People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1895-11-21
VIM. j. LIngenfelter Is With Us.


OF our Democratic friends that the
Democratic party would never afford
any relief on the financial question, it
was certainly supplied by the results
of the election in the eastern states
on Tuesday. Republicans were victo-
riOuS everywhere. The lines which
have heretofore divided the Demo-
cratic and Republican parties seem to
have been Obliterated.
In rambling around endeavering to
learn election news We accidentally
ran across our old time friend, ex-
Senator VIM. ]. Lingenfelter, whose
judgment on matters political, is al
ways the result of mature thought
and deliberatiOn, and carries with it
the wisdom of many years service In
the ranks of the Democratic party.
We asked him for his opinion as to
the causes and results of the recent
election.
lIesitating, at first, somewhat, he
stated that we would doubtless be
surprised to know just what he did
think Of it.
Our curiosity was thus somewhat
aroused and we courtsously insisted
that he give us his views.
WELL" said the Senator, 81 am
much panied at the results of Tues
days elections in the east,
81 have been a faithful member of
and believer in the time-houOred
principles Of Democracy from my
boyhood. / learned early in life that
the Democratic party was the party
of the people, l was taught that the
foundation Of the Democratic party
was laid during Washington's admin
istration, when Jefferson as Secretary
Of State, waged his contest with
Hamilton, who as secretary of the
Treasury originated the system of
currency to be issued by the banks
opposition to which has ever since
been cardinal doctrine Of the Dem
ocratic party. History records that
Jackson followed in the Democratic
footsteps Of Jefferson in his opposition
to National banks. They planted
themselves firmly upon the constitu-
tioD, which gave to the people the
right TO have the mints Of the govern
ment open to the free coinage Of bott
gold and silver and withheld from
National banks and syndicates the
power to issue and control the nature
and volume Of our currency.
This doctrine was successfully main
tained for eighty-one years BY the
Democratic party.
The Republican party, true to tht
instincts Of its founder, Hamilton
displaced this doctrine and demone-
tized silver, made gold the sole unit
OF value and In the interest Of Ma
tional banks imposed a prohibitory
tax on state bank issues, and provided
a National banking currency, ant
now seeks to retire our greenbacks
1t has converted our public debt int
coin obligations (which under thu
constitution consists Of both gold ant
silver, and then by the demonetiza
tion Of silver has destroyed one-hali
OF the money in which they were made
payable, thus doubling the value oi
the remaining half.
Against all these proceedings,
have learned, as Democrat. to pro
test. After as full and free investiga
tion as / am capable Of making ] still
think this usurpation Of the powers
and destruction Of the rights, OF the
people as disastrous as ever,
But 1t seems that those entrusted
with the fortunes of the Democratic
party have concluded that the doc
trine OF the party, which l have
learned TO love, is not the proper one
to be carried out; that instead Of re.
storing to the people their rights tc
''coin money aid regulate the value
thereof" that this blessed privilege
must be awarded 10 National banks
and syndicates must be invoked To
buy gold and sell bonds in time OF
peace; that no step toward the re-
monetization of silver and its rehabili.
tation as money can be taken without
bankruptcy and ruin to the country.
l do not take any stock in such a
position. / believe the sooner we re-
turn TO the free coinage Of both gold
and silver, as it existed prior to 1873,