The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-11-08
CURRENCY C.NTRAC TON.
THE BALEFUL EFFECTS CLEARLY SET
FORTH.

4
FORTH.
Speech b the Hon. George Major, Febru
ary Is, Before the Creenback Leceum
Of Indianapolis.
Mr.. PREsIDENT:-The financial
question is of vital interest," none rises
higher in Importance, none descends
deeper into human interests. 1t
comes home to the bosom and busl-
ness of men. 1t affects the pleSt
laborer and touches the interest OF
the ablest capitalist. Upon 1t depend
the value of property, the stablllty or
contracts, the wages OF labor, the |
welfare of families and the prosper
ity of the whole country. NO ques-
ton is more worthy OF public atten-
ton. and none is receiving, from all
classes. more thoughtful and earnest
investigation. The conviction is
becoming fixed in the public mind
that there is something radically
wrong in the management Of our
public affairs-something mysterious
iy defective in our financial policy.
The people are becoming more and
more satisfied that the party in power
has been untrue, in it's policies,to the
best interests Of the great masses of
the peOple-that the ends of govern
ment have been perverted from their
true object, the public good, and pros
tituted to advance the interests OF
favored classes and corporations
that the whole machinery Of govern
ment has been run in the interest OF
the money power-that the whole Of
our financial legislation has been to
enrich capital at the expense OF labor
to foster monopolies, to give to
corporations exclusive privileges, to
build up a bondholding aristocracy,
to increase the power OF money, to
raise the rates OF interest, to central
i've wealth in the hands of the few, to
transfer to the cunning idleness the
fruits of honest industry, to make the
rich richer and the poor pooIer, and
stake from the mouth of labor the
bread it has earned" The evidence
of the wicked prostitution of govern
ment, this unjust discrimination in
favor of capital against labor is every
where apparent. 1t meets us on
every hand. 1t may be seen in the
sudden increase of fortunes in the
massing of wealth in the hands of the
few, in the rapid growth Of giant cor
poratiOns and chartered mOnOpolles,
while all the monied powers, the gold
dealer, the bondholder, the money
lender, the national banker. and the
stock gambler are enjoying a rich
harvest of prosperity, all the produc-
tive interests are reaplng the bitter
fruits Of adversely. All our great
industries are depressed, farming no
longer pays, manufactures are run at
loss, mills, factories, furnaces,
FORCES and machinery Of all kinds are
closed and thousands of operatives
thrown out of employment and thell
families starving for bread. Whole
mining districts have suspended, and
tens of thousands of workmen are de-
prived of labor and the means OF sup
port. Our great commercial interests
are nearly ruined, our ship yards are
abandoned, our docks are deserted anC
our marine vessels are driven from
the ocean. Railroad building has
nearly ceased, great lines almost com
pleted, are abandoned. But few road:
are paying dividends upon thei1
stock and a large percentage are II
the hands of receivers.
Our people are burdened with debt
and taXations, our farms and cite
are covered with mortgages, our rec
ords are replete with judgments AM
civil officers are armed with eXecu
tions. Our jails and penitentaries ar
filled with inmates made criminals D.
sheer want. Our papers are dall
filled with accounts of crime com
mitted 10y men made desperate b.
hunger and hopeless poverty. Gu
cities, towns and highways ar
thronged with men, seeking employ
ment begging leave to toll Mi
lions are in enforced idleness, multi
tudes are working upon half pay, an
myriads are eating the bitter bread Q
charity. Foreign immigration ha
decreased one-half, and thousands Q
skilled workmen are leaving on
shores to seek employment in tn
overcrowded cities of the old world
Our national progress has been al
rested in mid career, and our mate
rial prosperity has been blasted q
with the breath of the pestilence. NJ
fellow citizens. what has caused TIL
affairs. why this advantage of capt.;
over business and labor! Why is tn
one at the top of Fortunes wheel an
the other cast away! Why is no.
productive capital so favored an
productive capital so fortunate. Ma
ural laws never produced such result
Justice and equality never worke
such injustice and inequality. III
true cause is to be found in our unJu
and oppressive system. Our presel
embarrassment is the legitimate 7
suit of the ruinous and paralyzln
contraction of the currency by who
the people have been deprived OF I'll
means for carrying on their bushes
prosecuting their enterprises, az
meeting their obligations. Money
the power that moves the whole m
chinery of business,it is the life bloc
of the industrial system, and like tt
vital fluid of the physical system,
sufficient supply gives health al