The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-03-11
POP.GUN POLITICS.

and IN an editorial article dlssents from II
= conclusions The logic of the FREE TRADEl
compared with that OF Judge Campbell is Xix
/ that OF popgun beside that of twenty
, FOUNDER or river stream against the Gun
rent of Niagara. The anxiety OF some mel
p to show their own littleness is ipdeed surpris
, ladH%rt0L Age.
= There l. pop gun ring about the above St
; peculiarly characteristic of the Chicago In
dnstrtW Age that we should have recognized
. the authorship of the paragaghaph though i
5 had appeared as original in the New York
/ Her@H' A boyish aping OF smartness, bu
incapability of inditing anything but sill
> ness, is the icc's strong forte. But let tina
go.
An homes. and lntelligcn. granger and in
, dependent, who has been reading the .ige iol
several months past with some care and try
ing to derive instruction from II, asks US can
didly what we understand to be its position
on the financial and currency question. One
day it publishes letter or speech of Newton
Booth, and cordially endorses his financial
plan and views Next day it publishes the
vaporings of DR.. Hooton, and as cordially
commends and endorses his views. Then
comes a speech or ten column lecture OF Sid.
ney Myers, Esq, and this again IS cordially
endorsed and approved; and this is followed
by the vapid speech of Mr. Cambel, or the
lunatic rawlings of Horace Day, and all these
are commended and endorsed with the same
unstined enthusiasm.
Now between the financial ideas of Newton
Booth and Dr. Hooton there is the difference
of day and night Booth is essentially hard
money man He advocates the issue of gov.
eminent bonds TO bear not less than $50 per
cent. H,erest-princlpal and interest payable
in gold; and advocating the withdrawal of the
national bank bills lie proposes to have no
other paper money but greenbacks, 10 be re.
deemable, or interconvertible, with these
bonds-the greenbacks to be legal tenders
only until the 3,G5 bonds reach par with
gold, when OF course the greenbacks will
also be at par with gold. IIooton, on the
other hand, proposes an exclusive legal ten
der greenback paper currency, to be redeem.
able in or inter-convertble with government
2 per cent bonds, principal and interest of
said bonds payable only in said greenbacks
The Booth plan has a solid foundation of
gold at its base; the Hooton plan rests on
The former is capable of being
explained and defended on common sense
principles; the latter is sheer lunacy.
SO Sidney Meyers, Esq, talks hard horse
sense and advocates an exclusive greenback
currency, said greenback to be legal tender
and redeemable ia, or Inter.convertble with.
government long bonds bearing per cent.
interest, principal and interest payable IN
gold. Campbell, on the other hand sticks to
the ridiculous deusion of Hooton, of legal
tender greenback inter convertible with
hree per cent. government bonds, said bonds
being redeemable in moonshine
Now this same want of defniteness, or in.
that characteristics the lucubra.
ions ef the Age, is peculiarly of that whole
,oterie OF political leaders who assume to
axe charge Of and run the independent DO.
itical organization, and are chargeable with
it more or less into odium. Ask q
nan to join the independents, and he points
o the Hooton- Decatur lunacy, and what can
me say? There is no use telling such man
hat, as leader Oft the independents, author.
zed to speak for them, Newton Booth and
sidney Meyers are of infinite more authority
md consequence than Hooton, Campbell, S.
VI. Smith, or any of that tribe.
Our granger friend agreed with us, that if
he independents would insist on consistency
ND common sense on the part Of their or
,ans, and accept the leadership of men of
ound sense like Booth, Flagg, Meyers, Allis.
&C., instead Of allowing mob of lunatcs
ike liooton, Smith, and that rabb!e to dis.
race them as they did at Decatur, the party
you'd be IN position TO present a financial
cheme to the country that would leave con
ress no excuse or choice to wrangle over the
uestion as they do now Getting down 10 a
old basis, like the plan of Mr.. Booth, there
5 really no lnsuperable difference TO over
ONE between large wing of the socalled
bullionlsts" and the greenbackers on the
urrency question. At most il would then be
question OF the national banks on one side
nd OF the rreenbackers, or those who want
n exclusive greenback paper currency, on
ie other; and with that as the only issue,
ven so stout "bullionist" as John Sherman
ne other day declared in the L. 5. Senate I
nat he was "o1s OF those who believe that a
!. S. note issued directly by the govern.
lent, and convertible on demand IN gold, or
government bond al par with gold is the
est currency we can adopt" Let the indie
endents and democrats come to an agree
lent on some such common sense basis as
he Booth plan, or even that oi Sidney Mey.
RS, with some notifications and improve.
lents," and then make the issue square one
{ greenbacks against national bank rags,
nd who can doubt for a moment where the {
lctoiy would perch?
SCHENCK. q