Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-01-24
The Integrity That Defrauds.

The Republic has been filled latterly
with railing at the 16 to l ratio. 1t
says that it would rob every banker.
every man of means. place US on sill
yer basis, and bring financial wreck
and ruin to the country. in about the
same ratio that the unconditional re-
peal OF the Sherman act it so ardently
championel brought prosperity.
In its structures upon the bill pre-
sented by Senntor Vest, it overfiows
with sympathy for the unfortunate
bond-holder, the oppressed national
banker, and the distressed usurer. In
sentences moist with its weeping it de-
plores the hardships of these much in
jured men. But there is not one word
of commiseration for the poor devil
| who has seen the value of his farm,
and in deed of everything else he pos
sessed On earth, reduced by one-half,
| while his burden of debt was increas-
ed in nearly the same proportion,
through no fault of his; who has seen,
year after year, the property he had
accumulated for his wife and little ones
against the rainy day, disappear, little
by little, with feeling that he was
under an evil spell that he could not
free himself from. No word of pity for
| the tradesman forced to the wall be-
cause of the inability of his customers,
however honest they might be, to pay
him for the commodities they had
to have in order to live-and that in
ability result of the gold standard
these highwaymen of commerce have
forced upon the people.
1t was no crime to take from a man
half his farm. half of his labor, and
make him pay his debt twice over; this
is simply one of the incidents of trade:
| but it is au enormity for the same man
stored to the sum he contracted to pay,
and that his stolen land shall be re-
turned to him that he may have an OPP
portunity to lay up something for the
wife and children after he is no longer
able to protect them with his strong
arm. Such a demand, according to
the Republic, is fiat anarchy that calls
| loud for Eadaral froops
If you catch man with your stolen
horse you must not claim your prop
erty, for that would leave the poor
devil afoot. As he has it in his poses
sion, he ought to be allowed to retain
it, even though you should be unable
to get in your crop without its aid.
The Tory press will admit that the
Free Coinage of Silver at ratio of 16
to would arise farm values. raise the
| value of commodities, and at last raise
wages; but the poor national banker
would be hurt, and such a thing must
not be thought of or talked about.
Yet this paper. without one heart
throb of sympathy for the producing
classes of this country, claims to be the
leading Democratic organ of our state!
No wonder defeat came to US at last
election.
In 1892 the people of the whole
country turned to US for help in their
time of need. We had promised them
aid. Every consideration of honor.
every prompting of humanity, demand
ed that We should keep our solemn
pledges: but when power had been en-
trusted to our hands the men of the
cornfield and workshop saw our lead
ers violate every promise and break
every pledge we had made to them
while seeking power. Is it strange
that they turned their backs upon US
in 81? What right have we, if mat
tiers are continued thus, to look for
their support in 90?