The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-10-24
THE GREENBACK NAME-ITS
HISTORY.


Where and by whom the word
Greenback was first used as an ex
preston to represent Uncle Sans
money, is not known; but where and
| by whom the word was first used az
the name of a new political party, the
Editor proposes to narrate. 1t was in
the fall of 1873, in Carthage, Mo-.
that Mr.. A. w. St. John, who has
since become popular lecturer in the
Greenback field, the Editor, and few
other friends, frequently met and
talked over the financial condition of
the country. The result was that
they came to the conclusion that the
policy of the administration was bad,
and would prove ruinous to the coun-
try. They discerned land it did not
require a great deal of discernment
either) that in refunding greenbacks.
on which the government paid no
Interest, with bonds on which thev do
pay interest, was very foolish plan,
and would prove detrimental to the
country by increasing our indebted
ness, and our taxation. And further
that by permitting the national banks
to supply the money of the country
instead of using greenbacks, the gov
ernment were not only losing the
interest on the bonds which the
banks bought. but also the use of the
greenbacks which the national bank
bills displaced.
They also perceived-nor did this
require much discernment either
that the contraction of the currency
which was steadily going on, would
inevitably, bring sUu. city of money,
a reduction in prices, and consequent
ly hard times. Here was a necessity
for new party. and as the greenback
played suLh prominent part in the
trinity Of its features,-as 1st, The
greenback rs. bonds; I'd, the green.
back rs. banks; Sd, the greenback rs.
hard times:--that the word green
back would be the best word for the
name of the new party.
The Editor published u few articles
on the subject in the Peoples Press, a
local paper of the place, but they
seemed not to have attracted any at.
tention abroad.
An Industrial Congress was adver.
tised to be held at Cleveland, Ohio. on
the 18th of March, 1874, and this Mr..
st. John concluded he would attend.
He did so. At that meeting were
representatives present from several
States, and st. John succeeded in con-
vincing them of the truth and import.
ance of his propositions, and also in
securing their adoption of the name
greenback.
Another labor organization was to
be held in New York city a week
later. This he also attended, and with
Il similar result. But here they
wanted to add another word and call
the new organization the "Greenback
Labor" party.
Not long thereafter another mass
meeting wanted a change in the cog.
nomen Of their party, and they called
it "The Independent Greenback
Party" A paper about this time
started in Chicago called the Indus
trial Age, helped on the cause and the
popularity of the Greenback name
very much. A few other papers es
poused it near the same time. But
by more or less of the three names
mentioned it continued to be known
till the I'D of last February, when a
large mass meeting of the currency
reformers from all parts of the coun.
try. met at Toledo. Ohio. Here q
workingmen's organization had been
effected the year previous. had be
come popular, and elected much oi
their ticket the previous fall.
Atthis great meeting speeches were
made. a platform of principles adopt
ed. and they must have them desig
mated by new name. So they calle6
themselves Nationals.
But the Independent National
Greenback Labor party. founded OF
principles the most important to tn,
interests of the people, was not to b,
killed out by this superabundance o.
name. It still lives. and the mos
significant OF all its names Is the firs,