The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1876-10-26

following facts ana StaIementS IN re-
gard to the causes of the present de-
pressed condition of business, and the
remedy:
The candidates Of the Independent
Greenback Party, and all who have the
courage to support them, can afford to
wait for their full vindication until the
financial policies Of the two great par
tie of the country have wrought out
their ruinous 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 posoer, and which
are Endorsed by the National Conven-
lions 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 a large proportion of 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 c6ntin-
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
to enact, a series of measures with
special reference to their own selfag-
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
, |
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
man of the Committee of Ways and
Means, in the House of Representa-
tives, reported bill for the issue Of
8 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 lie.
5 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
a cunningly devised sheme in the in
terest only of gold gamblers.
"Sir,' said he (on the Goth of Feb.
1869, "there was doleful sound
came up from the caverns of bullion
brokers, and from the saloons Of as
sociated banks" 'sTheir cashiers and
agents ere soon on the ground and
persuaded the Senate, with b.. little
elaboration, to mangle und destroy
what it had cost the House months to
digest, consider and pass. They fell
upon the bill in hot haste and SO dis
figured and deformed it that its very
father did not know it. Instead of
being a benefcent measure it is most
positively mischievous. & = + cit now
creates money, and by its very terms
declares it deprecated currency. 1t
makes two classes of money-one for
the banks and brokers, and another for
the people. 1t discriminates 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 discredited"
Senator Wilson afterwards Vice
President, took the same view. He
said (see Congressional Globe, End ses
sion, 37th Congress, page 769): Il
look upon this contest as a contest be-
tween the curbstone brokers, the jew
brokers, the money changers, the men
who speculate In stocks, and the pro-
ductive toiling 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
ting them into the pockets of ssbloated
spectators" This robbery exceeds In
amount the whole public debt. Every
disaster to our armies In the field fur /!
nished new and rich harvest for their |
operations. The worse the calamlties |
nf tho Az 49, <,sr1A onv,l 4