Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1895-02-19

probably find that no caution
can at present contend against
the will Of the money power.
TWO YEARS OF FINANCE LEGlSLA-
TON.
Two years ago this month the
first overt attempt was made to
overthrow limited bi-metalism in
this country. John Sherman in
PRODUCED a bill to repeal the law,
that has since become famous as
the Sherman law. This was the
more remarkable because only
! IS months before he stood be-
fore an audience Of thousands Of
people at Paulding, Ohio, prais-
ing this very law. For a quarter
of a century the gold mono-met-
alists had worked under cover,
in ways that are dark, and laby-
rinthine windings that are past
finding out. Suffice it to say
that every public act relating to
finance or money matter found
during the last quarter of a CEN
fury contain some goldbug wood
chuck. Thisis literally true from
the exception clause on the green
back in 1862 to the parity clause
Of the Sherman law of 1890.
Thus was every part of bi-metal-
ism mined and wired ready for
explosion at the right moment.
And so John Sherman, the gener-
alissimo OF the gold forces in this
country, deeming the oppoltune
b time had come, threw off the mask,
and fred the opening gun in this
battle on the money question. 1t
: was only the opening gun, how
) ever. More time was needed.
? President Cleveland was to be
inaugurated, and the greatest
money panic Of modern times
I forced upon this nation and the
: world. The silver dollar was
:" said to be the cause of all of our
2 trouble now Although these sill.
t YER dollars were selling for a
t. premium in New York, our tinan.
ciers told us they were no good
t Although we all wished for more
' money, our financiers assured us
8 that we had too much, and that
! the government ought to STOP
! issuing it's regular and custo
mary supply to keep the money
volume up with the increase O
population. The people looked
on in wonder at these apparently
contradictory statements, but az
=: they did not understand the prin
y ciples of finance, simply said tc
= their servants in congress: "Yor
! help us out Of this panic and W.
) don't care a straw how you do it.
. Cleveland spoke first in his mes
T sage to the special session of con
gress. He said the country was
4 in danger of bankruptcy because
: OF the Sherman law. That if il
t was II &"repealed gold would
Z leave our country and disaster
would follow. The memorabl,
= special session Of the 53rd con
e1ess followed. Every mono-me
t talist echoed the President
= views. John Sherman asserted
T a few days before the close of TIN
. session that ten days after tn,
s Sherman law should be repealed
J. this country would again be OF
t the high road of prosperity. L
! was repealed. Loyal Democrat
u felt that they ought to follow
i President Cleveland, and goot
t republicans believed that the die
e tum Of John Sherman on finance
I was law and gospel. Yet ther,
e were a lot of silver cranks in tn,
y democratic party, and some il
: the republican party, that op
posed repeal. The silverites de
MED both the premises and con
. illusions of the gold mono-metal
t lists. Nearly seventeen months
. have passed since repeal, an(
= what is the result? Has tn
u promised prosperity returned
= Has the government been save(
5 from issuing bonds? Has tn,
u outflow of our gold stopped
= President Cleveland himself ha,
7 lately in a special message tt
:, congress answered these ques
u tions. He says the country is il
greater danger of bankruptc,
n than ever. $1OO,OOO,OOO O
o bonds have been issued and NOR
= must be issued in the near future
a Gold is leaving our shores a.
n never before. Stagnation of bus
e mess, depreciation of property
= want Of employment and starva
o. ton and misery greater thai
= ever.
n Now what is to be done? Presi
n dent Cleveland as the spokes
y man of the gold mono-metalist
: has his plan as|he had 10 month";
ago, to-wit: issue $500, 1000, OO(
r Of bonds payable in gold. Shall
d congress follow the recommenda
,. tions of the President again
J. The President was wrong in hi
e opinion as to the effect Of the re