The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1893-05-05
The Gordian Knot,

hibS Norulus Ut the soothSayerS OF fnrygld
a town on the confines of Persia, and was so
ingeniously tied or plated that it was i'm
possible to discover the ends in order t.
unite the knot. When Alexander the Great
f came 10 the temple where this wonderful
Knot was deposited, ii was shown to him
and he was told by the soothsayers that
be the conqueror of Persia. Alexander was
on his march at the time with that objec; in
view. Alexander was named "the Great"
by his historians on account of the great
achievements he performed in war, but if
his character is closely inquired into, the
chief source of his greatness, it will be
found, consisted in bis plain common sense,
which lifted him above all the superstition
of that superstitous age. When Alexander
had seen this wonderful Gordan Knot his
strong common sense led him at once to
inquire the object TO be gained by untying it.
Simply and solely 10 separate the two ends
was all that could possibly be gained, so he
just drew his sword and cut the knot right
in two. There was the job neatly done in
the most simple and easy manner conceiv-
able, and every possible gain that could be
accomplished by picking at the ingenious
Knot which the soothsayers had tied and SO
we'll tucked in and concealed the ends as to
make them undiscoverable. No doubt this
wonderful Knot had been source of con-
siderable revenue to the rascally soothsayers
who had humbugged every traveller as well
as their own wise men and citizens, but in
an unlucky moment for them they exhib-
tied their trick TO wise man who made
short work Of the humbug.
The world has been full of soothsayers
and cheats under different names from the
earliest dawn of history and they are as
plenty now as at any previous time, con-
structing gordian knots. The greatest of the
present day are known as gold bugs. They
have plated Gordian Knot they call
''the gold standard" and they have plated
and twisted and tucked in the ends so
ingeniously that no one can unite that
precious knot-so they say, but themselves.
No doubt The cunning old priests who
tied the ancient Knot and guarded it SO
carefully could have united it, but that
would have spoiled their ltsle game of
collecting tribute from curious and cred
ulous world.
So also with our gold bug soothsayers
They declare the genius who can unite their
Gordian knot-''maintain the parity of the
two metals'' is the cabalistic language they
use for untie-will be the conqueror If the
great empire which they call FINANCE
Alexander found no difficulty in disposing
of the ancient knot plated by band of
non-prodncing rogues, and in conquering
the rotten ancient empire of Persia.
If Mr.. Cleveland has tithe OF Alexan-
der's sturdy common sense, sterling honesty
and disregard of gold, be may as readily
sever this gold bug knot, and conquer their
rotten financial empire. But has Mr.. Cleve-
land any of these qualities? His admirers
love to credit him with the two former. We
are quite sure in the latter virtue he is
sorely lacking, and we fear his wanting in
this will greatly weaken the other two,
He has been provided with every appli-
ance to accomplish this great work by the
American people. Thirteen thousand tons
OF silver are placed at his disposal and
500, 1000, 900 of gold, and law empower.
ing him to have every ounce Of this silver
coined into dollars to be paid out in salts
faction of every demand on the government
which calls for coin in liquidation of its
obligations.
Here are two swords placed in Mr.. Cleye.
lands hands by the nation, with orders TO
strike, with which he can as readily cleave
the gold bugs knot and overturn their
financial empire, as Alexander Glove the
GordIan Knot and vanquished the rotten
empire of Persia. The latter had behind
him the learning, the courage and the
wealth of Macedonia and Greece. Mr..
Cleveland has behind him tho Intelligence,
the wealth and hundred times the national
: power oil Greece to support him. To liqui.
date those obligation as nominated in the
, bond is the duty before Mr.. Cleveland. That
bond says pay them in coin whenever pre-
scented. He is provided with everything
: needed to burst wide open and utterly de-
stroy this financial empire built on fraud
and maintained by humbug to despoil the
, people. II smitten as Mr.. Cleveland has the
power to smite it, it will never rise again TO
veX the world. Great opportunities never
come to men but once and this opportunity
is now in the path of Mr.. Cleveland. Ii
! he has the wisdom to strike the blow that
will go far toward relieving the people of
the tyranny Of this gold ring, his name will
, be embalmed in history as Cleveland the
Great; but if he fail, beguiled by tine siren
song OF the ilstterer, and the ayarice of gold,
, he too VIII be numbered with the wrecks OF
. lost opportunity, and his name 60 down in
f American history unwept by a people he
: refused TO relieve when the opportunity was
! given him; unhonored by the historian who
4 chronicles the acts of the living that the
a future may sEo,d their mistakes, and EN-
/, ulate their virtues sHa pnsung by The
> poets who embalm the acts ofthe coed auc
great that posterity nay glorify theil
: memory.