Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-02-17

solve the welghtiest questions of the
hour touching the national or financial
life. Hardly paper can be taken up
that does not attempt the solution of
the financial question: question
which is puzzling the biggest minds of
the nation, question intricate, and so
interviewer with vital issues affecting
the national and mercantile welfare
that it deserves to be handled with the
utmost caution else shipwreck will be
the inevitable consequence. Hitherto,
we have been, and henceforth we shall
be so cautious-for we believe caution
to be a virtue immeasurably valuable
in the utterance of thoughts touching
this all engrossing question to give
expression to no ideas or theories which
in any contingency may be disadvanta-
geous in the fashioning of the financial
question. We see men Of both par
ties whose views are entitled to weight
in the national counsels, differing ma
terially upon this one question;
and to such an extent do they differ
that enthusiastic republicans have ex-
pressed a determination to support the
democratic ticket, and democrats are
equally expressive in their determina-
ton to support the republican ticket,
if so this question shall enter into pol
itics in the coming campaign And
these men are not unstable men; but
are men of massive brain whose intel
lectual force has given them promi-
nence, and whose experience is worth
to the nation more than all the theo-
ries that can be advanced by enthusiast
tic journalists whose experience ex-
tends to the settlement of store bill,
or ''shinning" the street to find
wholesome market for municipality or
ders. We believe the financial cues
ton will settle itself. Exigencies must
and will find savior in the counsels
of wise men, and we are content to
leave to the wisdom of honest counsel
lors she solution Of the question which
Tor us to attempt seems foolhardy and
calls for an assurance which we thank
God we do not possess.
The editorial which we clip from the
Gazette propounds wholesome interrog-
atories, which it seems to US it were
well to ponder upon before rushing
blihdly either the one way or the 9TH
er. To those not blindly prejudiced
for or against fixed self-formed theo-
ry we ask for it thoughtful perusal:
We have little pamphlet before us
entitled ''Greenbacks better than gold. >
1t gives the speeches and proceedings
of meeting held at Madison, Jan.
18th, to organize this state for repre-
sentation at grand Convention to be
held at Indianapolis next May. This
grand convention proposes to accom-
plish the usual stereotype great and
good things for which all such bodies
are called together, "a thorough re-
form in the civil service" "a rigid
economy in the expenditures Of the
government, and ''strict accountable
ty Of public officers" &C.. &c. but
It's special invitation is understood to
be given to those in favor of "making
greenbacks full legal tender and in
Interchangeable with bonds bearing low
rate Of interest" It designs also to
repeal the specie resumption and ma
tional bank acts. Upon a platform
embracing these great reforms it pro-
poses to nominate President and
! Vice President and march into power
upon a cry of ''greenbacks for every
body" These greenbacks are to be
convertible into 3.65 bonds and re-
ceivable for all public dues" &c.
All of our readers may not have
ciphered out the sum by which those
mystic figures 3.65 are arrived at.
Here it is. U. S. bonds bearing 6 per
cent. interest are quoted now at LOT.
Now if the greenbacks should be made
convertible into such bonds they would
be above par, which would make. the
paper money in our pockets worth more
than gold We should get too fond
of it. To save us from this sin, our
reformers propose new kind of bond
bearing 3.65 per cent. interest, which
by careful and exact figuring they have
ascertained is just the rate of interest
which will make bonds at par, and
these, Uncle Sam is to give out in ex-
change for greenbacks whenever called
for. This will make the greenbacks
just equal to gold. The thing is as
plain as pike staff. Still we are puz-
zled about one or two little details of
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