The advocate., 1891-11-25
PRESIDENT POIK'S MESSAGE
4 ContSaaIeG from Nrst pdCs.)

WELL" Was it just, was il generous, was
kind, was it even respectful, to thus spurl
this flrgt and earnest appeal Of an Oppressed
and suffering people9 Have these men, who
are indebted to the people for whatever o.
prominence and official dignity and power
! they may enjoy-have they forgotten that
they are the servants and not the masters Of
the people9 After session Of thirteen
months, employed for the most part, as the
record indicates, in party maneuvering for
party advantage, and expending 81, co.,
600 of the peoples money-SSO0, ,O00, 900 of
which came from the sweat and toll of these
same rejected and insulted petitioners, that
body adjourned, leaving not one single act
on record for the benefit of the people.
In the light of plain lesson Of history
shat all civilizations worthy the name that
have lived and passed away -perished under
theiRon hands Of the money power-that those
who control the money Of country con-
troll the destinies Of its people, is il not our
imperative duty as q people to establish
Buch barriers and limitations as will arrest
che evident and alarming tendency to CEN
tralize the money power in this country9
This was one Of the grand purposes Of the
measure presented to Congress. IL would
have supplRnted our iniquitously unjust and
oppressive national bank system by seCur-
ing to the PEOPLE an adequate amount Of
money direct from the government at low
rate Of interest, TO have met the legitimate
demands Of the country. But in iustiRCa-
tiOn Of the silent contempt which charater-
lied the reception of this measure, and with |
the artfulness, sophistry and adrOitness Of |
skilled demagogudry- assaults vehement |
and persistent assaults on it's minuteSt de- |
sails, have been substituted for manly arRu. |
mert as to its underlying principles. But
the discussion and investigation of our de-
Enands have added constantly to their favor
and strength until to-day they stand as the |
unqualified expression Of the sentiment of |
our order in thirty-four states of the union.
More and more are the great masses of
the people learning to comprehend the du-
ties functions and powers of the govern
ment 40 their general agent. What right
has that agent to issue the peoples money
to corporations at a cost Of per cent, and
license those corporations to loan it TO the
people AZ cost Of 8 to % per cent? We
believe with John G. Calhoun-that the peo-
Ele should not be required to pay interest on
government credit, while said credit could
be extended TO them without interest. We
believe with Thomas Jefferson-that ''the
power TO issue money should be taken from
Ahe banks and restored to the people and to
Congress, to which il rightfully belongs"
We believe with James 9. Blaine, not only {
that "ths one defective element in the ma 1
hon bank system is that it requires the per- I
manence Of national debt as the basis of |
existence" (" but that any such system is i'm
herently false and wrong and can not DO I
justified on any principle Of justice or
Squity.
Touching our present system, we entirely 4
agree with the late Secretary Window, in I
Ais last utteranCeS upon the subject when he 9
'aid shat financial disasters had always come i
ghen unusual activity in business has a
,Aused an abnormal demand for money, as 9
n autumn, for moving our immense crops. 4" /
There viii always be" said he, great dan
gsr at those times under any cast iron sys- Q
em Of currency such as we now have" We b
aelieve the strong language OF the Monetary v
Commission, appointed by Congress in 1876, Il
. fully maintained by the experience and Ii
md all tho financial history of the past. n
Page 10 Of the Report.) "An increasing Q
alnan oR n,nnrax, and Rnll;r,n. rn;nnn hn.a -.