The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-04-10
A Word About the Platform.

We have just word more to say to the
democratic convention about to assemble |
at Springfield.
Anything like such greenback platforms |
as some of the counties have been putting |
forth Of late as democratic doctrine would |
be fatal to the democratic party Of the
state, provided any attention is paid to
platform At this time, an exclusively |
metallic currency would also be objectiona-
ble-not so extremely Objectionable as a
food Of paper let loose all over the couu-
try, and the Inauguration of period of
initiation and undue expansion would be,
still it would be unjust to the debtor class
to be foreibly brought to the necessary
conditions of exclusive hard money, and to
that extent an unwarranted favor to the
creditor class. 1t happens in this case, as
in many others, that. the medium course is
the safest. Not on the principle Of COM
promise, but because it would produce the
least hardships to the mass of people. 1t
takes time, economy, and patience, when
one gets into debt to get through and come
out all right This is especially true when
the Indebtedness is contracted under cir
cumstances of lively trade, brisk business,
plenty Of money, and apparently prosper
Gus times, aud suddenly all sources of in
come and means of payment are greatly
contracted or entirely lost. The amount
of Indebtedness remains as large as it was
when contracted Hand when the means of
payment were seemingly good, debt
does not diminish because of hard times or
scarcity Of resources for payment. Very
likely the person indebted would have
been better situated if he had not gone
into debt; very likely the country would
be in much better condition if there had
been less overtrading less credit, less Of
the feverish haste to gain wealth by specu
lation, or at least by speculative influences
and undue increase of values in merchant
able commodities and real estate, but
grant it is so, that fact does not specially
lessen the hardship of getting back upon
solid basis, nor make it reasonable aud jus
TO diminish the means of the debtor class
so rapidly and with such certainty tina
theU ruin is inevitable.
We have none too much faith in paper
money at any time. Whatever amount il
necessary aud convenient for the bushes,
OF people generally as a circulating
medium so much is right aud proper. i
makns N 1iffaronoa NH "a l.
back, postal orders, or gold and silver
bullion certificates, if it be of character
which is certain and reliable as represen
tatIve currency, which is iDterconvertible
at the pleasure OF the holder into coin, and
which is sustained by pledge of govern.
ment for its redemption so as not to be
come deprecated and worthless 10 the
hands OF the holder This kind of paper
10 cases OF transportation, or for purposes
OF exchange, would be preferable to colo
Itself Tor the simple reason of convenience
in use,
Holding these views we certainly shoulC
be opposed at this time to either the ex
elusive hard money views of the "HarC
money League" or the still more per
nicious ideas of unlimited expansion anc
greenback initiation.
We intend to support the Democrat,
state ticket and do all that is possible I,
secure its election. The time is favorabl,
one tor success. If the convention come
anywhere near the standard of true demo
cracy there is every reason to believe tn
nominees will be successful in the COMM
canvass. But We have no intention of in
dorsing AZ democratic, principles and sen
'mentS which We do not recognize and d
not .oeheve are such, and all the con
ven'lons which may be held from this
the END OF the century can't affirm ths