The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1876-09-28

pressed condition of business, and the
The candidates Of the Independent
Party, and all who have the1
courage to support them, can afford to
wait for their full yindication until the. 4
financial policies of the two great par
ties of the country have wrought ont
their rainous results.
The financial legislation Of Congress
has brought great disasters upon all
who are engaged in productive indus
try. These disasters will be intensi-
fed as the measures inaugurated in the
interest Of the money poscer, and which
are indorsed by the National Conve1l-
tions at Cincinnati and ST Louis, shall
bear their legitimate fruits.
Theresults already, to some extent,
realized. are the bankruptcy of many
enterprising business men; the shrink
ing in value Of all landed and CONNER
cial property; the reduction Of all OPP
erations Of agriculture, manufactures
and commerce; the throwing out of
employment Of large proportionof the
industrious laboring element, the in
creased pressure of the taxes, and d.
minished means Of paying them; the
burdens to society of the unemployed
with their dependent families; the in
security to life and property by the
desperation of enforced idleness and re-
sultant misery and want. The contin-
uation and enforcement of these meas
ures must be attended with calamities
infinitely greater than those already
experienced.
We charge that large capitalists,
bond-holders of the Government, and
money dealers, have devised, and in
duced the Congress Of the United States
10 enact, q series of measures with
special reference to their own self-ag-
grandizement, and with the result of
robbing the producing classes of their
honest earnings and their legitimately
acquired property.
Let me invite your attention to some
facts in supports this charge:
Soon after the commencement of our
civil war it became absolutely neces-
sary that provision should be made for
arming, equipping and maintaining
Our army. Thaddeus Stevens, Chair
nan of the Committee of Ways and
Means, in the House Of Representa-
tives, reported bill for the issue of
greenbacks. 1t provided that this
money should be legal tender for all
purposes.
In that shape it passed the House,
and went to the Senate, where its le-
gal tender character was changed SO as
to except " customs duties and interest
on the public debt" Mr.. Stevens was
indignant at the change, and declared
that it had been brought about by the
influence of capitalists, and said that
he had melancholy forebodings that
Congress was about to consummate
a cunningly devised sheme in the In
terest only of gold-gamblers.
"Sir," said he ION the goth of Feb.
1869. s'there was doleful sound
came up from the cavern. of bullion
brokers, and from the saloons of as
ISOLATED banks" ssTheir cashiers and
agents were soon on the ground and
persuaded the Senate, with but little
deliberation, to mangle and destroy
what it had cost the House months to
digest, consider md pass. They fell
upon the bill in hot haste and 50 dis
figured and deformed it that It's very
father did not know il. Instead of
being benefcent measure it is most
positively mischievoas. at now
creates money, and by its very terms
declares it deprecated currency. 1t
makes two classes Of money--one for
the banks and brokers, aud another for
the people. 1t discri1ainates between
the rights Of different classes Of credi-
tors, allowing the rich capitalist to de-
mand gold, and compelling the ordina-
~ lender of money on individual secu-
rity, to receive notes which the Gev-
eminent has purposely iiscredited."
Senator Wiison afterwards Vice
President took the same view. He
sand (see Congressional Globe. End ses
sion, 31th Congress, page 7sa). II
look upon this contest as contest be-
tween the curbsfone brokers. the Jew
brokers, the money changers, the mcn
who speculate in stocks, and the pro-
apctive toilng men of our country
The change IN the measure, brought
about by the bullion brokers and bank
ers who persuaded the Senate. has been
the means Of robbing the people Of
thousands Of millions of dollars and put
ing them into the pockess Of -bloated
SPECTATORS This rub5erv excsssds In
amount the whole public deb6 Every
disaster to our armies il the fieid fur
Iished new and rich harvest for their
operations The worse the calanisiss
Of the IA, HE highersshsy corid sersd
the rresnTnm on gold. From that mo-
nnssas to the present the more they
HrEY