The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-03-31
THE COLD-O-CR RAT
A Note Of Warning!

A Note Of Warning!
A single mail on Saturday brough; u
three significant signs Ut the tunes iro L
three chief centres Ut shoddy wealth, VI
Boston, New York and Chicago The
Boston paper contained stat emen
that the fund to pension Ulysses ,
Grant, THE Great Debaucher of the
Government, = had been fully made up
and that S2l6, 900 in cash Is already IN
vested. The income from this source
will be $l5, 600 a year But, marx
you this extraordinary gift was not
made up by grateful people 1t was
mainly contributed by - persons ; two
of whom gave S25, 900 piece; and
three gave SO, 900 each. Among these
were the most noted Ring men, aud
Stock Gamblers in the country. Those
who know anything about the rich men ol
this day and generation, know that they
do not give away thousands OF dollars
unless they have received ten times as
much through crooked favors, or
expect to make it all back from future
favors. There is nothing rlore certain
than that the Grant Ring means to
make a long pull, strong pull, and
pull all together, for the Presidency
in 1884. Grant will then be in the
prime of public life, and not hampered
by the third term sentiment. Hence
the lavish gifts Of his prospective
Royal Set"
From the Chicago paper, the Prdnte
Farmer, rabid Republican journal
,bo &, ,ilnTip,, Loo 1 1tptr oil tnrIaI :
MONEY WORSHIP.
'.Since Nebuchadnezz II literally obey
ed the order to "go to grass" no people
have cqualled the Americans in their
undivided devotion to an idol made OF
gold, siver, brass, and clay. Baal, de
molished in Babylon has been resur-
rected in the United States and Is wor-
shipped with fervor which would as
tonish the devotees of Baby lOula- n
Europe rank and in Asia caste dilute,
the reverence which wealth comma-Is.
In England the purse proud parvenu
has to fight his way for generations be
fore he attains that social recognition
which is the goal of his ambition. The
newly titled barrister is contemptuous
ly styled law lord and the opulcnt
trader is shop keeper" after all,
while the landed proprietor. especially
If bis estates are lnherlted. Is still
gentleman, however much he may
be out at the elbows, the pride OF blood
and birth counting for more thar
wealth, no matter how honestly Of
cleverly acquired.
In this country there Is no offset 70
wealth. Ia ent receives Il FAINT and
feeble recognition gets a foreign ms
sion in which the expenses exceed the
salary bit wealth rides rough shod
over religion, society. aud politics The
chulches bow to wealth \ leading de
nominational paper paraphrases the ID
junction of the Savior to give all to the
poor and follow me IN such manner
a. TO advise It's con ,tltuency to get
rich - and the latest issue OF another
Influential lelglous paper eLters into an
elaborate defence of monoroles, show
ing that they are built up by means OF
business sagacity and such virtues in
general as it becomes the christian
youth of America to cultivate. The ac-
QUESTION Of wealth may be laudable
employment; the crushing out of weak
competitors in business may be brave
and honorable; the effort to turn every
thing to personal advantage and the de
struction of a rival-all these may be
creditable and their aim and end de.
sirable, but we espectfully submit that
they are not distinctively christian per
formances, the dictum of the modern
christian church to the contrary not
wlthstanding.
How wealth rules society it is not nee
essary to describe. Outside a few &c
centric circles In Boston, wealth Is SO
ciety and society is wealth. The Lore
shows what he thinks OF wealth by the
kind of people he gives it to. A vuigal
rich man is bad enough, but save u
from vulgar rich woman. What !
pity that men who intend to get rich dC
not wait till they have amassed thel
fortune before marrying, IN which cas-
they could get wives in keeping VIII
their improved circumstances, as they
do houses. horses, and pictures. Blu
the sway of wealth in society is compar
arively harmless. 1t is only In politics
in the government of the country, an(
the shaping of its industrial policy, tha
the malign influence Of great and grasp
, ing fortunes is telt. A bonanza kin;
buys his way into the Senate, draw
: $50, 900 in salary, and puts in only
few hundred dollars worth Of his tim
, upon the duties Of his Office, and fail
. Of being re elected to the same position
only because another mlne-grabbe
over bids him in the purchase of
State legislature.
, Since the close Of the war all mon
A tary legislation has been in the interest
, OF capitalists. Men with means wer
: coaxed to take out charters for Nations
banks and given double profit lest the
r should get discouraged and retire thel
r notes, which the dear people receive
( as money and interest on, as well as 0
the bonds which secured them Whe
5 "a favorable opportunity arrived, gol
was made the sole basis of credit, an
when this policy had ruined larg
portion of the population and silver wa
5 remonetized, for whose benflt was b
: benefit of the people at large? NO, IN
deed but for the enrichment OF tn
r producers of siyer. The country ma
o be thankful that it had few silve
! kings whose influence was sufficient I
! bring the repeal of ruInous class legi
i lation in favor of the gold bugs agaln
> the interests Of all others.
! When a low rate refunding bill
! passed by Congress the outgoing Pres
: .ient kills it with his lutte veto w by
Because the National bankers didI.