The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-10-17
WHOLE NO. 2s3

horses; and every thing they
could buy. And they were gone.
The people were awfully swindled.
How much in the aggregate we new
er knew perhaps fifty or hundred
thousand. Some families it reduced
to utter poverty. Many families it
pinched for the necessaries and COM
forts of life.
This ends the first lesson. At the
next meeting of the legislature, one
attempt was made to get banks of a
better grade, by looking somewhat
as to their basis. They were erected
by charter. A bank commissioner
was appointed to visit them, and
count the gold and silver in their
vaults. When he went to bank,
their books and circulation were pre-.
sented him; and then keg or kegs of
the precious metal brought up from
the cellar for him to count over,
and as soon as his back was turned
upon the bank building the kegs were
brought out at a back door, and con !.
veyed with the greatest haste to the
next banking house the commissions
er was to visit. From thence they
were carried to the next and so on.
Thus the whole matter of the com.
missioner becomes farce; yet some
of these banks lived four or five years
before they utterly smashed. But
they were all dishonest swindles from
their conception to their close. and
hundreds Of thousands were lost to
the people through them.
Our third lesson was the Erie and
Kalamazoo railroad bank. The bank
claimed that the railroad charter
gave them banking powers. Whether
this claim was ever adjudicated in the
courts we do not know, but the COM
mon people supposed that the rail-
road was liable for the bank issue,
and this gave confidence to the bills.
How much was ever got into circula-
tiOn we never knew, but after few
years the bank bust like thunder
clap, and thousands. of depositors and
tens of thousands who held it's money,
were very badly swindled. We have
a little of its money (as well as that of
other wild cat banks,) yet by us. We
keep it as a curiosity in small paper
box, but have no occasion to lock it
up. Every few years we open the box
and count over the bills. There has
none been stolen. When we take the
last Of the pile from the box we care,
fully look under them to see if we can
discover anything of metallic basis
upon which they rest. But the basis
is not to be found!
| Our next lesson was only one of GU.
riosity and sympathy. 1t was in
city on the banks Of the Maumee.
One morning we beheld crOwding in
front of we'll known banking house.
a hundred (more or less) Of men and
women, some yelling, some swearing,
and crying, wringing their hands "
utter grief. We soon ascertaina1
cause. The bank had just brl1
these were depositOrs, and
ed their money. SerYG
washer-women wbn
fives and tens de
the men of busin9
hundreds. But aid
money no more. 4h NJ
the country the ~ INK
we were sc scatte5sd, # re- - ssl !, pile l.
secreting and ss - people
in losing, we n4Y ~ his we
knew-the wiz BK54k had
deeds of eligI1ls tyf perty,
and some years sftery4Q CO.
lossal residences on them s the
bank officers continued 70 hat
city their home for long, yG4f3 pr
wards, though they engaRed 10
manner Of business IA psE3pt p
kind Of labor. ...'s
those lessons was, that
institutions to please am
people, and roD the 4
earnings to make a few
enable them to live at
Their money was always
one cent to 25 below PAL
it would not pass for b
1t was vexation to use
ways in the eud some ond
pile. Greenbacks are the be
we ever had-vastly the be
the first one issued to the -nE
day. Everybody owes to them y debt
of lasting gratitude. They saved
the country in the dark days Of her
trial. They have saved to the pock-
cts of the people untold millions.
They are pleasant to look upon.
They are a remedy for many disor.
ders when carried about in our pock-
ctr. Oh greenbacks, greenbacks! not:
withstanding your infrmity, (the ex.
ception upon your backs.l we love
you still. Nay your shadow never