The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-12-29
A String Of Pearls.


country whose wonderful development
and present stability is owing so largely to
the moral excellence Of its peopIe-vio-
late the principles which. under God,
have made her what she is, by dishonest
Sinking of her obligations7 What would
our old Puritan forefathers say, with their
rugged sense of justice and strict honesty,
if they could hear the shameful and dis
graceful proposals of public robbery by
the trustees of the peoples interestsT
Shall great country like this-a country
great in the history of her wonderful de-
velopments, great in her military achieve
ments, great in her boundless resources,
in her commercial and industrial aspects,
standing among the foremost nations OF
the world, with unblemished honor and
an untarnished name-debase herself by
sneaking reputation Of her debts, or any
part Of them? The only parallel case
that presents itself to my mind, is that OF
the angel SHINING in Heaven, and we know
the consequence. And the men who are
seeking, whether Willingly or not, to in
jure the country's credit by their schemes
of reputation, are they not its enemies
The rebel hand that strove to tear apart
the glorious Union, aimed not a more dan
gerous blow at our national perpetuity
than is to-day aimed at oar present good
name and future prosperity by our legis-
latOrs. Letter to ". Y. Tribune.
The Hon. Montgomery Blair, in presi-
ding over a charity convention in Balti-
more, last week, undertook to explain
why there we're so many tramps in the
United States. There has been an enor-
nous accumulation of wealth in the hands
Of the few. John Jacob Astor," he re-
marked" was in former years the wealth
lest man in the country, and yet was not
worth half a million in 1880; while now
there are hundreds Of millionaires, whose
incomes are millions, and even tens of mil
lions" He computes Vanderbilt's income
as equal to the earnings of 10000 work.
ingmen, and that of Flood & O'Brien at
$20,000,O00 GU, which is equal to the earn
ings Of 10000 laborers. Three hundred
such incomes, he goes on to say, would
absorb the earnings Of $4,000, 900 laborers.
ut is certainly a startling condition of
things" he adds, that at least 1000, 900
able-bodied, intelligent, and energetic men
have been suddenly left without employ
ment, to wander through q country
Astounding in natural wealth, and capable
of supporting ten times its present popu-
lation, while all It's wealth is accumulated
in comparatively few hands,"
Fortunately the RECOMMENDATION Of silver
is not party measure, or more properly
speaking is not the measure of either of
the old political parties, and both demo-
Gratis and republicans are divided in their
opinions in regard to the question. We
give specimens below OF what is said about
it by parties on both sides:
In sixty days the silver bill will have be-
come law of the land. 1t will pass con-
gress, and if the president vetoes it-and
/ don't believe he Wilt will pass the
house by three-fourths vote, and iu the
senate there will be enough strength tc
pass it over the veto. The objections tc
the free-banking clause of the bill, and the
claim that the bill is designed to benefit
the silver industry of the country, were in.
Weighed against. de argued that the
statutes of the United States previous tC
1869 permitted the payment of bonds il
greenbacks, and that the act of 1869 only
removed all doubts as to the purpose O.
the government to pay in coin, which term
he commended, included both gold anG
silver. He closed this portion of BIZ
speech by predicting great prosperity a
the result of the passage of the Bland bill
Ben Buffers MiddleSer Speech.
The congress at Washington seem de-
termined to enter upon course which, q
Secretary Sherman has declared in his re
cent report, involves o breach of publ
faith and stain upon the national honor
There is grave reason to apprehend tn
triumph Of the silver party in the senate
and Mr. Stanley Matthews, who succeede,
Secretary Sherman as senator from Obi
the presidents state-has introduced
resolution, which is now being debated, t
the effect that "all United States bond
issued before the demonstration of silve
are payable principal and interest at th
governments option, in silver dollars cor
tanning 4l23 grains of standard silver, an
that the restoring to the coinage Of sue
silver coins as legal tender in payment @
such bonds, principal and interest, is not
violation of public faith or a derogation Q
the rights OF public creditors" The resC
luton, If passed, cannot be affected, as
congressional bill would be by the presi
dents veto, and it is believed by the silvC
party that the effect of the vote will be {
weaken the opposition to Mr.. BANDS sive
bill, which they hope to carry in fe
days. - Welsh. o. s. Munster to England
The New York World says the vet
will be distinct and startling form0lit
made by the president of the United State
that, in his opinion, congress has bee
guilty OF q deliberate breach of fait
toward,all the creditors of the nation.
This is going to an extreme length in il
terpreting the predicted veto. 1t will N
mean that, unless Mr.. Hayes sees fit
make it so. To say that congress is guilt
OF q breach OF faith in passing the bill woul
be not only an untruth but an unwarran
able impeachment of the integrity of col
gross and of the people-a declaratiC
which we think Mr.. Hayes will not
foolish enough to make.-&. LOUIS R
publican,
The chances ore that the president wi
not vetol the silver bill after all. Il
seems, however, to be as determinedly
favor OF John Sherman's resumption az
as ever. 1t is likely that he will veto tn
repeal bill should it go to him for sigma
ture: Mr.. Hayes position of recor
touching this question is that he is in fave
OF no modification Of the resumption az
that does not name an earlier date tina
Jan. ]. 1879. Neither the president nc
any other resumptionist is now abou
naming an earlier day for resumption tina
that named in the resumption act. A
they draw near to that fatal day it seem
to all of them Ito be near enough.S- Gin
cj000H E1no,,jgoy