The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-11-12
A BIMETALLIC DREAM.

l. d very CuElOuS cream IaSG
night. While meditating on the con-
dition of the country, 1 fell asleep and
dreamed that Grover Cleveland had
been converted and had reformed and
made up his mind to emulate the ex
ample of the noble Lincoln and be the
President Of the whole people. Yes, a
very unlikely thing, too improbable
indeed to be eve true in a dream
Hence, in my dream I wondered much.
In harmony with this purpose he dis
charged Secretary Carlisle, not heed
ing his protestations that he was will
ling to flop back again and become
once more a good bimetallist if he could
only be permitted to retain his Office
and I was called to assume the position
of Secretary of the Treasury.
In the course of my dream, the next
day after taking possession of the de-
partment, some of the New York
London gold and bond spectators who
are giving the administration so much
trouble to maintain it's gold reserve,
presented two million five hundred
thousand dollars in currency for re-
demption. They expected as hereto
fore to get gold and ship it abroad
not that anybody across the water
wanted it, but by shipping it and hav-
ing the facts concerning it's shipment
published all over the country, they
could strongly effect the stock and pro
duce markets and thus make a fat
thing out Of it. They also intended to
keep on in the same line until the gold
reserve was depleted and another bond
issue made necessary.
They cleared ten million dollars cut
of the last bond issue and were hun
cry for another slice off the same fat
cheese. Immediately I sent for a nun
Der of drays and set an army of clerks
to work hauling out the bags of silver
which had for 10! these many years
been idle and useless in the treasury
vaults, which we're shipped to the
aforesaid manipulators of Uncle Sans
finances.
Then there was a howl-a mighty
howl-which made Wall street shake
from end to end. It was heard across
the water. Lombard street took it up
and howled in unison, and the goldite
papers in England and America had
new fonts of type cast in order to get
letters big enough to express their in
dignation at what they call the
"dastardly act of reputation" But I
tilted back in my comfortable chair in
the Office and quietly smiled.
The big brokers and stock gamblers
from New York came in droves to ex
press their indignation and protest, but
l kept on smiling. Even the great
Rothschild himself, not trusting to an
agent, took the first steamer to Amer
lea to enter his protest. He also took
MI quietly aside and showed me some
bags of gold which he said should be
mine, and that he would make me a
great London banker a la ex, secretary
McCulloch if 1 would only follow the
example of my predecessors and use
gold only for redemption purposes.
I replied, "Get thee behind me,
Satan" and continued to smile. Then
some big lawyers came down from New
York and Senator Sherman and other,
Senators and politicians, who are ser
wants of the oddities in Congress, came
to see me. First, they held out big
promises, even the presidential Office
itself was within my grasp if I would
do their bidding. Then they threat
ened and finally damned in turn. The
said I had no right CIR warrant
IN law to redeem currency in silver,
and that I should be impeached.
To this I answered: Gentlemen. the
law says these things shall be redeemed
coin. Silver is coin. Ihave greater
warrant OF law to pay out this silver
than to issue bonds to replete a looted
gold reserve" Then I smiled again
that smile became conta-
glous. Prices took an upward turn.
The wheels of commerce and industry
slowly to move again. The tide
seemed to set inrtoWards real pros
not indeed the kind which is
found alone in the political papers for
purposes, but real prosperity.
the farmer, manufacturer.
miner aad merchant all began to smile. ]
In the course of my dream another {
thing happened. The people {
became aroused and, disregarding {
party lines or s~traddlebug party plat l