The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1894-10-11
THE TWO GEMS
From first page.

POpuliStS would be defeated ana the
Democrat candidates elected. Vote
this way and we will get out of the
wilderness and pitch our tents in the
promised land. Applause greeted the
Generals closing sentence.
Attorney Mcleod then introduced
Gen. Baker. There was another mo-
mentary silence. Gen. Baker started
out in low voice, speaking of his
soldier expedition third of century
ago, when Comrades Annis and Good
rich, of this city, were among his sol
diers who pitched their tents at Camp
Pope, this city. He spoke OF the home
less prairies then, of the civil people
now, and declared it magnetic. He
congratulated the people of Redwood
Falls on their growth. He then drift
ed off on to the desire of the American
people to talk politics. He conceded
that his political opponents in this
canvass were both honorable men.
Owing to Prof. McCleary having
spoke on silver when here Gen. Baker
was compelled to meet him on that is
sue, although he preferred another
subject. He was opposed openly and
utterly to Prof. McCleary's position.
He claimed that we did not have
enough currency in this country to
transact it's business. There was only
SIG per capita, according to the comp
troller's last report, which does not in
clude the detrition by wear, loss, de-
struction by fire, and the coins in the
hands ofrare coin seekers. He thought
that about $40 per capita would be
fair rate, and he thought that INSULT
to carry on the Nations business. In
France, with it's stationary population,
the per capita currency is $50. In
1865, when the per capita currency
was $65, our Republican friends COM
menced to contract the currency and
continued doing so until it struck
that awful blow of characterization in
1873. We we're more prosperous un-
der the $65 per capita circulation than
we have been ever since. remarked the
speaker. If the single gold standard
is to be adopted the United States is
practically bankrupt if it was COM
PEELED to redeem its paper money by
that commodity.
Gen. Baker held the Republican,
responsible for the demonstration of
silver in 1873, which caused such an
eutburst of indignation as to give
birth to the Bland act, which in 1890
gave way to the Sherman law. This
caused the storing away of silver
bullion until cry of retrograda-
ton was heard, and silver was totally
demonetized by special act of con-
gress.
Gen. Baker held that the great in
crease in business of the country de-
manded a greater and constant coin
age. The National banks were con-
tracing, instead of increasing. "Here
is q strangulation;a a falling off," said
Gen. Baker, land this is the position,
my friend Prof. McCleary, placed you
in. You had two metallic legs. He
chopped one off and let you go hob
bling on one. You had two silver
eyes; he cut one out and you see
through one. My friends if I go to
and I ought to, I will vote
for every proposition looking to the
Tree coinage Of silver; and if can't
ind one I will make one. I will vote
'or ratio Of rs to IT, The speaker
'aid that Prof. Nice leasy did too much
;herorizing and not enough practice.
He maintained that there was no
commodity in the. world that held
heir ratio with more equality then
hat of gold and silver for the last 200
years prior to the demonetizati00 of
silver. standing together they are
strong and powerful as two Corinthian
columns; totter over one and they
Doth fall. Silver and gold, / believe,
we're planted by God in the mountains
in order that the future business in
terests of the world might be carried
on" Gen. Baker eloquent|y remarked,
and then he contended that the silver
miners had as much right to- be pro-
tected as the gold miners. Silver
mines, as rule, were not paying, but
the miners pursued it on account of
the fascination, lust as the gambler at /