The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-05-10
"Then1 Steers"

The statesmen OF New England
assume that the restoration of silver
as it stood from the foundation of
the government until 1873 would
be absurd and unjust. They assume
there is only one side to the finan-
cial question, and that is the gold
side. They are willing to coin sill
yer in limited amounts on a gold
basis, but to make the silver dollar
its own redeemer they hold it a
financial vagary, unworthy of can
did discussion.
This question has been discussed
in Congress, and today a majority
of the United States Senate agree
with the 5000 men who voted for
Bateman at the last Maine election,
and are i'll favor of the free coinage
of silver at Is to /. The advocates
of the single gold standard don't
like to discuss the question because
their arguments are from the stand
point of the money lender. On the
other hand, the silver Senators are
eager for the fray because their
arguments are from the standpoint
of the producer. | have read the
speeches in the Congressional
Record of the last session of the
New England delegation, and ]
confess that [ have sometimes been
almost ashamed that | was born a
Yankee.
When the present delegation
from Maine were first elected to
Congress they were paid their sal
aries in the equivalent" of gold,
and they are paid now in the
equivalent" of gold, but gold has
doubled in purchasing power dur
ing their terms of service. Their
salaries have doubled in value but
the assets of their constituents have
shrunk one-half. Our New Eng
land statesmen tell us that "every
dollar is as good as every Other
dollar, but they forget to tell us
that every dollar that is borrowed
on time has to be paid in a better
dollar than was borrowed.
Our New England statesmen have
amused themselves and fooled the
people as long as they can on the
tariff, and have got to face the silver
question. There is already heard
among the New England hills a
hyena how about the 50-cent dollar
The silver question is going to be
the hottest Iron in the fire of Amer.
lean politics that there has beer
since the Slavery issue.
The free coinage of silver is moi
the cure all. 1t meteS out very
small measure of justice to tn,
debtor and producer. 1t is the frs
step on the ladder of financial free
dom. When the people have
achieved financial freedom there
will be no such thing as redeemins
money only as its owner parts witt
it for something he desires more.
The demonstration of silver il
1873, the credit strengthening acts
the repeal of the Sherman act, tn,
proposition of President Cleveland
to issue S500,000,000 gold bonds
and burn up 500,000,000 green
backs and Treasury notes are al
parts Of the same piece-haying on,
object in Niew-the appreciation o
money. Approaching money can
not be used i'll production withou
loss to the producer. Approaching
money is valuable for investment
in stocks that are absolutely sure
is valuable for the miSer to hoart
and enables the non-producins
money lender to live in luxury a
low cost.
The time has come for the PEG
ple's party to make the campaign
of 1896 on the money question
and make our grievance the curs'
of approaching money. Make on
platform so plain and simple tina
it will go in the wind, and so tru'
and Just that the man does not liv'
who has learning enough to gainSay
it. The money kings Of the worlC
are seeking through the forms o
law to appreciate money so that the
interest on their bonds will be pai6
i'll dollars of ever increasing value
Right here is our point Of attack,
In this connection the silver ques
ton is burning question. Ere,