Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1880-10-06
WHAT IS MONEY ?
Speech of Robert G. Ingers0ll al
Rockford, Ill.

Speech of Robert g. Ingersoll at
Rockford, Ill.
Facts for the People---Promises Will
Never Pay Debts or Coin
Money.
It is no exaggeration to say that Col.
lngerson is the most consummate popu-
lar orator in this broad land. In discus
sing public questions he exhibits the
fortunate tact of making his illustrations
SO clear and SO forcible that the most
ordinary intellect can realize th1ir full
weight. His speech to the people of
Rockford, on Tuesday last, was one Of the
most mastery ever delivered by this ex-
traordinary man.
His review of the financial and cur
rency questions, and the advantages
which people of all classes will gain by
retaining the Republican policy in
preference to what the Democrats offer,
could not be excelled. His illustration
of the meanness and dishonor of de-
based or irredeemable currency issued
by the United States must strike into
every mans understanding when he re-
marked, that, when our currency was
twenty per cent. below par in gold, an
American himself felt, at least in foreign
lands, twenty per cent below par; and
when that currency was at par with gold,
he felt himself to be at par in any part of
the world. And when our four per cent.
bonds are selling at premium Of ten it
gives moral exaltatiOn to the true man.
a just pride that he belongs to nation
whose credit is so transcendant that it's
low interest bonds are bearing premium
own.
Ingersol's scathing denunciation of
the debased silver dollar, which polite
ians foistedupon the country is so grand,
soheroic, and so statesmanlike that we
feel q joy in publishing the following
memorable words:
I am in favor of having that as money which
no human being can create. I believe in gold
and silver. believe in silver, because that is
| one of the great productions of our country,
and when you add use to thing you add
value to that thing, and want silver money.
| but want a silver dollar big enough to be
worth gold dollar, if youhave to make it three
| feet in diameter.
Col. hgersoll, in the following graphic
sketch, shows so clearly the distinction
between promises and money that every
voter should cut it out, paste it in his
hat near his brains, and he will never be
misled by any fnancia, delusion at
te1npted to be imposed upon him by the
leaders Of the Democratic CT Greenback
parties:
Now then, my friends, If you want free
speech, if you want an honest ballot if you
want the revenues of the country collected, vote
the Republican ticket. Then there is another
thing we want: we want good money, we want
honest money. know there have been a great
many theories on money, and I never knew a
man that had not dollar himself who had not
scheme to make somebody else rich. laugh
teri These theories were produced, of course,
by the circumstances VIC vent through-thew war.
We had, as they say, plenty of money; that is to
no money; plenty Of notes, but no cash; and
while we were sailing on credit we sailed well.
and as long as J. can buy all I want on credit
my family shall not suffer. uaughter.] We
We're going into debt, and as a rule it is an ex-
ceedingy prosperous time Ill mans life when
it is an exceedingly hard time VI en- he is paying
this debt. [Laughter.l Millions and millions
of promises were issued. The result was that
prices went up just in proportion as the value
Of the promises went down, and that
was at the expense of the creditor class:
creditors, aud when the wheel Of fortune takes
turn, and contraction comes, that is always at
the expense of the debtor. At the same time
people claimed absolute justice would be done;
but the trouble is, creditors do not mean the
same. The very man who was creditor, and
bn i,,Ao
traction comes may be a debtor, and SO suffer
both ways. We had vast and splendid schemes
for the future. We began to buy lots twenty
miles from Chicago lots that the frogs had
held undisputed sway over since the morning
stars sang together. On paper we laid this land
were selling what cost $40 an acre for SO
foot and $50 foot, and all at once ip 1873 the
crash came, and all these lots resumed. [Great
laughter.] fellow who had bought on credit,
paying two-thirds down, found that the lots
would not pay; the other third. {Laughtcr:]
Hundreds Of thousands Of men we're ruined,
and they said, "What We want is another in
tlation; we want more money" and I never
heard one that was caught speaking on the sub
jcct who did not say, ''if there ever comes
another initiation you may shoot me-" Laugh
teri When contraction came certain men were
left with the bags to hold, and they we're the
men who got up new financial theories, and
do not blame them. [Laughter.] It is precise
ly the same as it is in chance of cards, where
men have been playing poker all night. I do
not believe there is a man here that will under
stand this campaign. [Laughter.] Along to-
to go home, his wife is not very well. The
other fellow, who is behind, says ''No; nobody
but o coward will jump the game; let us get
another candle, and we will have another deal;'
and so it was that the greenback theory started.
We want another deal: We have been left
I;-x1, i% %1,o hy.y,c1 will k1<
channels. If water can only come once more
if we do not float Oft will be our fault.
No man can imagine, all the languages of the
world cannot express, what tho people of the
United States suffered from 1873 to 1879. Men
who considered themselves milionaires found
that they were beggars; men living in palaces,
supposing they had enough to give sunshine to
the winter of their age, supposing they had
enough to have all they loved in anuence and
comfort suddenly found that they were mendi-
cants with bonds, stocks, mortgages, all turned
chimneys grew cold, the fires in furnaces went
out, the poor families were turned adrift, and
the highways of the United States were crowd
ed with tramps. Into the home Of the
poor crept the serpent Of temptation, and whis-
pered in the ear of poverty the terrible word
''repudiation." want to tell you that you can
not conceive of what the American people suf-
fered as they staggered over the desert Of bank
ruptcv from 1873 to 1879. : We are too near now
to know how grand we were. The poor me-
chanic said .'No;" the ruined manufacturer
said "No;' the once millionaire said g No." we
will settle fair, we will agree to pay whether we
ever pay or not, and we will never soil the
American name with the infamous word "rep,l-
diatlon." Are you not glad ?~What is the
talk?- Are you not glad that our flag is COW
cred all over with financial honors? The stars
shine and gleam now because they represent an
honest nation. They said during that time,
':We must have more paper" and the Repub-
lican party said: "Let us pay what we have"
Nothing is ever made by rascality. do not
want it understood that we are nation of coin
clippers. want honest dollars; honest dollars
will make honest people; that is to say, honest
people will make an honest dollar every time. I
only want money that is a product Of nature.
Now listen: No civilized nation, no barbarous
nation, no tribe, however ignorant, ever used
anything as money that man could make They
had always used for money production of ma
ture. Some may say, '' Have.not some unciWl-
lied tribes used beads for money, something
that civilized people could make?" Yes; but a
savage tribe could not make the beads. The
savage tribe: supposed them to be q product
either of nature or of something else that