The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-09-02

increase!or diminish according TO the demands
OF business. Under the proposed system of
issuing all our paper money directly from
the Treasury, the volume must depend
upon the uncertain caprice of Congress.
There never was, and never will be- legisla-
ture wise enough to fix, by any arbitrary rule,
the proper volume of circulation. What would
be sufficient for one month may be insufficient
or too great for the next. The tickle and
changing opinions of Congress are an unsafe
basis on which to regulate the value of all the
business transactions of the country. The re.
sumption act did not provide for the destruc-
tion OF the greenback currency. Amazing as it
seems now, the Democrats voted against 1t for
that very reason. As construed by the admin
stration, the act left $500, OOO 900 of greeubacks
to De Kept In circulation. BY an act of the
present Congress, 1916 600, 900 are to be kept in
circulation after resumption. While do not
believe that the government should turn banker
and 60 permanently into the business of issuing
paper currency, am willing, for the present at
least, to maintain as many greenbacks in Cir
culation as can be kept at par with coin and no
more. The Greenbackers want to destroy the
greenback by making it worth little or nothing
l want to help it and make it as good as any
dollar in the world You want a dollar that
will not shrivel up in your pocket, one that you
can keep over night, one that is as good in
ONO as In Boston. Twenty years ago when
man travelled from Ohio to Boston he stopped
and procured Eastern bills, as Western bank
bills would not be taken at par out of the state
where they were issued. Now what does a
man care what bank his bills are from? He
knows that the government has $1.10 for every
such bill issued, and he cares not if the bank
fails. In Ohio we are fighting this same battle
and we are interested in the peLding struggle
in this and other hard money states. When
you in Maine help to elect Democratic House
OF Representatives you vote to do away with
the resumption altogether. Your Democratic
Representative may be hard money man. He
will vote with his party, and that party will re-
peal the resumption act. Those who believe in
honest money should stand together in this
great battle. We have some old-fashioned no.
tions, and some do not like them. We believe
that twelve inches make foot, that sixteen
ounces make pound, and that 100 cents make
dollar. Any tricks that tend to shorten the
foot, tighten the pound or depreciate the dollar
are rank dishonesty. A great nation which
tries to dodge itself out of debt is dishonest.
In closing the speaker said, close these
remarks hoping that in this the First District
of Maine you will stand for hard money by
returning to Congress one whom L know to be
sound on this great question, and well able to
fill the position which he honored at the last
session of the House of Representatives.
Knowing as L do that he is earnest in this
matter of the nations honor L hope to hear
that Maine has given strong vote for an
honest dollar The close was received with
loud applause, and three cheers for Mr.. Reed
and honest money.