The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-02-22

he's reformed. he makes me res
ponsible for his reformation. too. Well,
don't propose to be any different from
what / have been. | wouldn't think
enough of the Office to change myself.
They wanted me to go over to Decatur to
the convention, but | want going to run
after them. They knew where to find me.
1 wa going to pipe-lay, and | didn't
want to lay around a convention and look
as though | was begging for something.
knew had good many friends there
and didE't care to bear myself praised
up--it would have made me feel mean.
So staid away"
you
lNDoRSE THE PLATFORM,
however," --.l
Certainly. I can't see any harm in 1t.
1t may be good thing"
THE finance plank, you mean?"
well, yes, Ill tell you. | haven't any
opinion of finance that / could feel justified
in examining down anybody's throat 1t
is question that has vexed the world in
all times and in all countries, and, possibly,
will never be settled. The hard-money
men say that the circulating medium
should be based on a substantial and fixed
value. How are you going to get basis
of that kind2 Gold and silver won't do it.
They'll tell you that gold and silver are
coined in certain weights and in pre-
scribed quantity which is the same the
world oyer, and that dollar of gold or
silver coin has fixed, intrinsic value.
Now, if that is so, how does it come that |
can go into Chicago and buy dollar in
silver for $l.03 in paper. while for gold
dollar I've got to pay $1.13? If the basis
of the coin is fixed, and if the two being
both dollars are worth in actual fact one
just much as the other, how does it come
that in round numbers 10 per cent. more
is charged for the gold than for the silver !?
can take the two dollars anywhere in the
world and buy as much with the silver
dollar as | can with the gold, and yet they
are of different values here. There is no
fixed value to the basis of currency |
don't see why an interest bearing bond
that would bring the debt of the people
home and distribute it among the people,
isn't better than an unequally valuable
metallic basis Do your"
Don't interview me, Mr.. Steward.
I'm interviewing you. If you are cruci6-
ed, let it be out of your own mouth, not
mine"
'All right. don't see of what use
| NATIONAL BANKS
are. They've never done any good, but
they have done great deal OF harm in
complicsting financial matters. I think
they ought to be wiped out. Streator' S
instance over at Decatur the other day, of
the two boys going into room and getting
rich by swapping jackets, don't offer d
parall case with this interminable bond
exchange, The jackets would be always
the same, but the bond would be Away:
paying an interest, 1t is just as though
were to take neighbor' interest note fol-
a loan; only, instead of taking ny
neigEbor's note, here | take the note O
the country at large. I'm satisfied witt
the security; it is based on the propert.
of the people. The great bulk of the ex
changes in this country are conducted OF
individual credit. | think hardly less thai
95 per cent-call it 80 per cent. of til,
tariffic and exchanges of this country ar
conducted on individual credit; the othe
10 per cent is conducted on the nationa
credit, if it is done with greenbacks. I
individual credit will conduct nine tenth
. | VI thC OAbLld5SCO Va tilC CUuull y, ID uOL III
national credit good for the other tenth
This nine-tenths is conducted by not ez
ceeding one tenth of the population, an
generally by the shrewdest classes.
A think the proposition will hold good tina
9 one tenth OF the shrewdest class of tn
population conduct nine tenths of the eZ
. changes of the country on their own ind
} vidual credit; the masses conduct tn
other tenth on the government credit.
D think the medium of this one-tenth Of ez
e change should be as simple as possible
t and uniform; it is the poor mans proper
a ty-the exchange medium of the nasse
t chat this government furnishes. To stat
r it briefly | have no hesitation in saying tha
D the national banks should be done ava
I with. Nor in saying that the countr
a should have circulating medium equal
0 the wants of its business; nor 10 sayin
2 that it should be as uniform and as simpl
D as possible; that look upon the circula
e ing medium as being really the property
2 the laboring people-and therefore / thin
t it should be as simple as possible; xn
} that [ can see no harm in trying the e1
/ pertinent proposed in the platform"
: How Co you regard the othersplanks? ?
r Mr.. Steward picked up a newspape
e containing the platform, and ran it ovel
0 thus:
r Lets see:
j Resolred, That the preservation Of our nations
1 life lmperatively demands that every America
voter shall attend with care to all primary nom
nations and elections OF competent and honest mel
! to all offices in the gift of the people,
well, that's platitude that read
a well, and | guess it does no harm.
ResOLped That we demand the immadtate p
form of abuses in the civil service, through whlS
, the patronage of the government is dispensed -
reward OF partisan service rather than with regai
} to the public necessities.
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