The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-12-05
QUESTION ANSWERED.
THE THIN EDGE OF A WEDGE
Why Not DemonetiZe Gold and
Silver.
We have received the following let

we nave received the following leu
ter:
GRANITE FALLS, Nov. 10, '94.
HON. IGNATIUs DONNELLY:
DEAR SIR:-Why in the world don't
you come out and tell the people that
what we want is to demonetiZe both
gold and silver and make legal ten
der greenback money, backed up by
the same government the bonds are?
Then we could buy the gold and silver
bullion and pay off our government
debt. This is the only way we can get
out of debt and save this government
from destruction. A FARMER,
And lover of good government.
This is very pregnant and sensible
question. There is no doubt that the
use of both gold and silver, as money,
is simply the survival of relic of bar
barism into semi-civilized times,- for
we do not account these times as more
than semi-civilized. We used to hear
a great deal about "the twin-relics of
arbarism-slavery and polygamy."
But Barbarism bore triplets. and the
biggest and worst OF the litter is me-
tallic money. There is no question
that if the fiat of government can
make 50 cent silver dollar worth
dollar. it can make one cent $40 bill
worth twenty dollars. And to put in
trinsic value, due to the fiat of COVER
ment, behind the fat of government,
is to paint the lily and add per-
fume to the violet
But in politics we must not always
consider what is absolutely right but
what is practicable. There are a
great many propositions which are
absolutely right which would not re-
ceive one vote in thousand. What
then? Are we to give up the right?
No; let us advocate it, work for it, and
| try to make that one vote thousand.
But when you are seeking to reform
abuses you must organize your party
along lines Of possible success. You
must insert the thin edge of the
| wedge. He is bull-headed fool who
will insist that the thick edge must
go first 1t won't go in at all; and he
simply smashes his wedge and does no
good.
An agitator for principle is very
different from statesman. If any
| man thinks the moon is made Of green
cheese let h i'm present his arguments,
and get as many others to believe
with him as possible. That is right.
But tile man who would start party,
to get control Of the minds Of the ma
| jority, and accomplish reforms; and
yet make the green-chcese com posi-
tion of the lunar orb a primal prin-
ciple, would be lunatic. His cheese
would smell louder than Limburger
before he accomplished anything.
The sta tesman says, What can get
out of universal misgovernment and
prejudice, to help the people? What
is possible? Not what is absolutely
right"
The anti-slavery sentiment never
could have elected Mr.. Lincoln in 1860
the southern states in the John Brown
way; but it carried the country on the
theorem that slavery should not
spread over northern territories. 1t
inserted the thin edge Of the wedge.
SO with the money question. There
is no necessity for either gold or silver
in the currency of a country; but it
will take many years of argument and
experience to bring the majority to
that conviction. In the meantime we
come before them with less radical,
but a more accepta BILE proposition. We
say,-gold and silver were the basic
money-metals of this country from
1716 to 1S73-nearly hundred years.
| Why should one of them be dropped?
| Why should the currency be contract
ed and all prices reduced: Why should
a man borrow one thousand dollars
equal to one thousand bushels OF
wheat, and have to repay it in a
thousand dollars, equal to two thous-
and bushels of wheat? If we are to
have one money me tai why should we
not have both?
| If we carry the country the end is
not then. 1t is only the beginning.
Everywhere the great argument will
years, or twelve years, the public will
be educated to the point where they
can see that it is the legal tender
power that constitutes money and. not
the pot metal in it.
Our enemies would be glad to see us
put forth doctrines SO iametrically
contrary to public opinion that there
would be no chance for us to win, OF
hold our own, or even increase, in the
number of our supporters. And so all
reform would perish. We are not such
fools. The thin edge of the wedge
first. gentlemen: we may get down to
the thick edge after awhile by persist
ent hammering. L. ID.
DaZed and Puzzled.