Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1895-05-04
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1t was evident from the old gentle
man. infamed visage as well as from
the elevated tone of his voice that any
further discussion of the Chicago let
would not add to his peace of mind, or
mine either if further provoked him;
so, with hasty prediction in refer
ence to the weather, l gave Kit, the
old mare | was riding, preliminary
kick in her lean ribs as a hint that an
early adjournment was advisable. AS
l left Mr.. Turniptop, he still sat half
turned round in his saddle, regarding
ME in grim silence. He even forgot
to ask me where was going. How
ever Kit had hardly taken three steps
on her way when, if my ears did not
deceive me, there, came softly borne
on the morning breeze these parting
plimentary words, "He's mother
Nv them burned fool Republicans.
But needing not, rode on, for this
sort of loose phraseology is not at all
uncommon in this section. In fact,
even more pointed remarks in less or
thodox language may be counted
among the accepted amenities of the
family of Turniptops when their tenn
per is ruffled byimpertinent inquiries
concerning perplexing partyquestions.
They mean nothing by it. 1t is only
a way they have of expressing mild
disapprobation of things in general.
1T was shame to provoke the old
man-it wasn't fair" said my accus-
ing conscience as Kit, urged byrepeat-
ed digs in the ribs, bore me on my
repentant way. Truly it was not fair;
but who can resist the temptation of
beguiling opportunity. Besides old
man Turniptop was not hurt in the
least in mind, body, or estate. His
opinion of the Chicago letter and of
my sentiments in regard to it remains
unchanged and Interchangeable. He
cannot interpret the national oracle,
but that is no reason why he should
not put implicit faith in every word
of its ex cathedra utteranceS. His
duty, as he conceives it, is not to test
principles, but to trust the leaders of
his party He does not know that be-
hind such glib phrases as sound
money-safe currency-debased cur
rency-cheap money, ETC., lies the
whole history of political science with
its array of mind -confounding theories
and interminable arguments. He
thinks monometallism a hard word
with any amount of hidden wisdom
in its nystify ing sound, which it is
the business not of the people but of
the President to comprehend and use
for the benefit of the country in gen.
eral and of the Democratic party in
particular.
Mr.. Editor, do you think there are
many members of the Turniptop fam
lily of the same opinion In this Vi
cinity there are some few persons of
an anti-Silver monometallic turn of
mind who go even further than my
friend, Mr. Timothy Turniptop, himself
in their estimate of the Presidents
letter; regarding it indeed as sort of
second Declaration of independence
They do not stop toconsider that what
Mr.. Cleveland seems to hold as self
evident truths are in fact among the
most disputable terms of technic f.
nance and that these are strung to-
gether in the letter without the least
regard to logical sequence or connec-
ton. But what matter so long as this
confused tumble of unsupported prem.
ises and dictatorial assertions serves a
selfevident purpose Write down in
as bold a hand as possible these
words:
Sound money 1e'snS silver mono
metallisInl
Now sign the name Grover Cleve-
land below this meaningless phrase,
and prestol the thing is done-the
change is magical-the transforma-
ton complete. Sound money" be-
comes "a gold standard" and 'silver
mouometallisin becomes the dread
sign and portent of ''degenerated
currency"-a blood-curdling prophecy
of financial disaster and national ruin. |
What need of argument to prove all
this! Has not the instrument the
sign manual of our Chief Executive
? Who dares question exec
utive infallibility? Is not the sigma
ture itself sufficient warning against |
obtrusive doubts? Is it not equiva-
lent to a veto-a peremptory 81 forbid !
it ?"
But perhaps this is taking too one
sided view. Perhaps Mr.. Cleveland |
knew very well what he was about |
when he wrote that letter. Perhaps /
his mistakes are not always of his
own making. Perhaps when he put |
his direful prophesies into cold type,
he meant only to warn off all poachers
and providers from the golden apples
OF the New Hesperides Perhaps he
knew we'll enough that all sensible
men would see at a glance that his
own pet hobgoblin. silver monomet-
allism, is nothing more than "a
scarecrow set to frighten fools away. I"
Perhaps-well. in word, perhaps his
only object was to furnish a much
needed war-cry-rallying slogan to
his scattered and demoralized party.
HEparrc