The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-21

Davis. q colleague of Simpson as an Alli-
ance representative In congress from
Kansas, has also been interviewed on
number of the leading political issues. In
the main his ideas have become familiar
through the platforms Of his party and
the utterances of its speakers They would
concentrate under government ownership
and control all transportation and tele-
graph lines, water and gas supplies, the
issue and distribution of money, ware
housing, money lending and pretty much
everything that now calls into exercise the
higher orders of business ability and en-
terprise
Put into execution, these ideas would
pretty effectually obliterate individuality
and selfreliance and restore the ancient
patriarchal conditions. The people, in-
stead of looking out for themselves, would
look to the paternal government to pro-
vide for and support them, and for the
official classes there would be exceeding
fairness. Instead of one hundred thou
sand, as now, the federal government
would have employees by the millions,
supervision and accountability would be
practically impossible, corruption would
run riot, and all outside Of the official class
would be in condition Of dependence.
But finance is the subject of which Mr..
Davis has achieved an especial mastery,
and he is by no means prudish about CIV
ing the public the benefit of his knowledge.
He improves on Senator Stanford, and
would have the government make legal
tender loans to needy farmers at one-half
the rate suggested by the millionaire
statesman, that is, at per cent. per annum.
And he has taken the precaution to study
out a perfectly simple method for accom-
plishing this result.
how the lending should be done, he
promptly and glibly replied:
This way: Suppose owe you 5000 and 40
cumulated interest on my farm. This new loan
would direct you to add the interest to the prin-
cipal and go to the treasurer of my county and
file the mortgage and an abstract of the property
and get check onfhe nearest bank for the entire
debt. This would satisfy you. Then the county
treasurer makes a draft on the United States
treasurer for the money, and gets it--in crisp,
new bills That satisfies him. The United
farm providing 1t is worth the amount OF the
mortgage), and sends word to me when the per
cent. interest Is due. Is not that simple? It Is
the first news have had of the transfer of the
debt. That ought to suit everybody.
Certainly nothing could be simpler and
easier, provided there were nearest
bank" upon which to draw the check. But
Mr.. Davis in this interview, and his party
in its platforms had previously declared in
favor of "abolishing the national banks
and having all money issued directly and
solely by the government" Under such
conditions, and with the government loan
ing at per cent. interest it would be hard
to conceive of a reason for having bank,
public or private, near or remote
This difficulty might be obyiated, and it
would at all events greatly simplify mat
tiers to have the abstract fled with the
nearest postmaster, and that officer re-
quired to draw money order on the
United States treasurer for the amount.
Or better still, slot machine might be
provided by the federal government, so
that on slipping into the slot an abstract
of prescribed size and weight, graduated
according to value, "crisp new bills ofthe
required amount would be passed out, with
another arrangement by which, if the In
terest were not slipped into another slot at
the proper time, decree of foreclosure
would issue. These are questions which
are yet in their infancy, and which YAM
kee ingenuity is capable of indefinitely en-
larging and celebrating. In fact, states
manship may be said to be in its swaddling