The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-05-03
Must Either Fight or Run.

Must Either Fight or Run.
The following remarkable statement
appears in last weeks WatchmaH:
''If the present financial system of the
country is wrong and is bringing distress
and business destruction to the people,
we must prove it by the most practical
and conclusive evidence. AS the situation
stands to-day we are on the defensive so
far as financial reform is concerned and
must either run or fight
If overwhelming proof has not been
furnished on that subject we may well
despair of being able to make it more
conclusive. The proof has been so clearly
unanswerable that the gold trust and
bank trust have accepted it and declare
the present financial system must be
readjusted, and have laid down their lines
of amendment in the Baltimore plan.
Gas the situation stands to-day we are on
the defensive" etc. Which is to say the
Populists have presented no financial
plan, then how are we on the "defen-
sive ?" The MIDLAND JOURNAL pointed
out months ago that our leaders had
failed to submit anything definite as a
financial plan or system, and insisted that
we must submit definite plan to take
the place of the national banks. Free
coinage and government issue of legal
tender currency is advanced by our party
opponents, and with this general declara-
ton they stop. When the people ask how
the government could get such currency
into circulation and determine the
amount, the leaders of the party have no
answer for them. And now when the
enemy comes boldly out with Cam
paign of education OIL sound money! the
Watcthnan seems to have suddenly walked
up to the fact that, Gas the situation
stands to-day we are on the defensive as
far as financial reform is concerned and
must either run or fight" Where can we
run and what will we defend if we have
nothing definite in financial reform"
We don't care to use the trite phrase 1--WE
told you so" but the MIDLAND JOURNAL.
pointed out this fact and insisted on
something definite months ago. and now
the Watchman is crying out, Samson,
the Philistiens be upon thee"
In the same issue correspondent in
quires what is proposed to take the place
of national banks, and the answer he gets
is: Gas to the method of getting money
out among the people, there is wide
difference of opinion. The detail may be
left to the wisdom of those who shall be
called upon to provide for it. We believe
in government loans to the people i'll a
proper, safe and legitimate manner,
which we believe will not be difficult to
find"
And is this the best answer that the
party has for an earnest seeker after in
formation at this stage of the battle ?
Such answer would rather turn away
from, than invite to the party. The peo-
pie have been listening to the changes
rung on the financial questions for the
past several years, and when our leaders
are asked for something definite they can
give nothing but talk of run or fight. -"
1t is disheartening and discouraging as
the ineficiency of the men vino have
been placed in control appears, as the
critical hour is neared
The financial plank of the Omaha plat
form is the, at present, all important
plank. 1t, as drawn two years ago, ex-
presses general principle, suggests
rather than recommends the subtreasury
plan mapped out by the Farmers ALI
ance, and left it to time and future de-
velopments to shape'th financial policy.
But the men who were placed in COM
mand have contented themselves with
marking time on this plank, and now the
hour has struck when the people are
asking what is your financial plan for the
future, and the spokesman of the party
have none
Free coinage will not settle this ques-
ton. 1t would raise silver to the gold
value of coiu and the silver would flow to
Europe and Asia as rapidly as gold has
been going. 1t will always be worth as
much to the old world for money and in
the arts as to us, and they will take it as
readily at 1919 cents an ounce as at 60 or
70 cents. They always have done so and
always will.
There is but one answer to the question
of what substitute do you propose for the
national bank and that substitute is a
government banking system. There is
absolutely none other. Not even a sug-
gestion OF anything else has been offered,
and few independent spirits in the party
have presented the plan of government
banks, and it is clearly this or the gold
trust yoke which the Wakcliman talks of
running from. But there is no escape by
running, and the public must be answered
what the fight is for. This is no time to
be found on the defensive.
To tha Atoericau oaooIa ,,,t,o ono 80.