Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-07-01
For the Journal
The Greenbaclxers.

The Greenbackers.
The Greenbackers Of Lincoln county held
preliminary meeting here Tuesday, June 25th,
and as we informed, decided to call a county
convention August 9TH, probably at this place.
Among the persons in attendance we noticed.
Hobson and Lancaster of Wiscasset, and Rhodes
Of Bristol; but the gathering was not large. No
person can predict what this third party will
achieve in the county; but certainly 1t will re-
qulre but little strength for them to prevent any
county officers election which requires a MAORI
ty The plan is, nominate a full county ticket,
member of Congress, and candidates for the Leg
islature. In short, they mean a separate and dis
tinct organization, even II the only thing they
accomplish be the pleasure they will receive in
"bossng the machine" as the dsrkey remarked
who took joo, paying out for his help all he re-
ceved therefor; when asked "what do you make
out of it ?" he replied, "Oh, gets de delightful
satisfacshum OBJ bossIng de job" Judging from
the men whe most active in the movement,
we conclude there are to be heap of leaders,
and there must be a "place," for nearly all OF
them, or there won't be perfect harmony.
/, it not Little singular, to see men like Mr..
Hobson, whom the republican party has honored
10 many ways, and who has advocated that party
through thick and thin, and DIR. Lancaster who
was elected by that party only last fall to the leg
slature, and who also has for years been a cham
pion OF his party's principles, now flying the track
and solely upon the one issue, finance, Of which
the republican party has as much reason to x Iory
as over anything it ever accomplished
its laurels are numerous and not easily to be est-
mated. We predict, that ere two years these
men will be back to their old party fold, sorry
enough too that this moon shine theory should
have ever caused them to wander away. One
that those who were the original starters of this
idea decidedly lukewarm over 1t now. II any
man will take the time to carefully look over this
question of money, read up its history and in an
nprejudiced manner make the invest CATION, be
will come to the conclusion that the very thing
these men are clamoling for is just what the peo-
pie need 10 avoid and shun. Nothing ever injured
any country more than unstable currency,
there is nothing which tends to make the rich
richer, and the poor poorer.
What the business interests of this country
need, what the laDorers need, ia short, what all
the people need, to bring about prosperity Is rest
from this agitation of the financial question as a
political issue. Money simply is needed as q
representative, measure of values, and the
amount that any country requires is the volume
that will enable the inlerchanges to be made.
The idea that an immense issue of irredee ma lie
paper money would do any body, or any business
any good lie too ridiculous to demand serious at
tenton. Having arrived at point where we can
claim rank first class nation, we need to
use the same standard of yalae as other first class
nations use, especially when we are carrying on
trade and commerce with such nations.
Any individual who to-day has prop rty in lands,
houses, live stock, bonds or any other values. can
get all the money he wants, and at very low rate
of interest showing conclusvely that there is not
desrth Of money. Cheap money is never an ind-
cation of business prosperity, as any business man
can readily see, without any charging upon the
idea.
Now, just little space upon some of the ideas
advanced by the new party men, for they make
two OF three points the bulk of their talk all of
which might be named in one issue. the "fnanc ial
question" The bond holders, and the national
banks, come in largely for abuse. If they are
ready TO declare that the banks were not neces-
sty growing out of the war, there might be a
chance for argument until then there is nome
Let them answer the following questions.
Was the government Obliged to hire money to
carry on the war; Did it ever offer any terms,
non. taxation OF rate of interest more than i. was
Obliged TO offer, TO get the money! Was it not a
favor to the government at the time, to have the
people loan it their money upon the bonds, and on
these terms Ought not the government now to
fulfill its part of the contract. and pay the bonds
as it agreed to : Has it ever done any more
than tbatl
If man got into trouble, where he needed
money, and his friend should loan it to him TAX
ing his note with six per cent interest, what would
we say Of that fiiend, if when through the aid OF
the loan he had got out of his trouble, he should
turn round and insist upon taking up his note by
giving another one without interest, and without
auy specified time for payment Wouldn't this
be parall,l case-for the manner in which we
are told the government, ought to pay its bonds
in new issue of greenbacks
To my mind, the recollection of what an i'm
portant factor money was, in deci ling the issues
in the late war, cannot be kept too conspicuously
be fore the people. One time during the rebellion
when draft had been ordered, the writer had
occasion to consult the late Hon. Senator Fessen
den over a matter pertaining to one branch of
the service from Maine, When that distinguished
statesman remarked, that 81 SO far men were
concerned he never had any serious reflections,
for in his opinion we could keep our army full
even if the war should last twenty years." but
said be, " just more serious question is
causing me great anxiety, and that is where the
money is coming from to prosecute the war, and
for one COME IS don't kno~."
He then in general way went over the whole
question Of greenbscks and bonds, and of course
AS has Of late SO frequently been quoted-spoke,
of the greenbacks as 3 thing only to be thought
Of in United amount, for temporary wgr