The advocate and Topeka tribune., 1893-08-09

sequenGly lndorSed and defended by
Andrew jackson and Abe Lincoln; and
WHEREAS, Silver, one Of these ancient
metals, was, in the year 1873, without
any previous demand by any political
party, or by any part Of the people, or
even by any newspapers, and without
any public discussion whatever, stricken
down from the place it had occupied
since the days Of Abraham, and with
such secrecy that Allan G. Thurman,
James Beck, William M. Stewart, Dan
iel w. Voorhees,, James G. Blaine, then
speaker Of the house, James A. Garfield,
William D. Kelley and others present
and voting for the bill as senators and
representatives subsequently, repeatedly
and publicly declared they did not know
until long after that so grave and great
change had been made in the financial
system founded by the fathers of the
republic; and
WHEREAS, The debates in congress
show that the pRrentage of the measure
was in part ascribed by the friends Of
the bill to one Ernest Seyd, a London
banker, who, it is claimed, was sent over
to Washington by the moneyed classes
OF the Old World to secure its passage
by secret and corrupt means; and
WHEREAS, President Grant, who signed
the bill, declared long after that he did
not know it demonetized silver; and
WHEREAS, The purpose Of this attack
upon one of the two ancient metals Of
the world was, by striking down one
half of the money supply, to-wit, silver,
to double the purchasing power Of
the remainder, gold, by making
it the equiVlent of more Of every
thing produced by the labor OF
man, thus reducing the price Of all COM
modities, Rrresting enterprise, impover-
ishing the toiler and degrading mankind.
That these results were not only newt
able but foreseen, appears by the follow
ing language used at that time by the
then president of the Bank Of France,
who said: If by q stroke Of the pen
they suppress one Of these metals in the
monetary service, they double the de-
mRnd for the other metal to the ruin OF
all debtors;" and
WHEREAS, The consequences thus
prophesied are now upon the people OF
OF distress and in the shadow Of impend-
ing cslamities, which are beyond esti-
mate. The ruling industry of the people
which inhsbit one-third of the area of
this country has been stricken down, the
property values destroyed and the work
men compelled to fly as if from pesti.
lsnce. Everywhere over this broad land
the honest toilers, numbering hundreds
Of thousands, have been thrown out of
employment, and will have to eat the
bitter bread of charity or stRrve. The
products of industry, OF the farm, and
the workshop have deprecated in price,
as shown by official and public statistics,
until production ceases to be profitable.
The money OF the country, inadequate
for the business of the land, has graVi-
tated to the banks, while the people, dis
trusting the banks, have demanded their
deposits to hoard or hide them; mercan-
tile houses are going to the wall by
thousands because the masses have not
the means to buy even the necessities Of
life. To supply the lack Of currency, the
banks OF the great cities have issued q
substitute for money, unknown to the
laws, called clearing. house certificates.
The movement of the great crops, now
being gathered, demands vast amount
Of currency, which the banks are unable
to furnish; and in the midst OF these
conditions the daily press are clsmoring
for the repeal Of the act OF 1890, called
the Sherman act, although the repeal Of
that act means the stoppage Of the issue
of more than 100000 Of money every
month, thus shutting off the supply Of
funds for the business Of the country in
the midst of the terrible conditions
which surround US, and ignoring the fact
that to hold the balance level between
the debtor and creditor classes, the sup