The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1886-01-13
PROPHET OF TIE PEOPLE.
A Graphic Pen Picture Of
James B. Beck.
Reason and Common Sense in
Support of the Silver Dollar
An Honorable Career.

thing above medium helght, heavy-SeG.
full-bearded, rather careless in dress, with
a hardly graceful gait. shrewd, intelligent
eyes, a kindly expression and reminis-
cence of Caledonia in his round, full voice
this is Senator James B. Beck, who sue
ceeGed in enlivening the conventionaly dull
days Of q Senate just beginning to get in
form for business by speech resonant
with honest indignation at q long acquies-
cence in great financial wrong. The
speech came with the force of surprise even
upon the silver men, although they have
never been in doubt as to his position. For
years Beck's voice has been strong in ur-
gency that the masses be honestly dealt
with in the payment of the interest on the
bonds. He has resisted at every stage.
THE STEADY AND GROWING CONSPIRACY
To establish al unwritten law for the
Treasury Department which should be
higher and more effective than the Congress-
made statutes. He was in the lower house
when much of the villainous class legisla-
ton which gave bondholders three for one
was first broached, and the record gives
him an even consistency Of opposition. He
has been courageous and logical through
out.
It used to be the habit-and the habit
has not by any means been reformed-for
the large owners OF national obligations to
apply such amiable epithets as idiot"
''lunatic," ''imbecile," Communist" and
other quite as pretty names to every one
who would suggest plan looking
to the reduction of the inter-
est on the bonds. The advisability of
taking the Treasury Department off its war
footing by legal and just steps, and stop
ping the payment OF pawnbroking percent
ages " hen the the time for paying them had
gone by, was regarded as gross financial
danger, was the idol which was set up, and
it was industriously asserted-not pre-
cisely in this language. but the substance
contained was the same-that the proper
way to maintain it was togO away beyond
the terms of the original bargain and pay a
great deal more than was contracted to be
paid.
sHYLoCK HAD BECOME A PATRIOT
And though Antonios ship had come back
he was to get his three Thousand ducats
back, the pound of flesh and the blood in
the bargain. Persons who did not quite
see the justice of this were fools and re-
pudiators. They had wildcat ideas and
could not comprehend the situation. The
bonds had saved the union. The soldiers
who marched to the front, the wheels that
whirred and the wheat-ields that
waved, the splendid faith OF pat
riotism, the great renaissance of American
industry that found it's new birth in
our darkest day-all these had nothing
to do with the result. Wall street, gamb-
ling on the national distress, bearing or
bulling the national agony, paying SO cents
in greenbacks for what would afterwards
bring rich fruitage in gold, had won the
victory, therefore every session must needs
bring fresh outburst of gratitude from
the lobby and a new appeal for additional
reward.
Once upon time Effendi Murad was
walking along the streets of Damascus
with a bag OF gold under his arm. Unfor-
tunately for him,
THE PAsHA HAPPEND TO BE HARD UP
At the time, and had sent out his retaiDers
to collect some interest" Effendi Murad fell
in their way and was knocked down, beaten
and robbed. As soon as he had regained
his senses he hastened to the judge.
"Great Judge" he cried, slight OF the ey
of Justice and breath of the throat Of right!
dogs defile their graves
have robbed me Of my own in the open
day."
1T was the pasha's tribute" exclaimc,!
OUC Vi CuC IODUCIo nv uh-
his tongue choke his heart
knows nothing of political economy. The
public credit must and shall be preserved"
"Take away the repudiator and give him
a hundred with the bastinado," thundered
the Judge. 'Case dismissed"
1t is this sort of finance which Senator
Beck is decidedly opposed to.
1t is the cheerful custom OF the gold
sharks to represent every man opposed to
them as an ignorant demagogue depending
for office upon appeals to the lowest ele
ment As soon as it became evident that
Senator Evarts would not be used by them
he was courteously alluded to as ''silver
IDIOT" don't know what name they have
invented for Edward Pierrepont, but they
may strain a point in his case and only
fool" Upon. Beck they have heaped all
the shady epithets of the argot OF culture
for years. They hate him worse than a
trapped thief does policeman. But he
doesn't seem to mind it. His long congress
sional experience has given him a
THoRoUGHNEss OF INFORMATION
on every detail of our financial legislation,
which he uses with exasperating force. He
has a Scotch reliance in facts, and he
builds them into strong fortifcation be-
lore he opens fre. When he sends IN
grape charge of accusation and exposure
there is always an angry outburst OF Bill
lingsgate from the startled conspirators.
He is from the country where the children
learn to read by spelling Adam Smith, and
he knows what the end OF the
book will be before he writes out the
first chapter. intellectually, he is a very
strong man. Coming from Scotland at the
age of sixteen to the most exclusive portion
of the South-the heart of the Blue Grass
region he studied law and took high po-
sition at bar which had such men as John
B. Houston, Madison G. j Johnson, both the
Breckinridges, Garret Davis and Others
with equal mental vigor among it's practi-
TONERS. He became partner of John G.
and from a community all OF
whose brains runs to politics. and which is
singularly jealous and provincial in it's
local prejudices, he was elected for term
"a L.