The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-04-04
L. ARGENT VS.. SILVER"

To the Editor of the Eagle.
L. Argent comes back at our silver
article.
have not the time to give my idea!
on this prolific subject without hunting
up publishing house, or boring the
readers of the EAGLE to the verge OF
suicide, but will briefly state my posi-
ton, which is not chargeble to any
party or association, but is the idea Of g
private man without experience as 6
legislator.
First-I should not hesitate to compel
the highwayman who robbed me to
disgorge, but think there is some doubt
as to the right to compel his children to
disgorge in the absence Of proof that
they have my money.
The generation of legislative vipers
that demonetized silver committed a
crime-but the effects of that crime were
lost sight of in the west, in the apprecla-
ton of values from 1881 to 1887; hence
the raking up of the old personalities of
the campaigns of 1876, 1880, ETC., are
not, in my opinion, germane to the pres
ent argument The skeletons of the past
generation are of but little use, save as
curiosities in our political museum to
amuse and perhaps be negative in
structor forever to future statesmen.
| But to ''return to the mutton"
| Statutes of limitation and bankrupt
acts are wrong as pure moral principles,
but are upheld by governments and JUS
| titled by statesmen on the same ground
that the old Jews had year of jubilee
| Nature burns up the trash every once in
a while. We demand wiping out of
debts-periodically that the country as a
whole may prosper-hence, this country
demands a national bankrupt act. The
people demanded, congress refused.
Free silver, in unlimited quantity, for
brief season, will indirectly, measure
bly,, accomplish the same result-first,
in paying debts; second, in forcing the
people who have money, to invest the
same. rather than hoard it for interest.
When money Is obtained easily, interest
drops, investors IN interest alone, will
invest in business schemes, will endeavor
to earn dividends and be help to the
laborer, and wage-worker, artiZan and
mechanic, whereas, the increment of
interest dries up the sluices in the
human heart, makes the mere money
lender natural foe to the general pros
perity of mankind, in as much as this
general prosperity has tendency to re-
lease the general run of man from the
power of the money lender. The depres-
sion in the west has made money high.
Debts are pressing the people.
We hear loud murmers wherever we 90,
Groans and mourns from sea 10 sea,
From northern lakes TO the gulf below.
l assert that the free coinage of silver
in so far as it can should be used as a
national bankrupt act and when the peo-
pie have settled account and we are
again on the rising tide of pros
perity then the coinage should
be restricted TO meet the demands
of the then existing condition of affairs.
Currency should expand and contract
according to the needs of the people.
Theories are poor things-experiments
demonstrate all things. Let us talk of
the present condition. Let us cross the
creek of the future when we reach it.
Sufficient unto the day is the evil
thereof"
Not being a politician, am not forced
to use language to conceal my real opin-
ion. / am in favor of free silver, but
when the corn cribs OF nv own state are
full of corn, when the golden grain of
the fertile prairies of Kansas fill the side
tracks of the railways, and the elevators
by the side of the road, when the
people have smile IN the face
and light in the eye, when the
sound of the saw and hammer, the CRY
of more bricks and mortar Is heard in
the town, village and city, when enthu-
siasm Is apparent in every part and men
talk of their schemes, their prosperity.
and the railways pay dividends and
make extensions, and improve their road
ways, and lastly, when the general aspect
of people looks as though they were get
ting ready for q Fourth of July instead
of the general resurrection morn, | shall
favor a restriction CT the free silver coin
age.
propose 10 use silver as pontoon
bridge to cross the overlooking financial
bitches, rivers of sorrow and lakes Of
desolation, that lie in the path of the ad-
vanCing column of American progress
and civilization
All legislation is temporary.
Statesmen affect 10 adopt a rule
for all thine, TO accomplish |
a temporary end, theorize on the effect !
of this or that cause on the fate OF the /
government; abandon the theory, start /
new from year 10 wear. l proclaim 4
simply the doctrine that a heavy IN i
dlyidual debT. which las eaten the yltals i