The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-08-18

| discussed throughout the cOuntry-I
mean, OF course, the Sub-TreaSury-
touching this | do not think it aniss to
! say that we are not welded to that
particular phraseolOgy which now
Characterlzes the bill. We do not pray
! Tor the passage of this bill unaFtered
| and undiscussed for that would deprive
us OF the opinions and experiences of
others, but we are attached, yea, even
committed to the principles involved,
and are convinced that only after
full and free discussion can we arrive
at satisfactory solution Of the sub
ject. There IS precodent sufficient Of
| governments lOaning money to the
citizen with and without security, and
thus IS established the power to Loan,
which is indeed all sufficient. The kind
Of security does not enter into the case,
the government can select what it con
SiderS ample and best calculated to re-
lieve the wants OF the people It is
unaccOuntable, indeed | can not under
stand how man dependent upon the
sweat Of his brow for his daily bread
can oppose the principles involved in
this plan. The very fact of the intense
hatred which the mOnOpOlists and their
hirelingS throughout the country bear
not only the bill but it's authors should
convince the labOrlng man that It's pas
sage would produce not only radical
change, but that that change would
most probably operate to his benefit
since it is 50 bitterly opposed by the
ultra mOnied classes. Our QUARREL let
me say here, is not with the State,
which has ever been mindful of our
necessities, but with the National Gov
ernment, and particularly those
branches of it which are responsible
for the present iniquitOu5 protective
system and the decentralization Of sill
yer The demand for the increase in
the circulation of this metal will, if
unheeded, only intensity the conditions
which even now the American labOrer
finds almost intObrable. | wfl not
touch upon the circumstances of that
great wrong, the demOnetizatiOn of
silver, which was perpetrated upon the
people of these United States because
you are all no doubt acquainted with
the details, but [ do not think it OWt OF
place to add that it is now generally
believed that the passage Of that act
IN 1873 was one element Of q great Goa
Spiracy to turn over the finances Of
this country TO the banker and specu-
latOr Grant himself knew not he had
or Congressman could be found who
would tell aught of its pa-sa@1,; the
suspicious Of the people have been con
firmed
Such action on the part of Congress
IS ineXplicable in the light Of the prog
ress of the nineteenth century, a stain
upon tho pages OF its civilization which
as one turns them back over the past
~
dyed with the toll and sweat Of poverty
stricken millions. The existing national
bank law is the shape the robbery as
sumed-I say robbery because the gov
eTnment delegates to class, the bank
er5. the power of contracting and ex-
panding the currency, thereby cOnferr-
ing upon them the unnatural prerOga-
tive Of fixing the price OF the neCeSSa-
rie5 Of life. The perniciOuS effects of
this system can but be realized when
we reflect that within few short years
the vast majority Of the wealth of
this country has passed into the hands
Of less than five thousand men. Is not
something radically wrong with a sys-
tenn of finance under which within
twenty years the prudent labOrerS of
this country have lost more than one
half of their entire holdings? And,
that too in the face Of the facts that the
country is one Of inexhaustible re-
sources and the government at peace
with all the world. Our civilization has
an under current of fearful threat, a
moral plague has struck society through
to its very core. Honor and charity
are slowly being eliminated from mans
make-up-faith no longer exists be-
tween capitalist and labOrer, and a
vulgar materiahsm is stalking through
out our broad land. The whole COun
try seems to be swiftly drifting to some
fearful crisis, and how can it be other
wise since all questions are merged into
the problems of labor and capital. and
men enjoying the highest hOnOrs of the
republic openly assert that 'purity in
politics is an irrIdescent dream?' The
lust for gold which burns in the veins
of the politician has made our era as
melancholy as it is wonderful. The
reign Of luxury which bears effeminacy
and which was the ruin of Rome is
with us. May the purity Of heart Of the
American labOrer save us from the un
timely fate Of the once greatest work
Of the children Of men. L touch upon
these features of our social and pOliti-
cal life, not because they are unknown
to you, but because we can not hope
for success till every producer in the
land IS acquainted with the shortcom-
ings of that system which has forced
him in a position but a shade removed
from that occupied by the Grecian
helOt Of old, Education, the power to
think, the capacity to draw a conclu-
sion from a premise, are the practical
lessons that should be taught the hard
worked, ilI-paid and unfortunate mem
bers Of this great Order. The ballot
with which this man is armed is a
terrible engine of destruction as we'll
as the only hope which at the present
7.,1l-Oc. 1iFO ,,s+l liv-iocr In