Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-09-15

work goes bravely on, and business
is stagnated, failures are numerous,
and "millions of those who pretend
to work for a living live on the very
garbage of the swill pail, and with
out clothing except such rags as they
can beg" You tell us that if they,
the debtors, once taste how much
sweeter it is to pay debts by act Of
Congress than by bone labor, there
won't be much more sweat run to
waste. All this assertion lacks of
having force, is it's lack of truth.
The greenbackers, nor anybody else,
do not propose to pay their debts In
acts Of Congress that am aware OF.
They propose to pay their debts in
lawful money, and they are willing
that that kind of money should be as
good or even better than it was when
their debts were contracted; but to
have its value arbitrarily increased
for the benefit of the creditor is dis
honest, unjust and oppressive. |
shall not attempt to follow you all
through your insinuations or asser
tons that the Independent party ia
vor agrarianism, or that it desires to
debase or destroy the currency, for
such statements are devoid of truth
and the intimation that such would
be the result if the greenback policy
were put into practice, is mere asscr-
ton without proof.
You institute Il comparison be-
tween individual notes and govern
ment notes or greenbacks, and there
by attempt to show that the green
back is valueless, unless it is redeem
ed in gold. Now. | think that this
comparison fails because there is no
similarity between the individual and
the government. The government
can and does make money out OF pa
per, that will and does pay, but indi-
viduals cannot do this. Theory is
very good when it does not come in
contact with actual facts, but when
it comes in contact with actual and
demonstrated facts, then it must fail.
Actual practice for IA years has de-
monstrated the fact that greenbacks
are valuable, that they fully serve the
purpose for which money is made,
therefore the theory that they are
valueless unless they are redeemed
i'll gold tails to the ground.
Now, have few words to say in
reference to the note comparison
which you give. You say, suppose
you had worked for me until owed
you 500, and Oh settlement | should
offer yon my note III payment as fol-
lows. "On demand, l promise to
pay the bearer my bond for 500
drawing 1865 pei cent interest, and
both principal and interest of said
bond payable in just such paper as
this" You say that IL should smile
Il sickly smile, but should utterly fail
to see III that instrument an eGuiva-
lent for my labor" No doubt you
would "smile II Sickly smile" when
we imagine you might be one OF
those mechanics that are living on
the "garbage of the swil pail" and
such payment AS this indicated a CON
tinuatlon of the same fare But MS
this note is not such money as the
greenbackers propose to have, | can
Zee no force in the illustration.
Now | will Give a little nr1rt.r the
form Of the money that the reform
ers' propose to have, which We will
imagine | gave you i'll payment for
your labor. 1t is IN engraved piece
of paper, the back a little yreenl>h,
and on one side is printed these
words: "The United States will pay
the bearer one hundred dollars on de-
mand," and on the other side, This
note is a legal tender for all dues,
both public and private, except on
existing contracts in which coin is
promised, and is interchangeable for
United States bonds drawing 1865
per cent. interest"
think, on recei pit of this note, you
would smile a joyous and happy
smile. and hasten away to inform
wife and little ones OF the good
news, knowing that any Of the nee
essaries of life could be purchased
with this kind Of money.
Now, in conclusion, l want to ask