The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-10-13

IIOL1 Md DiUl0J W OGldGOE Ddul6i,
in which he showed that the bankers
and capitalists were boarding the gol l.
gold certificates and demand notes,
payable in gold, and making all notes
and mortgages with any time to run
payable in gold, with the evident in
tentiOn Of forcing gold to a premium if
any free coinage of silver bill became
law, and gave it as his opinion that
Congress had power to make a silver
dollar a legal tender for all debts what
ever, even if the contract called for
gold. thought this rather doubtful,
as the government had themselves
issued a large amount of certificates
payable only in gold, but a letter Of
Judge Hughes in the same paper last
week affirmed the opinion of Maj.
DOOley and also gave the opinions of
several of the Judges Of the u S. Su-
preme Court in the legaEtender decis-
ions, which all show the same power
to lie in the Congress of the United
States. Now if this is so, it is the in
terest of every labOring man and of
every debtor in the country that Con
gFess should at once pass an act declar
ing that silver dollar and also a U.
S. note shall be full legal-tender for all
debts whatever specified to be paid in
gold or note This would bring the
gold which is now boarded into circu
latiOn and thereby do more to increase
the circulating medium than all the
mints could do by coming silver for
five years, and do more to bring the
price Of silver bullion to a par with
gold than any free coinage bill could
possibly do 1t would also enable the
debtor to pay his debts in the same
value In which they were contracted,
otherwise the creditor will force the
debtor to pay him 20 or 80 more silver
dollars on the hundred to cancel his
debt than what he loaned him.
But Senator Daniel replies III this
weeks Dispatch, admitting all that
Dooley and Hughes had said about the
power of Congress to enact such a law,
but does not think 1t IS necessary to do
1T nOlC. Now if it is right to pass such
a law at all-if the principle Of it IS
iust-whY should not such a law be
passed at the earliest possible moment?
The Alliance has endorsed Senator
Daniels for reelection, but this excuse
for delay shows he is not really in sym
pa5hy with the labOring and debtor
class, which is supposed to be repr. :
sented in the Alliance. In fact l do
not believe that any Of the reforms de-
manded by the Alliance can be OBJ
tanned through the politicians Of either
Okl political party. The half-hearted
and ambiguous endorsements which
they give TO our demands give very
little hope of any result. Every Sen
atOr and Representative to Congress
should be pledged to work to secure
law which would make a silver dollar
and U. S. paper dollar as good for
use in all cases in this country as a
gold dollar, no matter what the note
may call for, and, to make itself con-
sistent, that all gold certificates and
silver certificates be called in and can
celled and notes payable in specie IS
sued in their place. But | have no
hope that this or any other reform Of
any Importance will be effected while
either the Republican or Democratic
party are in power, and [ have very
small faith that the Peoples party will
get in power with the Sub-TreaSury
warehouse as the principal emblem on
their banners.
AS for your other critic, such GTgU-
mentS as 'humbug, " . fancies of dis
ordered imagination, another rotten
chestnut, " are hard arguments to an
swer by any one who tries to write
common sense and reason. The few
days work for few carpenters or ma
sons building the warehouses is a very
small sup to offer the whole body Of
mechanics, but if you could make me
believe it would really be benefit to
the farmers, | would never say a word
against it. AS for office seekers and
mossback politicians, does he think
there are none in the Alliance? Can
he find no one among the officers and
lecturers who have ever been prOmi-
nent in politics? AS for myself have
never sought any office, except one
year as clerk of a school board, with
out any pay. Nearly all the rest of his
letter is good old-fashioned truth, with
which | can heartily concur. If he
had read my communication carefully,
he would see that approved Of class
legislation" in favor Of farmers if It
would really benefit them and not Gre
ate a burden for the rest Of the nation.
B. J. n.
RESOLUTIONS.
Mp EDTTOP .-Havinp read the OrO-