The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-07-31

gestion Of Edward Atkinson and base all
his contracts on gold or its equivalent,
and in many enterprises this sprecaution
can not be adopted.
A significant and onimous fact in this
connection has been disclosed by the last
report from the treasury department. for
many years previous to 1880, ninety per
cent Of the government receipts ut the
New York custom house were in gold or
gold certificates. This amount fell to %
per cent in March, last, % per cent in
May and IL per cent in June, greenbacks,
silver certificates and silver currency
forming now So per cent of these receipts.
AS this department is always the first to
feel the effects of Interpretation in any form
Of the currency, this difference against
silver is serious sign of the times. 1t Is
sign which any obseryant statesman
should consider we'll; but it seems to have
little effect upon the silverites. Nothing
but severe shock would be observed by
them, and they would be apt to attribute
this shock to any other cause rather than
the right one. Tt is clear the 81 ,50o, OOO
of silver coined or certificates issued
every month under the last act of Congress,
is more than the country can stand, and
the cry of unlimited coinage is simply
suicidal.
1t is important that those who complain
OF the hard times understand the causes
that produced and prolong them. 1t mat
ters not how much money is coined, 1t VIII
never lie available unless it is accompanl-
ed with confidence. Until you can coin
confidence as we'll as silver dollars it Will
be fatal 10 shower SO many millions OF the
latter into the currents Of trade without
putting in the dollara sufficient number
of grains TO make it intrinsically equal to-
the gold dollar. The country may absorb
a number Of seyenty-fye cent pieces and
accept them as an hundred cent pieces
becauee the Government has become
party to the fiction and has put Its stamp
upon them, but that there is limit TO
the amount that may be so absorbed no
sane man can doubt, and that limit has
been reached if it has not already been
exceeded. In the hour of dstrust and
panic hcsions can't stand. Governments
with forty fold the power this one has over
the people have tried to make part equal
to the whole, but they have tried 1t IN
vai,,, There is not an instance IN all MS
tory where the experiment has been sue
cessful when the test came, and why
should we undertake what the experience
of 1000 years has proved vain and impos-
sible? If no one were injured by such
yagares the matter would be different.
But al classes are injured, the lender as
we'll as the borrower, but the former can
save himself with less difficulty. He is
not obliged to lend to avoid ruin while the
borroger is obliged to borrow. Legisla-.
ton for "thp poor, down trodden masses,
be hanged. It's these very masses who
arc the chief sufferers and who are de-
luded by an unserupnlous brood of lcma-
gogues into the fallacy that eighty cents
can be made an hundred simply by stamp
ing we'll fed eagle on one side and
round, plump goddess of liberty on the
other. The eagle and goddess are all
right, but they come too high. The in
terest IN
THE NEW CONSTITUTION
is becoming less intense In consequence
Of the certainty of its adoption at from
SO to $4,000 majority. 1t is singular
fact that had the election been held at
any time within six weeks after the ad-
iournment of the convention 1T would
have been overwhelmingly defeated. But
the corporations wanted to make assur-
ance doubly sure. A fund was raised by
the banks and by the railroads. The
Courier Journal was employed aud, be-
lieying it had an opportunity to claim
great victory md strengthen its power, to
teach the timid n lessor and to beat down
the bold who differed from it by taking
the weak document in it's hand and crush
ing it, the tone Of the dictator was as
sumed and every argument presented was
enforced with threat and blow.
These tactics aroused the indignation
of the masses who, it has been erron-
eously supposed, are the mere puppets and
slaves of this would be bully. The de-
spised constitution soon grew in favor
The cry of coalition of the corporations
was raised in its favor, and now it has
become the most popular document ever
presented to the people for their rafifica-
ton. They found out that the campaign
fund which the banks, the railroads and
the trust companies had raised WAS talk
ing through the editorial columns Of the
paper. The fact dawned upon them that
they had been worshiping q tin god and
not genuine divinity god stuffed with
subsidy and saw dust, a fact the people of
Louisville had long known, but which the
rural element had been eiow TO believe.
The politicians, most OF whom have
been thinking there was no life beyand
the pale Of the organs favor, prudently
waited to sec how the cat would jump.
They soon saw there was no mistaking the
direction, that active animal would go.
They then hurried to echo the cry of the
dear people. Candidates for Office said
while twas not q party issue they favored
it, those hoping to become candidates rush
cd to the front and commenced to canvass
for document which two MONTHS Q 80 go
they ridiculed and despised. Even judges
on the hcnch-the Court of Appcals-for-:
getting the dignity and reserve OF their
Office and the improperly of passing up,
OH provisions which must go before them
for judicial Interpretation. hurried to-
express opinions and TO dlate upon the
wisdom and craftsmanship of the convcn-
ton. Even Justice Harlan, of the SUI
preme Court of the United States, drag
ged his robes in the. ,mire-an act be-
lieye nevcr before done in the history of
that tribunal. :.
The fact is the neg constitution con-
tains some excellent provisions. 1t con-.
tains others thatare vicious in the ex-
IRENE and which must not only prevent
the development of the. industrial utter
ests of the State, but will hare an iniur-
ious effect upon the entire South. They
pander to the Agrarian spirit which is
abroad in the land and which constitutes
the chief danger that confronts orr in
situations, both State and National They