The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1891-05-30

DlillUH uOtlaFS OIL tHC COPiC MOnOy
"a sum equal to $77,0O0,000 per
month, ST, 100000 per week,
$2.500.000 per day 100000 per
honr, $l,733 per secondi Let Us
bear steadily that 80 cents OF every
dollar Of this vast sum came from
the agricnltnrists of the country.
These suffering millions besieged the
doors Of the Capitol during that
time, pleading for relief. They
we're turned away empty handed,
their opportunities disregarded. their
e~ntreaties ignored, and they were in
solently admonished to keep out of
politics." to live closer aad work
harder"
They ask for the free and unlimi-
ted coinage of silver. Democrats
in the Alliance, and Republicans in
the Alliance, simply asked their par
ty friends 10 Congress to redeem the
pledge which both these parties had
made before the world in their plat
forms, and in the most solemn man
ner. We know the result. At the
dietation of Wall and Lombard
streets, men of both parties sultiied
themselves and their parties before
the world and defeated this just
measure. The people asked that
national banks be abolished and
gambling in futures be prohibited,
by issuing money direct to the people
at a cheap rate Of interest and in
sufficient volume to meet the demands
of the leitimate business of the coun-
try. They formulated and present
ed a plan by which this might be
done. Promptly it was met with
the assertion that 1.-THE government
has no power under the Constitution
to loan money" and therefore our
bill was unconstitutional. 1t was
asserted that it, was Aclass legisla
tom and that the bill was impracti-
cable" "CIass legislation Why,
our statutory records are crowded
with class legislation in favor of all
classes, except the agriculturists.
"Impracticablel" If true, whose du-
ty was it to correct liz "Unconsti-
tutionall' If true whose duty was
il to frame the bill that would be
constitutional? What are the duties
of modern Congressman? Are they
to DC confined continually and for
ever to be manipulation Of party
schemes By which TO gain party su,
premacy, and to the neglect OF the
great interests of the country? 1t is
perfectly constitutional to loan. our
money to banks, corporations, ex
positions and whisky rings, but it IS
unconstitutional to loan it TO the
wealth producers Of the land. When
Wall street. through its heartlnss
gambling on the brain, and Drawn,
and sweat, and muscle of honest la
Dor, becomes entangted in the meshes
of its own wicked deyising, it has
only to look 10 our Secretary of the
Treasury and say: Help rs, Cass.
ius, or We sink" and Immediately
that Official flies to it's relief on cleo.
trio wing and pours into its lap $40,
100000 of the peoples gold. But
it would be grossly unconstitutional
to come, 10 response to the piteoas
appeals from eight millions of panic
stricken homes all over the land, aud
provide relief. 1t is perfectly consti-
tutional, in order TO get Sl80.oo0,000
from the vaults to the banks, to pay
thereon $4,000, OOG in advanced in
terest, $40, 100000 in premiums and
in order to get it into the pockets of
the people TO charge an additional
10 per cent of$l8,O00,000. Perfect.
" constitutional to pay to speeula'
tors and monopolists $60,000,000 in
premiums and interest, to put $3.50,
000, 600 ID circulation, but it would
be shamefnlly unconstitutional to
adopt our plan of direct issue to the
people of this $l80,000.000 at 2 per
cent, at a cost of only 0 ,000
and which would go iato our treas
ury to diminish taxation from other
sources and thus save in the one
transaction the sum Of $57, LOO, 900.
But no bill could be framed that
would not be rejected by politicians
as unconstitutional if it provided for
40 adequate amount of circulation
.a &c ;nfonoat Mnnnu