The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-10-20
NO RESUMPTION FOR HIM!
The Clinton Ql) Register thus delivers it

The Clinton Ql) Register thus delivers it
self:
Are we, as "A people, as able to pay our debts
rs we were four wears ago or eight years ago,
when there existed great difference between
gold and greenbacks? With banks bursting
and old business houses going into bankruptcy,
are we not rather over the crater of financial
volcano than on Il firm foundation?
Will any one tell us what real benefit the
peope have gained by the policy which has
rot crecnback up to within three cents of
goldy We admit that small class has been
largely benefited by it, but we claim that the
government should be administered for the
benefit of the people, and not for small class.
II is from uttcrances like these that the East
get the idea that the west has gone crazy on the
currency question, and instead of wanting a
sound currency Of gold, silver and greenbacks,
all at par with each other, is bowling like lun.
atics for return to deprecated and debased
paper currency worth 80 cts on the dollar.
Nothing could be further from the truth
There is not one man in thousand in the west
to-day, Democrat, Republican or Greenbacker,
but is anxious that our currency shall be main.
tanned at least where it now is, within frac.
ton par with gold. 1t is for this reason that
the west insists on the reconciliation of silver
That metal is now worth 55l pence an ounce
in London, which brings the American dollar
of 412 grains of standard silver to within per
cent. of gold. No sane man doubts-even that
stern bullionist David A. Wells admits it
that the moment congress restores to the Amer
lean dollar its quality of legal tender and di.
reefs its recoinage it will 90 to par with gold
Then let congress simply authorize greenbacks,
silver and gold all alike to be received for Gus.
toms and all other dues, and all will be equally
ON par with gold. This will be specie pay.
ment Itnceds no contraction, no buying or
boarding Of gold, no cancellation of green
backs to bring it about 1t will come of itself
as easily, naturally and certainly as the wind
blows or the sun rises.
But now when the country is on the eve of
this happy consummation, from which it ought
never to have departed and without which
there can never be restoration of solid bust
ness prosperity, come set of howlers who
want to go back to war times-wth all its bus
mess uncertainties, degraded currency and gen
era national and commercial discredit and
disbon0T,
Il Is needless to say that such proposal is
not only absurd, but it is dishonorable. 1t is
exactly the same thing as to insist on having a
short yard stick, or short bushel, or light
pound weight. With short dollars it is pro
posed to have more money, just as with short
bushels they could raise more bushels to the
acre, have more bushels to consume, more
bushels to sell, more bushels to export. With
"A short pound weight every man in the state
may weigh twice as many pounds; and with "A
short foot rule every man there may tower alott
as a tentooter.
But it is useless to argue the subject with
such lunatics. TO state their case in their own
words shows its aburdity and answers itself