The Mineral argus., 1884-07-31

other money than gold and silver-and cur
rency directly convertible into them. They
have not done so, they will not do SO. under
any necessity less pressing than that of des-
perate war. Tne one special requisite for the
completion of our monetary system is the
fixing of the relative values of silver and
gold The large use of silver as the money
OF account among Asiatic nations, taken in
connection with the increasing of
the world, gives the ~weightiest reasons for
an international agreement in the premises
Our government should not cease to urge
this measure until a common standerd %
value shall be reached and established-a
standard Tint shall enable the United States
to use the silver from It's mines as an auxfh
larry TO gold in settling the balances of com4
mercial exchange.
THE PUBLIC LANDS.
The strength of the republic isincreased by
the multiplication of la~ndholders. Our laws
should look to the iudicious announcement
OF actual settlers on the public domain, which
should henceforth be held as a sacred trust
for the benefit of those seeking homes. The
tendency to consolidate large tracts of land
In the ownership of individuals OF corpora
tons should, with proper regard to vested
rights, be discouraged One hundred thou
sand acres of land in the hands of one man
is far less profitable to the nation in every
way than when its ownership is divided
among 1000 men The evil of permitting
large tracts of the national domain to be con-
solidated and controlled by the few against
NACA gHC RNAoOAo GOA@
trolling it are aliens. 1t Is but fair that the
public land hould be disposed of only to
actual settlers and to those who are Cit
liens OF the republic, or willing to become so.
OUR sHPPING INTERESTS. =
Among our national interests one lam
guishes-the foreign carrying trade. 1t was
very seriously crippled in our civil war, and
another blow was given to it in the general
substitution of steam for sail in ocean traffic
With a frontage on the two great oceans.
with a f~reiphtage larger than that of any
other nation, we have every inducement to
restore our navigation Yet the government
has hitherto refused it's help. A small share
of the encouragement given by the govern
ment to railways and to manufactures, and
a small share of the capital and the zeal
given by our citizens to those enterprises
would have carried our ships to every sea
and TO every port. A law Just enacted re-
moves some of the burdens upon our navi-
cation, and inspires hope that this great in
terest may at last receive it's due share of
attention. All efforts in this direction should
receive encouragement
s~ACREDNEss OF THE L
This survey of our condition as a nation
reminds us that material prosperity is but a
mockery If it does not tend to preserve the
liberty of the people, A free ballot is the
safeguard of republican institutions. without
which no national welfare is assured. A POD
ular election, honestly conducted, embodies
the very majesty of true government. Ten
millions of voters desire to take part in the
pending contest The safely of the repub-
lie rests upon the integrity of the ballot.
upon the security of suffrage to the citizen.
To deposit a vote is no worse a
crime against constitutional liberty than to
obstruct the deposit of an honest vote. He
who corrupts suffrage strikes at the very
root of free government. He is the arch
enemy of the republic. He forgets that in
%trampling upon the rights of others he fatally
imperils his own rights. at is a good land
which the Lord our God doth give us" but
we can maintain our heritage only by guard
ing with vigilance the source of popular
power. l am with great respect, your obedi-
ent servant, AMI G.. BLAINE