The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-10-17
Mr.. DONNELLY'S LETTER TO THE
PIONEER PRESS.

DoNNELLY, Mimi. Oct. 13.-I
seize a few moments of leisure to
reply to some of the points made by
you in your discussion.
1.-THE Ell PAsO NATTER.
1t is admitted that did not take
one dollar Of either the stock or
money offered me. Ny offense, 1t
would seem. consisted in the fact that
the offer was made to me. Upon this
theory the woman whose virtue is
tempted, even though she Indignantly
repel the seducer, becomes thereby
diSgraced. This is an unheard of
principle in human morals.
1t is conceded that during my
term as a member of congress the
Memphis Il Ell Paso Railroad com
pany had no bill pending for sub.
sldy. The only measure before con.
gress; in which they were interested,
was bill giving them the right to
build their road Oh the public lands.
The right every railroad company had
un,.er a general law Of congress. All
they sought therefore was a mere
governmental recognition-a charter.
They did propose, however. in the
next congress to ask for subsidy in
bonds and lands. They desired me
to remain in Washington and help
them secure it by using my influence
among my many friends in congress.
If had done so l should have com
mltted no wrong. was private
citizen and had perfect right to
work at any honorable employment
tor proper compensation. | de-
clined, however, to do so. While you
denounce me because the offer was
made me, You have no words of disap-
prevail for President Hayes for APP
pointing the man who made the offer,
Jonn c. Fremont to the governOrship
of Arizona. Is this just!
But. you argue, that so large sum
in stock and bonds could have been
offered me only to disburse to others
as corruption fund. In answer. /
would say that the stock was practi.
cally yalueless.
But you, yourself, in the st. Paul
Press of Feb. 10th, 1875. covered
the whole case in these magnanimous
words:
''Mr. Donnelly is himself so rarely
disposed to place a charitable con-
StructlOn on transactions which, by
any sinister preversion of inference,
can be tortured to the advantage of
an adversary, that he is entitled to
the charitable consideration which he
denies to others. but at any rate we
shall not follow his bad example in
this respect. And we. therefore,
cheerfully admit that as the case now
stands the evidence affords no
sufficient grounds for the conclusion
that the stock or mon,y agreed to be
paid him were designed as a corr upt
consideration for his legislative
services"
Is 1t tar or just to now revamp this
exploded charge. simply because ! am
candidate for Office might expect
this from the Blakeleys and Castles
of politics, but it is unworthy the
editor of a really respectable journal.
u.-CSURY.
am sorry to see You. as the cham
pion of Mr.. Washburn. implicitly
defending the exactions of the usuers
who have so fleeced the people of our
frontier regions. You claim that
the amount of money in existence in
this country is subject to the law of
supply and demand. like the supply
OF beef, wheat or cotton; and that
therefore the rate of interest should
be left to the operation of the same
natural laws.
/ answer:
|. The supply of greenbacks is at
present limited to the gross sum of
$40 200. 900.
IL. The supply of silver is limited
to S4.oo. 900 per month.
III. The supply of blackbacks is,
believe. limited BY the resumption
act to the sum of one hundred dollars
for every eighty dollars Of greenbacks
destroyed.
". The supplyof gold is limited by
the discovery of gold deposits. and
these are confined to the volcanic
strata of particular geological era.
The earth's surface has been pretty
searched for gold mines.
and the annual production of gold
has beer steadily decreasing during
the past twenty years; while the
demand for gold in the arts has been
as steadily increasing. You can
raise grain and meat almost every
where on the earth's surface; yon
cannot find gold everywhere. Hence |
here is a natural Limitation to the /
production of gold as imperative AS
he Legislative restriction on the |
coinage of silver. Hence. the value
If the use of money. or interest, can
lot be lett free to the operation of |
aw of supply and demand when the
money itself does not come under the /
anne law.
llI.-TREE PLANTING.
You charged that / proposed in
that 1.-The government should
'uild up great forest of several
iundred thousand acres i'm extent
n the midst Of the arid plains Of the
Nest-hundreds of miles beyond the
limits of settlement
What do you provei That the |
crest was TO be 10000 acres In ex-