The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-11-29
SOLDIERS, READ.

SOLDIERS, READ.
An Extract from Late Speech of Dr.. }. w.
- Greene. of ChIisothe, Missouri.
When we soldiers, most Of US poor
men, enlisted to do dirty work for our
country's good, our country made US
good promises. 1t promised to pay
us in gold and silver. 1t we got dis
abled it would pay us pension IN
coin. If we got killed it would pay
our mothers, wives, and orphan chill
dren, gold. And all this was no idle
promise-nor was it a gratultous
promise. It was contract. 1t was
as sacred a contract as our govern
ment could make. It was contract
for consideration. The consideration
from us, that we were to obey our
superior officers certain length OF
time. We were to perform the duties
and endure the dangers Of warfare,
even if it took our scalps. We were
to follow our felloW-men, OF be killed,
just as might be required OF us. The
contract was signed and we began the
work.
Pay day came. We got our pay in
specie. Our confidence had been we'll
placed. OF course we worked on.
Pay day came again-but not the pay.
Why not! Gold and silver, that al
ways hide in wartime, had disappear
ed Our government had paid out all
it had, and the money-lenders refused
to lend specie except at rulnOus inter-
est. We were needy. Our mothers
and wives land children were in want.
| We prayed our government to keep
| it's word.
It answered: ''Be patient, be duti-
| full, be brave We were brave. We
finched not before danger. Our
hearts failed us only when we had to
write home to our dependents that
we could send them no money!
Pay day came again. The govern
ment said it could borrow no money,
but had made some. Government
make money! Yes; paper money.
Pay us with paper money! Since
called "rag-baby,' rags and lamp
black" and ''irredeemable stuff.
That was not according to the con-
tract. But the government was in
distress and that was the best it could
do.
We could not see our country go to
ruin, and so we took the money that
our government made.
| We sent it home to our families.
The money-lenders cried it down
and quoted it down.
Our families traded it off to the
merchants at discount, us compared
to gold, and they in the same way to
the money spectators. The specu-
lators snapped it back to the govern
ment for interest-b bearing bonds.
Then the government paid it to us
again. and we sent it to our families
again, and it went the rounds again
and again.
The object of the spectators in
crying it down and quoting il down
was to get it low, SO the bonds would
come cheap.
But we did not stop to inquire about
money speculators--Our friends in
Congress ought to do that. We had a
big job and hard one on our hands
and wanted to get through as soon as
possible and get home to see the little
ones-and the graves of those that
had died. We knew that our govern
ment had repudiated its contract. We
knew we would be bucked, and
gagged. and shot, if we were to do
the same thing. But we knew, also,
rs sensible men, that "selt-preserya-
ton is the first law of nature. We
were patriotic, and did not complain
when the government repudiated our
gold contract to save its life. We
cheerfully took such money as our
government could make.
Time rolled on. Many were killed
in filling their part of the contract.
| Their mothers and widows and orphans
accepted the same sort of money for
the life of their soldier patriots.
Many lost legs and arms and health,
and took. and still take the same kind
of money as recompense in full.
But the war ended; our part of the
contract was fulfilled. Then we be-
gan to look around to see how the
/ government had dealt with other peo-
pie. We fonnd that the spectators
still held their bonds. The interest
was contracted to be paid in coin. but
the principal in the same sort OF
money we had received.
The bondhol1ers who had ''finan-
ciered' SO we'll rs to get the bonds at
an average of tooat fifty cents on the
dollar, desired - 'tinancier" to make
4 further speculation on them. They
inducedND Congress to let them use
the bonds as a ) isis on which to issue
paper money. For every 100000 of
bonds they have the privilege of
issuing $4,000 Of the so-called ma
tional bank notes. that they lend out
to us at rulno IS usury- provided we
can give death grip security. And
besides the ex ~ Tomato interest that
they charge 10. IA money THAT costs
them only til 81 of printing! they
still get two > IF gold interest on
the bonds.
1lt even II rs unconstitutional
privilege Of a.NIlg money by legal
lied lagerla u finance did not
s.tisfv them. Ia 1859 they persuaded
~ Congress - ~,-iiate most impor.