The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-02-12

he Not Deceived.
If Congress at its present session
fails to disturb the present financial
of the country, it should not
be inferred that the money power has
its purpose foreshado
by Hayes in his Message and Sherman
IN his annual report, of securing the
retirement of the legal-tender notes,
or greenback circulation issued by the
Government without cost to the peo-
pie, ard of again demonetizing the
silver "dollar of the dads" The OBJ
ject is to give into the hands of the
bondholders and bankers the entire
control of the financial affairs of the
nation and the people, and this pre-
tense that "well enough is to be let
alone" is q delusion and snare,
though, perhaps, at the present session
no steps may be taken to change the
financial status. The old game of the
friends of Nick Biddle's United Stetes
Bank, from 1886 to 1910, is being
played over again, Of lulling the peo-
pie into fancied security, and in an
unguarded moment springing the trap
upon them and then carrying out their
purpose. It will be remembered by
the older inhabitants that in the MEM
orable contest of 1S40 the Wings went
into the fight with the declaration that
the bank and protective tariff ques-
tions had been finally and forever set
tied upon the principles proclaimed
and established by the Democracy
that they were "dead issues" "obso-
lete ideas," and that the Wing party
had no purpose of disturbing the set
tied order Of things. But those who
took part in that great struggle cannot
have forgotten the fact that no sooner
were they seated in power than Con-
gress passed an act re-chartering the
old Uuited States Bank, which was We.
toed by John Tyler, who had succeed.
ed to the Presidency upon the death
of General Harrison, and for which
act he called down upon his head the
bitterest maledictions of the very men
who but q few short months before
had supported him without q why OF
wherefore" The greedy gang have
no idea of abandoning their purpose
of controlling the country. They are
ever watching fer the main chance, and
it behooves the intelligent, working,
wealth producing people to be equally
vigilant, lest they become the hewers
of wood and drawers of water for q
privileged aristocracy which is seek.
ing to rule this country. Those who
are deluded into the belief that the
money power have abandoned the fight
and intend to +" let well enough alone
may wake up one of these days, when
it is too late, and find out where they
missed 1t. 2S4 .o
The scheme to retire the greenbacks
and dcmonetize silver is one which
deeply concerns the laboring and bus
mess men of this country. 1t means
the contraction of the currency, the
shrinkage of all values and wide
spread bankruptcy, and its effects will
be felt at the hearthstone of nearly
every family in the land. 1t means
the making of the erich richer and the
poor poorer" 1t means the establish
ment, in this land OF liberty and equal.
ity, of an aristocracy of wealth who
may come from their palatial resi-
dences and from their giIded eQuipages
flaunt their purple and fine linen in
faces of the people who produce all
the wealth of the land.
The legislation of the country under
Republican rule has all been in the in
terests of this money power that is
secretly working for supreme control
in the land. The first act in the series
was the changing of the contract IN.
der which the 500 bonds of the Gov
ernment were originally issued. By
the law, as originally enacted, these
bonds were payable Except interest,
which was payable in coin) in the law
full money of the country, just what
every citizen was compelled to receive
in discharge of his obligations. In
1869 the Republican Congress 80
changed the law as to make the bonds
payable in coin, thereby adding to the
wealth Of the favored class from five
to six hundred millions of dollars, to
be levied upon the productions of the
laboring people of the land. But not
content with this munificent gift, the
same party in Congress in 1873 sur
reptitiously demonetized silver, which
had been lawful money since the dawn
of the Republic, thereby wiping out
of existence nearly half of the coin
money of the country, and enabling
the bondholders to demand their pay
in glittering gold alone. 1t is true
that after long and severe struggle
silver has been partially remonetized,
and law of Congress passed forbid
ding the contraction of the greenback
or legal-tender currency; but the
money-power, goldites and bondhold-
ers combined, are arrayed against the
masses and the business men of the
country, and are attempting to accom-
plish their cherished object, and they
have secured the influence of Presi-
dent Hayes and Secretary Sherman to
carry out their schemes; and though
at the present all may seem "quiet on
the Potomac" the monopolists are
only waiting for more favorable op-
portunity to accomplish their end.
The people should not be deceived by
the siren song of "let we'll enough