The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1891-02-11
The Alliance Demands.

The Alliance Demands. i
"First-we demand the abolition
of National Baaks."-Ocala Con.
venti0n.
I have seen no good reason why
the National Banking system
should be abolished. The Farmers
Alliance is wise enough to know
that exactly at that point the fight
must begin. The National Banks
represent honest money, every dol
lar as good as gold. Also the Ma
tional Banks represent the money
power of this country. No such
scheme as the sub-treasury bill con-
templates is possible, until the pow
er and influence of the National
Banks in politics, is utterly over
'rOwn. But what is the matter
with the National banks? Why,
bless your soul! you can't borrow
money there on long time or at a
low rate of interest, nor at all with
out good collateral security or solid
endorsement. That is what Is the
matter! National Bank money ia
dear money: that is a fact, and
every one knows it. What the
Farmers Alliance wants is cheap
money: cheap and plenty, so that
every farmer may have it by the
bushel. There is such u thing az
having money too cheap. Money
with little purchasing power, and
the influence of the presence of
such money is always to allure ma
ny to ruin. Under the unhealthy
stimulation of such currency
(Which can be likened to nothing so
near akin to it as alcoholic intoxica-
tion) prices advance. Those who
have it exchange it willingly for
anything of real value. Economy
appears to be an antiquated and
outgrown restriction upon human
liberty and happiness. Extrava.
ganc.s multiply. Every depart
ment Of industry appears to be
booming. Farmers, mer h ants,
manufacturers, all realize high pr.
ces for their products and merchan-
disc. The wise ones hold on to that
sort Of money just rs little as posi-.
BILE. They turn it over and over as
fast as possible, hoping that they
may rapidly accumulate some pro-
perty Of real value that will outlast
the storm Of financial wreck that
they fOresee must come. Those
who cannot manage with the same
celebrity, or who cannot forecast g.
nancial calamity, are the inevitable
sufferers. For not more surely does
dissipation bring Its own penalty
on the guilty and the innocent
alike, than does such financial In.
toxication bring poverty and suffer.
Ing In its train.
There is no honest royal road to
wealth, by which a man by any
sort Of financial jiggle, may shake
off the incubus of poverty, and like
q Midas find all things to turn to
gold at his touch. In the nature Of
things there cannot be. Wealth to
be, must be created. Wealth, to be
true worldly riches, must have real
value; absolute power to contribute
to human iife-needs or desires.
Something that can be either eaten,
worn as protection or sdornment,
or priced for some value that man.
kind agree in attaching to 1t. To
attain such wealth honestly, men
must have or produce something
which is wealth in itself, or they
must 30 serve their fellow men, that
they are willing to share their
wealth with them.
There is no royal road to wealth,
because if there were, there could
be no such thing as wealth. We
can conceive of theoretical state,
where all should be fl and in.
dustrious, and where plenty might
abound; but it is the absence Of
both frugality and industry among
the majority, which renders wealth
possible to the few. But the ALI
ance says:
ave demand that the govern.
ment shall establish sub-treasuries
or Repositories in the several states
which shall loan money direct to
the people at a low rate of interest
not to exceed two per cent. per
annum on nOn-perishable farm pro.
ducts, and also upon real estate
with proper limitations upon the
quantity of land and amount Of
money"
1t is amazing that any such pro-
position as this should emanate
from the brain of any man outside
OF q lunatic asylum. The Alliance