Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-01-23
THE FINANCE QUESTION.

Senator Farwell has taken the bill by
the horns and boldly espoused a bill
granting to national banks greater
privileges and, in effect, perpetuating the
national banking sy stem Of the country.
This veXstious question Of foarce and
banking mus sooo be settled The rate
a w5ica the NAtio8ai dt b is bsi4g paid
IF will, il the course OF very lew years,
ob'iterate IL ard undermine the founda-
ten upon which the structure Of the
uAtjCnul banking system stands. Some
remedy must baEoUght out to prevent the
entire deetrcction Of the barking system
Of the country, bat just whlt that
remedy is 10 be, il difficult to determine.
When greenbackism was ct is food
clamoring i0r control Of the national
finances, the Democratic psrty, ia its
national platform, denounced the system
Of nationsl banking which hsd the effect,
as was intended, Of taking the wind cut the
Greerbackers sail. Since 1868 Democrats
have been opposed to the national. bank
ing system not because it YVES vicious
measure solely, but largely because it
was Republican measure and presented
an Issue. The national platforms of the
Democratic party have lessened their op-
position 10 the system since 1872 from
voci:er0us outcrieS to almost inaudible
whispers. Safe Democratic platforms
have kept up picket firing against it, and
are likely to contiaue. Orr distinguished
Congressman, Mr.: MiIls. delivered one Of
the ablest, most profound, logical and in
cigiye gresnbsck speeches ever heard per-
hsps in the halls OF the national Congress
while discussing the silver question 4
year or so ago, and if politics has men
CRY his views then may be taken as bs-
SIS for future Legislation On tho subject.
Perhaps it is sn iojustice 10 Mr. Mills to
say that he msde & ereenback speech
when ne thought, and perhaps rightly,
that he was making an orthodox Dsmo-
cratic argument, but his language on the
occasion would have been considered
sound Greenbsck doctrine when that
party was in the beyday Of its power
As G Democratic leader his views will
likely give colOripg 70 the legislation on
the subject IL the future, Snd this means
that farce battle will be fought be-
fore the question is settled. The highest
on finance have exhausted the
subject, or, at Least, they have exhausted
the public, which renders present discu.-
sion almost unnecessary. 1t might here
be observed that the financiers Of the
county are not attic philosophers but
luxurious gentlemen, whose superior in
telligence and acumen have given them
large banking interests and, while their
opinions are entitled to great respect,
they should not oe taken as conclusive
arguments without the customary grain
Of salt, to purge them Of that nsrrowness
and selfiShnegs which selt-interest al
ways injects into the discussion Of sup
posed abstract questions. o. the other
band Democratic papers like the Louis
vile Courier Journal have continued the
warfare against the per5oniied "Money
Devil" with more or less success. To
the casual observer or financial novitiate
il would appear, whatever else may be
done, that Senator Farwen's bill grant
ing more privileges and benefits to na-
tionsI banks will not pass without 8
mighty struggle.