truth comes fair and spat into
my BRAIN" When the ''infuence" is upon
uitu uc uClOtCdlIy ueCdTcS budb L Will speak
though should burst" Such patriotic un-
selfshness is really touching, and provoca-
tive of wild hope that he may some day
succeed in initiating himself as he wishes to
initiate the currency,-to the bursting point.
The ancient one is very rich, and owns
about 5000 acres of land. After the manner
OF a true Democrat, who is nothing if not in
| consistent, he rails at the money-power, and
denounces it as tyranny. On this great
farm of his he lived in retirement for thirty
years. His friends say that he devoted those
years to the study of history and scientific
subjects. 1t is pity he did not give little
of the time to the study of finance. From
his retirement he was enticed by Senator
Thurman, who came to him and urged him
to accept the nomination for governor, say.
ing, eff not for the sake of the party, for my
sake, uncle, accept the nomination" The
patriotic old man went into the fight for the
benefit of his nephew, though he could not
be persuaded to do it tor the good of his
country or his party. In other people this
has been called nepotism.
Of late his arms have become paralyzed,
and there is grave suspicion that the dis
ease has reached his brain. This is the man
who stands forth as the most prominent ad-
vocate OF the only real issue which the Dem
Ocrati, partv has made this wear