The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-11-23
SILVER AND THE SOLDIER.
SEATTLE. Nov 81 1901

SEATTLE, Nov. q, 1891.
To THE EDITOR: Besides being against de-
probation of our currency, for many reasons
and on principle, have another reason, which,
if ii stood alone, would be conclusive to nv
mind, and would place me in opposition to the
Democratic scheme OF putting short dollar in
circulation. The money creditors of the gov
eminent, which include the bondholders and
those who loaned money TO the government in
times of war, have been largely paid off and in
every instance paid in the best money of the
country. The principal creditors of the govern
ment today not the bondhoiders nor the
men of capital and large means, but the soldiers
who fought the battles OF the Union in the most
sacred aud stainless cause in which mankind
has ever engaged. IL IS67.the government owed
To its creditors whose evidence of indebtedness
was in the form OF bonds, nearly S. ,000, 900.
upon which il annually paid an interest alone
of sIi3,0to,0Oo.
The pension roll OF the country was then but
s20,000,0 600. When the attempt was made at that
time by the leaders of the party that now stands
in opposition TO the Republican party to
repudiate the debt to the bondholders or paw
IL of IN deprecated currency, insisting that il
never could be paid in FULL the soldiers stood
with the party which represented good faith TO
its creditors aad honorable payment OF every
obligation, and swept back the tide of imitation
and reputation. They said that the Union
which they had saved from armed force should
every debt IL had contracted TO preserve the
Union should be paid in the best coin of the
republic, and every obligation should be
sacredly kept and observed.
They were willing 10 wait for their pensions
until this great money obligation was provided
for.
The government credit was, therefore. sus-
tanned and over s2,o0o, oooO00 OF that great debt
has been paid OF. not in clipped dollar, but in
N dollar
The positions are now reversed The money
creditors of the government are now the
soldiers they are in every state and territory of
the Union North and in many of the states
South.
The interest on the public debt 10 the bond
holder Is only s27,000.Oo0 annually. as agains,
si&S,o0o,ooU in 1867, and the pension roll OF the
soldiers in 1891 is 100000 against SO 900
in 1857
shall the soldier have his great debt paid OF
in the same coin as the bondholders Is il right
10 force upon him 4 dollar worth - cents when
the other creditors of the government were paid
IN dollars worth loo cents? Is IL Just to the
peasiouer who receives sl2 a month 10 be paid
in silver dollar worth 10 cents and thus receive
s9.69 as his monthly pension. rather than ST.
which the government has contracted to nav
him When the country WAS wild for imitation
In 1875 under the pressure Of hard times the
sob2r sense OF the people of some OF the Vest
ern states, without regard TO party, stemmed
that awful tide. Thousands of Democrats
helped in shat awful strugsls-not
through their own party organization.
but by leaving their party organization and
Joining with the party which represented good
faith and fair dealing with the public creditors.
In l>d0, IN the good old Democratic times our
currency was the mesnest that ever w&s devised
by man. and would 10, pass from one part Of
the country TO smother, and when you crossed
the state line yoD had 20 pay premium.
Now our money travels all over the world
Then We were q third class power, jeeeed and
laughed at and when the war commenced. the
last legacy Of DloeTatic administration, kings