Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-01-14
EQUALITY OF GOLD AND SILVER COIN.

Ne
/ believe that it can be demonstrated that
gold and silver coin, and the paper represent
tatiyes of both, stand on absolute equality
before the law, and that three fOurthS of our
present troubles grow out of the refusal of
our officials to pay the money received at our
custom-houses to our public creditors in the
manner and for the purpose prescribed by
the laws of the United States. Therefore,
have recited these laws, which are plain and
simple, In the preamble: and in the resolu-
ton have asked the committee on finance to
tell the senate whether they have been exc
cuted or not; and If not, to report measures
which will secure their enforcement / adj
nit that even when that is done other COM
binations must be broken up before we can
become prosperous commercial people. but
as all measures for tariff and tax reform
must be originated at the other end of the
capitol, am content to await the action
taken there, being confident that the eXecu-
tive is in full sympathy with all proper eff
forts In that regard
There can be no dispute as to the fact that
there must be something wrong in the man
agement of public affairs when the ports of
great nations like Germany, France, Austria
and other countries are arbitrarily closed
against our cattle hogs, and other food prod
ucts, without as the president tells MS in his
message, present prospect of reasonable
change" II is not healthy condition of
things when wheat hogs, and other farm
IlOlu IDItlSIl IldEkttS Ill
retaliation because of our protective tariff,
sell at home for prices which will barely pay
the cost OF production. AS to them, certainly
protection does not protect. The great
American agricultural industries. which give
employment to more than half of the work
ers for wages, whose welfare is held up
(properly so) as the mig hest aim OF legis-
Iatlon, and whose products constitute at
least 50 per cent of our exports. receive no
real consideration Eere and are not even
ranked among the industries of the country
over which congress is asked or expected to
throw its protecting arm.
These great interests are the unorganiZed,
unequipped, and, therefore, neglected mill
tia. whose strength cannot be brought to
bear with half the efficiency of a single reg
ilnent OF Thoroughly armed veterans lighting
Tor special interest. This is illustrated here
and now by the zeal everywhere displayed
by the combination of bankers and bond
holders and their able and well-paid press to
maintain their bonds at a premium of 81 per
cent, or rather TO increase that premium to
80 or 40 per cent, at the expense of the al
ready impoverished masses of taxpayers. 1t
seems as though it was thought to be the
duty OF congress to see TO it that the rich
should be made richer by making the poor
poorer. Why should we be in hot haste to
strike down our silver currency for fear of a
fall in our outstanding bonds below "a per
cent premium? Have the representatives of
the people any interest i'll inalntaing, far less
in increasing. the premium on bonds bearing
per cent interest beyond "A per cent when
we must soon become the purchasers of
them at any premium, or else contract our
currency at ruinous rates by locking up In
the treasury all our surplus revenue, as re-
ductl0n OF taxation seems to be impossible,
by the passage of laws which will still
further depreciate the prices OF farm prod
ucts now so low that producers cannot raise
them and pay wages to their labOTers on
which they can live?
When fat hogs sell at So cents q pound.
and other things in proportion when all
the world is combined to exclude our agri-
cultural products from their markets in retail
iation against our protective system, which
prohibits our farmers from buying what
they must have with the proceeds of what
they must sell, unless they pay &c per cent
on the average more than they are offered
them for, in order to enrich few organized
combinations of manufacturers, who seek
no markets abroad and refuse to sell their
products in competition with so-caled pau
pers with whom the farmers must compete
| our condition is not satisfactory.
THE CRUSADE AGAINST SILVER
But agree that the Senate cannot inaug-
| urate measures to relieve the country from
expressions OF that character: therefore
| propose to seek relief in the treatment of
| our circulation, not by DESTROYING it. but by
extending its usefulness. The present cru
sadie against silver is only another evidence
of the andaclty OF tile organization of
wealth; they have always secured all they
demanded, however unjust their demands I;
| they have succeeded in alarming the Presi-
dent and the Secretary of the Treasury as
| they have done several preceding Admins
| trations; they threaten to use the power
| which our laws give them over our currency.
| of Withdrawing from circulation among the
people and, If need be, from the country,
the gold they control, and thus derange,
even If rum follows, the business OF the
people. Every concession increases their
| audaeity and adds to their power. A stand
must he made somewhere by the represent
tatives of the taxpayers or an absolute sur
| render of all the monetary interests of the
country into their hands must follow. A
mere reference to the past legislation of
| Congress on the subject proves what | say.
| When it was first asserted, IN lsfiS, by the
| bonahoiderS. as the time approached when
| he United States could lawfully nav of the