The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-10-17
WHOLE NO. 223

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 a 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,
|
upon the bank building the kegs were
brought out at a back door, and con.
yeyed 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 a 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-
ton 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 curiosity in a 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 in
utter grief. We soon ascertained -
cause. The bank had just brolD, o
these were depositors, andfkGE
ed their money. SerYa5s I. 6il r., ~
washer-women whA l1 62 y
fyes and tens depe .E ~
the men Of business NJ Hi 1&4 II S{2f
hundreds. But alas They ~ !
money no more. fffd. chen ~ & -
the country the bi1ID III thSs b8nk
were scattered ~ What TIE total pile
was which the stf4Exts Ii Needed in
secreting and saving, anza tie people
in losing. we neYers knew bit this we
knew-the wives of the n &&ks had
deeds Of eligible city p<perty,
and some years aftervardaE 4nh CO.
| lossal residences on them Ard the
bank officers continued To Eoak1 Ahat
city their home for long, years aer-
manner Of business and perform0 10
kind of labor. - .s..san1s.
those lessons was, that 6kanks z
institutions to please and sN304k1
people. and rob the latOk2 ~
earnings to make few itz ~
enable them to live at 3I1fk
Their money was always y
one cent to Is below par,
it would not pass for
1t was vexation to use Mes
ways in the eud some ono Ia
pile. Greenbacks are the beGE - III
we ever had-vastly the be- j
the first one issued to the rD16ht
day. Everybody owes to thena 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 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, May your shadow never
grow less