New-York tribune., 1878-07-24
BOR no GET DRUNK.


persons to find that, with resump ion virtually
accomplished, Mr.. Cooper demands " the re-
"peal of the Resumption Acts" that, with
banks going out of existence because they do
not find the National system as profitable as
private banking, he demands the repeal OF
1.-THE Bank Act y and that, after all the dis
nal experience of the past five years, and with
a genuine Improvement in business already
resulting from greater confidence as to the fu-
ture. he demands the enactment OF law
making the National currency the sole paper
"money of the country, ana a full legal tender
"for all debts, public and private" Finally,
in the letter published on Tuesday, he dis
tinctly demands that the present National
"debt shall be paid off as soon rs practicable
" in coin, or National paper at coin vaua-
" ton, to the precise amount that was IN cir
"culation as legal tender at the end OF the
"war of rebellion, and afterwards turned into
"long- bonds. This money, to the amount at
"least of So, 900, 900, 900, was justly earned
"by the people to save the Nations life; the
"people need this money to revive their fallen
"industries, employ all the idle, and call out
"the material resources of this great Nation"
To men who have any clear understanding
seem mere nonsense. Yet it is not possible to
treat them with Indifference, for, absurd and
mischevous as they are, these very notions
get the support of IA great number of voters,
and threaten to cause important changes III
the position of parties. Perhaps il has been
grave mistake on the part of many advocates
of a sound currency to treat these notions as
compatible only with knayish purpose or a
stOlid ignorance. The disnterestedness OF
Mr.. Cooper is not questioned indeed, his mo-
tives are always such as to command the af-
fectiOnate reverence in which New-York
has long held him. He is strangely Him
formed, and his reasoning is strangely
unreasonable, but he is business man
of large experience and marked sue
cess. Nor are there wanting other men, OF
some practical knowledge and an established
reputation for integrity, who embrace the same
wild notions. The truth is that these none
tary heresies appeal very strongly to GER
tain class Of minds by no means deficient in
intelligence. And, having formed belief that
the adoption of their heresies is of vast inn
portance to the welfare of the laboring classes,
these persons are moved by all the kindliness
and benevoencc of their natures to devote
time and money to the advocacy of their ideas.
There are great many shallow demagOgnes,
and great many kDaves and bankrupts and
desperate spectators, and a great many unre-
constructed and malignant haters of the Union,
among the inhationIsts. But it is important
not TO forget that these notions, in the last
degree unreasonable and unDatrOtic are never
theless so far seductive that they are enter
tanned by some men of ample means, fair in
telligence. undoubted integrity, and proved
loyalty.
Brandy "makes a man feel good" If head
ache follows debauch, the excess and not
the brandy is habitually blamed. more
'money" also makes higher prices, and gives
n certain stimulus TO industry and trade. 1t
makes Il nation feel good and il disasters
follow, what is more natural than to attribute
them to "a drop too much" or to any other
cause whatever excepting the inherent and
inevitable influence of an artificial stimulant.
which, as surely as it causes an unnatural
elevation of feeling, will also cause a reaction
and depression So it comes to pass that
there are many benevolent and intelligent
men who are in favor of rd-drinking and
of initiation. The immediate exaltation they
delight in, and some OF them, calmly measur-
ing the consequences, deliberately choose the
private or national intOxication. because they
want TO "get all the fun they can out of life
"while it lasts" The believers in initiation,
moreover are able to deceive themselves very
easily. All experience teaches that national
headache follows a national soft-money in
diligence, but they have q notion that this
country can enjoy great deal more than any
other in getting financially tipsy, and pay n
great deal less for it III subsequent reac-
tiOn and suffering.
1t is not worth while here TO repeat the
abundant proofs that debasement of National
credit and initiation Of National currency must
bring reaction and National distress. Mr..
Cooper does not believe it, and no argument
can make him believe it, and if he did 1t is
probable that he would definitely choose good
time for laborers, to last few years. taking
the chances that they would not suffer very
much thereafter. But the poor men who have
to do the suffering ought to have learned
something from their hard experience. For
five years they have been paying for the
National spree which eliminated in circula
ton, according to Mr.. Cooper, of So, 600, ,OOO,-
900. The loss has been theirs; the lack of en-
ployment the half-tlme in mills and mines, the
rapid reduction in wages, the melting away of
savings, the loss OF comforts for wives and
children, the calico dress for winter frost,
and the cry for bread from little ones dearly
loved. They have suffered and endured; not
Mr. Cooper. If they want other NatiOnalspree,
TO be followed inevitably by another period of
suffering, Mr.. Cooper tells them very correctly
how to get 1t.
DESPOTISN.
Senator Butler, of South Carolina, has been
making "a speech to his constituents at Edge