The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-05-30
History Repeating Itself.

Solomon said. there is no new thing
under the SUM-" and all this battle
which our country now has, with the
Money-POwer. is simply a repetition Of
the old fight. in the thirties, against
the United States Bank. Then how
ever the country had an Andrew Jack
son in the White House: now it has a
Grover Cleveland: then bold, reSOlute
friend of the people was at the head
Of affairs: now we have, as president,
an instrument of the very power the
people are contending against. I'M
agIne president who to-day would
send into Congress such message as
Jackson wrote in 1888. Here is part
Of it:
The fact has been recently dis
closed that unlimited discretion has
been. and is now. vested in the preSi-
dent of the bank bank Of the United
States to eNpend its funds in pay
ment for preparing and circulating
articles and purchasing pamphlets
and newspapers. calculated by their
contents to operate on elections and
secure renewal Of its charter.
1t may appear from the official re-
port Of the public directors that on
the thirtieth of November. 1880. the
president submitted to the board an
article published in the American
quarterly review, containing favor
able notices of the bank: and suggest
ed the expediency of giving it wider
circulation at the expense of the bank.
whereupon the board passed a resolu-
tIon granting the request. y
By an entry in the minutes Of the
bank, dated March II, 1881, it appears
that the president had not only
caused large edition of that article
TO be issued, but had also, before the
resolution of the thirticth of Novem-
Der was adopted, procured to be print
ed and widely circulated, numerous
copies OF the reports of General Smith
and Mr.. McDutfie in favor of the
bank, and on that day he suggested
the eNpcdiency of extending his power
to the printing of other articles
which might subserve the purpose of
the institution. which request was
likewise granted by the board.
The expenditures purport-
ing to have been made during
the years 1881 and 1882, were about
$4,000. For a portion Of these eXpen-
diturcS vouchers were rendered. from
which 1T appears that they were incur
red in the purchase of some hundred
thousand copies of newspapers. reports
and speeches made in Congress. re-
views of veto messages, and reviews of
speeches against the bank, etc. For
another large portion no vouchers
whatever were rendered. but the vari-
Gus sums were paid on orders of the
president Of the bank, making refer
ence to the above resolution of the
eleventh of March, 1881.
Taken in connection with the ma
ture of the expenditures heretofore
made, as recently disclosed, which the
board not only tolerate, but approve.
this resolution puts the funds of the
bank at the disposition of the presi-
dent, for the purpose of employing the
whole press of the country, in the SER
vice OF the bank, to hire writer's and
newspapers, and to put out such sums
as he pleases, to What persons and fol
what services he pleases, without the
responsibility of rendering any specific
account.
The bank is thus converted into a
VAST ELECTIONEERING EN-
vi Ne, which means to embroil the
country in DEADLY FEUDS, and un-
der cover of expenditures, in them
selves improper, EXTENDS ITS
CORRUPTION through al! the rami-
fications of society,"
1t is ali but needless to say that this
message, from the president of the
United States, when read by the peo-
pie, SMASHED this bank of the
United States. I'D.