Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-08-12
Peter COOper's Letter.

Peter COOper's Letter.
"What lisa government good for if in
such a country as this, with all its ma
terial and vast extent, it can
not prevent a large part of its people
from the distress of want of work and Of
bread"
This searching question is put by
Peter Cooper in the admirable letter,
which we printed a few days ago, ex-
planning and defining his attitude in
the present political campaign. The
question readily suggests its own answer,
wt'ec c: the same time it lays down a
a clear, comprehensive .rincip'e by
which any administration, any polit-
ical party, can be tested and judged.
With slch unfailing natural VI
as abound in our favored and, with a
people enterprising and industrious,
widespread restitution and distress
among us can be due to no other cause
than a policy of "blunder and blunoer"
on the part of our Government. On
searching for the root of the trouble, we
at once find ourselves face to face with
the Currency Question. The simple
fact is that all legislation on this subject
in the United States Congress, for a bove
a dozen years, has been entirely in the
interest of a class-the bankers and
bondholders-while the interests of the
American people on whose shoulders the
burden is carried, have been s%tudiously
ignored.
Through the agony of a prolonged
and desperate civil war the nation safe
ly passed with the aid of its own cur
rency. Gold, being used to settle for
eign balances, became scarce and dear,
but the people did not miss it(for they
had a home currency admirably adapted
to their needs) until in an evil hour Sec
rotary McCulloch was induced to restore
and set up the ''gold standard" and a
Congressional majority blindly follow
ed. Then was inaugurated the legis-
lation in favor of European money-lend-
ers, which has cost us more than the
War of Rebellion, and for which u I'M
fortunate farmers, mechanics, laborers,
and producers of every grade have
since been exuding the sweat of their
brows. The nonsence about gold being
a "fxed standard of values may be
brushed away by q single illustration.
at ore time during:sthe late war, gold
was quoted at 205-that is, it had be-
come so scarce that 1886 in currency
was required to purchase a certain
number of grains OF it. AT that time
-four was selling for less than ST a bar
rel. Well to-day, gold is quoted below
112; therefore, if gold were such a
Standard as the bullion organs as
sert, seven dollars now ought to pur-
chase two and a-half barrels 0 ffour, be-
cause 81 lin greenbacks) at present
will buy as much of the yellow metal as
could be got for $17.80 when the basis
of exchange was 285.
Neither of the great political parties
dares stand up and challenge the
| greedy Money Power. Both alike, as
organizations, are harnessed to the
chariot of this elaborate and monstrous
conspiracy. Peter Cooper has 30 per-
sonal ambition to enter the noisy arena
of politics. He is no adventurer fishing
for votes or "spoils." All his life through
be has proven himself the sagacions,
earnest, generous friend Of Labor; and
now, seeing what cowardliness and de-
ception Turk in both the Democratic
and Republican platforms. he will re
main in the field as the Peoples Candi-
date. 1.-THE farmers, artisans, and la
borers OF the United States are only
wise enough to look beyond the glare
and heat of their local contests and see
how easily they themselves can choose a
worthy Executive without counsel OF
"bossing" from machine politicians; If,
at the same time, they desire an admin
istration which will look more closely
to the interests OF our own citizens than
to those of London SHYLocKs - Their
CoorER will receive more votes thar
HAYES and TILDFN combined -Irish
World.