The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-07-28
D~EMAGOGICAL TWADDLE.

The Wilmington Messenger bewails
the threatened destruction Of the JEFF
f~ersonian jackson Calhoun Democracy
at the hands of the Alliance. The peO-
pie are becoming heartily disguised
and n~auseated with all this demagOgi-
cal twaddle about ''JeffersOnian De
mocracy." And a large majority of
those who write so fippantly about it
wouldn't know it if they were to find
it in a collection of Sunday-schOol or
Alliance literature. Now we propose
to give our readers something from
the press and tongues of these three
great apostles of democracy, and we
demand of the editor of the Whining
ton Messenger to sag Urhether or not he
endorses their sentiments.
Calhoun asked this significant ques-
ton:
"TVhy compel the people to poy IN
tereSt on government credit through the
banks, IChen the said credit could be er-
tended direct to the people fUithOut IN
t~erest?"
And that is the great and paramount
question Of today. Three millions of
Alliancemen are pressing that question
to day and they intend to ring it in the
ears of the American people until it is
answered. The Alliance endorses,
without reserve or equivocation, this
idea of finance of Mr.. Calhoun's.
Where does the Messenger stand? Let
it endorse Mr.. Calhoun or repudiate
him. What is it's answer2 Does at
endorse John G. Calhoun?
Again: The Messenger would invoke
the spirit of Jefferson as against the
Alliance. What does Mr.. Jefferson say
on the principle involved in the fight
which we are making for financial re-
form: Hear him;
"And so the nation may continue to
issue it's bills as far as it's wants require
and the limits Of it's circulation will
permit. Those limits are understood
to extend with us at present to $780,
600, 900, a greater sum than would be
necessary for any war. But this, the
only resource which the government
could command with certainty, the
States have unfortunately fooled away,
nay, CORFU pity alienated to swindlers
and shavers, under the cover of private
banks" x X X w then issued bills
bOttOmed on a redeeming tax, but bear
ing no interest. These were readily
received, andnever deprecated a single
neutrality-suspicious. Of Thomas JefeT-
son IN 1913; has letters to John W.
Epps, June 24, 1918; JeferSOn'S Works,
vOl11OOo A n oOcnc 40 Al
The question will be asked, and ought
to be looked at, what is to be the re-
course if loans cannot be obtained?
There is but One-"C0rthdgO delenda
est" Bank paper must be suppressed,
and the circulating medium must be
restored to the nation to whom it be-
longs. 1t is the only fund on which
they car rely for loans; it is the ONLY
recourse which can never fail them.
and 1t is an abundant one for every
necessary purpose. Treasury bills,
bOttomed on taxes, bearing or not bear
ing interest, as may be found neces-
sary, thrown into circulation will take
the place OF so much gold and silver.
which last, when crowded, will find an
etf1uX into other countries, and thus
keep the quantum of medium at it's
salutary level. Let banks continue, if
they please, but let them discount for
cash alone or for Treasury notes.
Letter September II, 1913, volume 6,
pages 1919, 200. POI.
Pretty good Alliance doctrife and it
meets the hearty endorsement of the
Alliance and is embodied in the Ocala
platform. Does the Messenger endorse