Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-25
What They Demand.

II Ia instructive TO read carefully the
platforms laid down by new parties seek
ing 10 correct evils in government which
the old parties have either wilfuily failed
20 correct or have been unable 70 correct.
In fact, IL Is instructive to read the plat
form of any organization OF men who have
such grievances or who even imagine that
they are suffering from evils whichItisw with
in the power of the government TO abolish.
Blind SAMSON prayed for strength to pull
down the temple upon his enemies that he
might be avenged on them for the loss OF
his sight. Alas, il is still true that SAM.
SONS are sometimes blind and seek rather
vengeance upon Others than rights or
benefits or privileges for themselves.
In favoring the passage of the bill to
make the coinage of silver free wo have
attempted 10 stand between the extremists
upon the money question, and TO provide
measure of relief which will satisfy the
industrial classes at the same time that 1t
will not throw the finances OF the country
into inextricable confusion, or paralyze
its business interests.
In yesterdays issue Of the Dispatch are
formulated the demands Of the "Confede-
ration OF Industrial Organizations" Those
who think that we have conceded too
much to the bimetallists we ask TO ponder
seriously the platform which that confede-
ration laid down in Washington city on
Friday last.
The confederation demands the free and
unlimited coinage of silver. Nobody need
be alarmed at the prospect of the success
of this demand.
Another demand is for what might be
denominated an unlimited supply of green
backs to be lent to 1.-THE people" at per
cent. per annum interest, the loans to be
based upon real estate and non-perishable
agricultural products. What would result
We cannot certainly foretell how rapidly
the treasury notes would depreciate in
value relatively to gold and silver, but we
can hardly doubt that if every man owning
land or the products of land could go to
bank or to the Government Treasury and
borrow money at 2 per cent. interest it
would be difficult TO find profitable use
for the money. The comparative scarcity
of gold and silver is what makes them
rather than iron the metals out of which
the worlds money is made. The real
estate in Richmond is valued at over $685.
600, 900. Suppose her people borrow twenty
millions of dollars at 2 per cent. What
would they do with itp Would they lend
II TO men who have no real estate? Sup
pose the landowners in Virginia were to
borrow 500, 100000 at 2 per cent. What
would they do with itY
Another demand is for a graduated in
come tax. This tax is said to be the fairest
of all taxes. However, some of the best
informed statesmen in the world hold that
this, like all other taxes, would distribute
itself over the whole of the body polite.
Nevertheless, we should be willing to put
the matter to test. Free coinage and
graduated income tax would not be dan
gerous experiments.
Another demand is that alien ownership
of land shall not be allowed. That used
10 be the las IN Virginia
Another demand is for Government con-
trol of telegraphs and railroads, and, If this
fail to correct existing evils, Government
ownership. We 60 for the Geographic
system to be part Of the postal system,
but we cannot favor Government owner
ship of railroads.
Another demand is for the election Of
United States senators and the President
and yice-President Of the United States
by direct vote of the people. Time was
when we would have opposed this as q
blow at States rights, As the country is
now circumstanced 1t would probably be
well TO yield 10 this demand.
The last demand is for free and secret
ballot and fair count. The Australian
ballot system seems to have been in the
minds of the authors of this last resolution.
Intelligent men should not "pooh-pooh /"
such matters as those 10 which we have
Just called attention, but should rather
ind in them food for reflection. All men,
rs Mr.. JEFFERSON says in the Declaration
of Independence. are more disposed to
suffer while evils are siderable than to
right themselves by abolishing the forms
10 which they are accustomed"