The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1878-10-22

his heart was sad within him He well
knew that the views OF the leader and
commander in the late Ohio campaign
would, If impaired to him, command at
tention from Maine to the Pacific Slope,
as that which the people look for in the
way Of news is sought In the columns Of
the Euquirer. At the same time the Eu-
quirer commissioned knew that Senator
Thurman was one of the most difficult
men in the c,untry to interview for a
newspaper, although always frank and
open in his spoken expressions of his
opinions.
The Senator was at FIRST disinclined to
talk on national affairs, urging the press
of business demanding his attention in
excuse From that the Senator and COM
missioner drifted along, one thing bring
ing up another, until the interview con-
centrsted resolved itself into the follow.
ing, which those who are particular in
such things may do well to cut out and
paste in their halls, for it will be referred
to more than once hereafter:
The SENATOR'S VIEWS.
Commissioner i-Senator, do you feel
discouraged by the result Of the Ohio
election7
Senator Thurmau-Not In the least
I hoped for a much better result, but /
was prepared for worse one. This is
the frst year In which the issue between
the people and the National Banks was
sharply defined, and put all other issues
almost out Of sight was on the stump
about six weeks, AMI spoke in nearly
every section OF OHIO, aud everywhere l
found that no other question so much
interested the people The Democrats
were naturally indignant at being robbed
of the Presidency by the Returning
Board frauds OF 1876, but the most elo-
|quent denunciations Of that stupendous
crime against popular institutions SEEM
ed to interest them less than calm, fair
and truthful discussion Of the currency
question. Then the contrast between
Democratic economy and Republican ex.
travagance in the Administration Of the
Federal Government, which, under ordi-
nary circumstances, would have inevita-
bly, defeated the Republican party, had
but little effect, compared with that pro.
duced by the issue between the people
and the banks. The corruption that in
the last thirteen years has brought so
much disgrace on the nation ought to
have been sufficient to overthrow the Re
publican party. but the minds OF the peo.
pie we're preoccupied by the currency
a question, and they took but little interest
in any other. Questions Of political
economy or monetary science would
seem to be dry themes for discussion be-
fore popular audience, and yet no other
themes excited so much interest. ~
,Commissioner-If you are right in
what you have said, does it not follow
that we are beaten on the currency ques.
tionp
Senator T--Not at all. Instead OF be-
ing weakened by our PLATFORM mean
the platform OF our last State Conven.
tion--we we're greatly strengthened by
it.. Had We faltered on this question We
would have been beaten far worse. But
why talk about being beaten? Add the
vote Of the Nationals to that Of the Dem
ocrats, and is not the Republican or
National Bank party in minority OF
thousands In the State? Yes. tens oil
thousands And then remember how
the Republican candidates and orators
lodged and prsvaricated. Remember
how Mr.. Secretary Sherman announced
that be was in favor OF keeping in circu-
lation $500, ,0o0, 900 Of greenbacks, or q,
least as many as could be kept OF par
with coin-a declaration that has brought
upon his head the severest denunciatious
OF the bank advocates in the East, Look
at the speech Of Mr.. Foster, at Spring
Geld. have no copy Of it; but, il my
memory is not ct fault, be declared him.
self in favor Of keeping in circulation oil
the greenbacks nov outstanding-S346,.
600, 900 When I was at Canton was
told that the friends Of Mckinley claim
ed that he was as good Greenback man
as Gen. Wiley, the Democratic candi
date. l don't know what foundation
there was for the assertion; but an
convinced that that impression was pro
duced, and that it helped to defeat ONT
of the best men and one Of the brayes
1 soldiers that Ohio has produced. Was
not Gen. Warner met everywhere by th,
record of Van Vorhes, in opposition te
1.-THE demands Of the capitalists and bank
ers of the Easti And have you over
looked that precious piece OF spread-ea
| gle oratory Of Judge West, ex.olling th'
greenback, that stood at the head Of th'
Ohio State Journal for weeks in italics
1 Why, sir, tell you that the Republican
candidates and orators, with some ex
Iceptions, did all they could to dodge th'
issue. But the National Banks were no
deceived. They knew they were in lif'
and death struggle, and they fought fo
self.preservation. They and the hundred
thousand Federal Office holders supplied
the sinews of war to the Republican
| Committees, and the consequence wa
that never before in Ohio was there 81
corrupt use of money in an election
| Mark 1t, I do not say that the bsnks il
their corporate capacity furnished mon
ley, but their shareholders and depend
ents did. 1t was not to be expected tha
so tremendous and ramiied q combina
ton as tha. OF the National Bank
could be assailed by the Democratic
party without our losing at the onse
some votes. Remember the desertion
from the Democratic party when Jack
lson vetoed the bill to recharter the III
4 National Bank, but in the end the losseI
were far more than compensated by ou
gains from the ranks Of the opposition
And so it will be agair. The antago
nism between the Democracy and the OLE
National Bank system was inevitable. /
lie what Seward would have called the ii
repressible conflict With its power o
iexpansion, the National Bank system |
perpetuated, may in compsrativeI.
brief period, treble or quadruple it's mum
ber of banks, and practically WELD b,
far the greater portion of the active cap
ital Of the country. And who then woul,
rule, the banks or the people2 | fnl
fault With no man for being Nations