Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1878-06-18
Greenbdck Clap Trap.
From the Kennebeck Jourual.l

Mr.. Joseph l.. Smith, the candidate for
Governor of the greenbackers, is bust
ness man. He has amassed fortune in
business. We find no fault with him for
that if he has obtained his large property
honestly. We do not complain ifa part
or all of that property is in United States
bonds. He has the right and privilege
to acquire bonds, to clip his coupons
and collect his interest, the same as any
other bondholder He is no better, no
worse, than any other bondholder. II
bondholders are Shylocks because they
hold bonds, Mr.. Smith is Shylock.
But how comes it that the greenback
party, which in its platform plants itself
in opposition TO the bondholders as a
class and whose organs stigmatize them
as Shylocks, money kings, credit mougers,
men who grind the face of Poor,&c., &C.
have nominated such n man as Joseph l..
Smith, knowing him to be bondholder
and man of large property, as the high
est representative Of the greenback doc
trines and principles? Mr.. MunsOn who
was nominated and supported by the
party last year as a candidate for gov
ernor was not a rich man, not bond
holder, but man occupying very differ
ent position in that respect from the one
occupied by MIR Smith. IfMr. Munson
was good representative of the party
last wear. can Mr.. Smith be fair repre-
sentative this year, unless the party has
radically changed its principles? Looking
at Mr.. Smith as he Is, rich in bonds and
other property, what nonsense, yea what
dishonest clap-trap it is to prato in the
platform Of the party about "credit
mougers, and harp in the organs about
Shylocks and money Kings. We make
no objection TO Mr. Smith because of his
bonds if he got them honestly, as we pre-
sumo he did, but we should like to know
how the honest supporters Of Mr. Munson
or the believers Of Scion Chase and
Chases Chronicle or in the greenback
platform adopted at Lewiston, can vote
for the bondholder, coupon clipper Joseph
l.. Smith, as a candidate of the greenback
party for governor? If they do vote for
him where is the honesty that the new
party boasts Of possessing?
As Mr.. Smith is a business man OF
long and large experience, We wish he
would explain how it Is that the issue oil
unlimited irredcemable paper would, as
stated in the first plank OF the Lewiston
platform, "enable the people TO do cash
business and TO relieve them from the
debit system, which has made the indus
trial aud commercial classes the slaves
and drudges of the credit mongers Of the
world" Shall man under this system
be able to reap where he does not SOW
Is this money TO be thrown broadcast
over the land, as much falling into the
hands Of the idle as into those of the in
dustrious2 What would be the induce
ment to work under this arrangement
Who would build railroads, fill the
land with useful inventions, erect factories,
set in motion the countless wheels OF
commerce and industry. If those who
furnish neither labor nor capital for such
enterprise should share the benefits equally
with those who toll and spend their money
10 carry them forward Where Is the
end Of this thing except IN the complete
overthrow Of all industry, all incentive
to labor and final Communism? We know
how it has been in other countries that
have tried the same experiment; the re-
suit would be as disasterous here as there.