Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-08-16
Good Results-A Worning.

The coinage of silver and the issue OF
small notes have greatly improved the
financial situation in Portugal, 80 o cable
gram in Saturdays papers informed the
people on this side OF the Atlantic. The
Portuguese seem to have partially followed
In the footsteps of the people of the United
States
But for the law providing for the CON-
ace OF silver and for the issue OF silver GER
eiAcatee there il no telling what would
have been the condition of things in this
country at the present moment. We have
6fteen hundred millions of dollars in cir
culation or where they can DO obtained for
use a. circulating medium.
The spectators in bonds and stocks and
the moneyed men generally have done all
they could TO debase the silver currency
in the eyes Of tho multitude, but, fortu-
nately for themselves, have not succeeded
20 q great extent. The common-sense OF
the masses has operated to prevent blind
monometalIists from running themselves.
If the foolish capitalists could win the
people over to their side and induce them
60 believe that silver certificates and sill
yer coin are really worth only 80 per cent.
of their face value, they would thereby
cause a panic which would overthrow our
financial system and produce widespread
ruin and desolation. 1t is, we repeat, the
good sense of the multitude which has
saved the United States from the fate OF
Portugal. Let US say once moro, too, that
Portugals condition has improved just In
proportion as she has taken the United
States for an exomplar.
Was there ever before manifested such
stupid. stolid ignorance of the true con-
Glitior Of things in this country rs is now
shown by the money grabbers in the north
ern cities in their avowed purpose to make
what are called "gold contracts? Some
of the Alliance men and the fat Green
hackers and thousands of sub-treasuryites
rare bent upon running our financial system.
These agitators demand that greenbacks
shall be lent to the landowners at per
cent. per annum interest; that these green
backs shall be made full legal tender ~
chat is. redecmable nowhere, and that the
coinage of silver shall be made free. Aud
what do Wall street and Wall streets al
lies in this condition Of things? Literally
they fiddle whilst Rome Is burning. They
ore totally unacquainted with the public
feeling in regard to the matters we have
Gust named. They fatter themselves that
they can put an end to bimetallism by
threatening to lend no money, especially
60 southern and western men. except upon
gold contracts.
This is an important matter. The safety
of the financial system of this country de-
pends upon the abandonment of the policy
thus threatened to be pursued. We think
Ve can show clearly that Congress has the
power. if the State legislatures have it
not, TO prevent the success of this trick Of
the Wall.street gamblers. Perhaps both
Congress and the State legislatures are
clothed with the power which it is proposed
shall DO exerted against these money
grabbers. Anyhow, old GEORGE FITzHUaH's
dictum that written constitutions are
worthless must not be lost sight of. 1t is
dangerous to wrong the masses. They
will DO certain to right themselves