The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1891-05-21
THE SILVER QUESTION, ETC,
A Canton Student of Finance and Prac'
teal Laboring Man Discusses the
Currency Question

ED. NEWS DEMocRAT.-Let us review
the silver question as discussed so ably by
Congressman Harter. twill be necessary
to review the financial legislation of the
country from the commencement of the
war up to 1873 which will throw flood OF
light upon the acts debasing silver. The
Roman soldier returning from wars, in
which his valor had won wealth and en-
pires for his rulers was early content to
become, first tenant and then serf, on
the land he had TILED as owner before his
enlistment. In our own times, the SOL
diers of the nineteenth century are sub
mitting to exactions OF which Nero was
incapable of.
Thirty years ago the first step had been
taken toward the final overthrow of hui
man slavery, and tyranny opposed force
TO the righteous demands of constitutions
al government. Ploughshares rusted in
the neglected fields, workshops looked to
alien lands for toilers, while patriots an.
swered to the bugle call aud nation was
freed from an eating cancer. But what
was the return for such services?
The soldiers who enlisted in the wal oi
the rebellion were promised by the gov
ernment in addition to varying bounties a
stipulated sum of money per month. II
! requires no argument to prove that the
faith of the government was as much
| pledged to the citizen who risked his life
as to him who merely risked portion oi
| his wealth in asecured loan to the govern
ment. But the record shows that the pay
| % th, To,,,, ar roIucal fo moo III, oi ~
| per cent, while the returns to the lattel
were doubled, trebled and quadrupled
while the descendant of bondholders ART
quartered in an undisturbed enjoyment o
] the fruits of their ancestors greed.
In reviewing the financial policy of hi
party during the war Senator Sherman il
a speech in the Senate July ID, 1868, said
was then "our policy during the war to dc
preciate the value Of United States notes
SO that they would come into the treasur
moro freely for our bonds. Why sir, W
did a very natural thing for us to do, W
increased the amount to $500, ,000,000 the
to $450, 100000 and we took away the in
portant privilege Of converting them int
bonds, on the ground that while this priv
lege remained the people would not sui
scribe for the bonds and the note woul
not be converted" "
Mr.. Sherman recognized and admit
that the notes as issued and paid to tn
soldiers and producers of the countr
were fundable at the option OF the holdt
in a government interest bearing bon,
He confesses to the foreknowIedge that
multiplying this right the right of the not,
would be decreased, and to that exteI
,, the soldiers pay diminished. No page
our national history contains a mol
damning record OF injustice than this.
Then came the close of the wal. and aft,
the soldiers had been paid OFF in tn
largely depreciated currency, then u
soldier became the taxpayer, and from h
} toll was to be obliged to pay the bon,
} holder. Then the patriotic hearts of M
! Sherman and his co-conspirators in Il
thought of the soldier being allowed
discharge his obligations In the same kir
. of money he received for his services.
J From the citizen by the produ
of whoie toll a bonded debt WI
to BIO paid, 'honest money" was to be d
manded. "a, H tt .,I
ne sas G hs %ss u
} In bis H. rest, and public clamor vi
, hushed y the catchwords OF "hone
! money" nd Irrational honor" whi
! dribbles pensions We're allowed
8 trickle Il the rivers Of revenues BY Il
I. passage oi he so-called credit-strengt
ening act - March, 1869, il was provid,
: that all bonds OF the government shall
payable in coin. This act was denounc'
py both Thad. Stevens and Senator Nc
ton as fraud upon the people, In that
bondholder. a 4
We remember the campaign Of 1868,
4 which the Republican State convention
. Ohio met in advance of the Chicago co
yentiop, which nominated Grant for Pre-
dent. Both State and National Repub
can platforms Of that year, declared
b favor of paying o large class of bonds
e greenbacks or legal tender money, q