Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-03-08
THE slruATioN.

tSut Biuuo YuC5oAVu Va TIC ilouI 10,
how are we best to get back to a
sound financial basis. A few there
are who care not 70 come to specie
basis at all, but hold the visionary
idea that this nation can have one
basis of values, viz its good faith or
obligation to pay, and all the balance
of the world another basis, viz: gold
and silver, and still suppose that our
country, under such a system, can
prosper. This is the most fallaciohs
idea that any man can possibly enter
tain, but happily those who hold such
views are few as compared with the
great mass Of the people. The advo-
Gates of such theory arc either those
who build air castles on borrowed
capital or those who seek the mortal
injury of the nation, as they did in
time Of the great rebellion.
As people, however, speaking for
the great majority, they profess to de-
sire that the final result shall Be re-
sumption in the coin Of the world. So
far so good. But here arises varied
views as to when resumption shall
take place, and what measures to
adopt to further ii. Right here arises
difficult questions; right here the
wisest and pnrast mon diner. N0law
has yet been passed touching this sub
ject but what has been the result Of a
compromise of mnltitudinous views.
No legislation will ever be had upon
the subject but what will be the re-
suit of compromise. Members Of the
same party cannot agree and never
will agree. The trouble with the
whole matter is, that the question is
made the football Of party tactics. In
our Judgment the best way to get
back to specie payments, would be to
let the question rest; let the whole
subject alone. 1t is seized upon by
the enemies Of the Republican party
to make political capital out of. The
present legislation upon that subject
was the result Of a long and violent
struggle in Congress, and compro-
mise by men Of both parties, when
tired out with the contest. Now,
since as we come on down to near a
specie basis, there is not existing that
food of money over the country that
there once did, and though it is just
such result as must follow on the
way to resumption, yet it is tender
point to touch the pocket, and hence
its aptitude for use in political dema-
goguery. Our enemies tell us that it
is Republican legislation upon this
question that makes money scarce,
and all the ills Of onr financial condi-
ton are ascribed to the party in pow
er. Republicans had to make the
debt to keep these same opponent
the Democratic party-from destroy
ing the nation by their treason. Sixty
five OF those who now sit in Congress
actually bore arms in that war Of
treason that made our debt and our
irredeemable currency, and these six
ty-tive rebels were backed by the
whole Democratic party North. and
yet they all glibly talk about Repub-
licans making hard times. In so far
as whipping traitors and destroying
the rebellion brought about hard
times. we plead guilty as a party, but
liz wc had had no traitors We
should not have any debt to pay, or
any need Of resumption. Now those
chaps, that party who are responsible
for the debt, who made it necessary
to have an irredccmable currency,
howl continuously abont our attempts
to pay the debt caused by their trea-
son. They claim that they are the
only wise and pure men to tell the
country they SO impoverished, what
TO do to relieve the people from the
hard times resulting from their ac-
cursed wickedness.