Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-01-17
THURSTON'S VIEWS
The New Nebraska Senator
Defines His Position.
FOR PROTECTION AND RECIPROCITY.
Not Favorable to the Currency Bills Now
Before Congress. but Would Hasten the
Return Of American Bimetallism-what
He Has to Say of Labor PrOblems-Pub.
lication of a Letter Two Years Old Writ
ten by Senator Hill.

ten by Senator Hill.
LINCOLN, Neb., Jan. 17.-There was an
! interesting scene in the joint convention
OF the senate and house when the newly
elected senator, John NJ. Thurston took
the platform to tell his friends and enc
mies where he was at regarding the
questions now pressing for solution He
said in part: IF the Republicans can Sc
cure the necessary votes they should or.
ganize both branches of congress and fear
iessiy assume the responsibility of legisla-
lation. The Republican party has always
had the courage to fight in the open field,
and its ultimate objects should not be
party success, but the welfare of our coun.
try. l am in favor of the speedy enact
ment Of n protective tariff law modelle d
upon the general lines of the Mckinley
act and embodying the reciprocity ideas
Of James G. Blaine.
American Men for American Work.
ut is my profound conviction that the
prosperity of this country and its people
especially of the industrial masses-de-
pends upon the broadcast application Of
the American idea that whatever labor is
to be done for the people of the United
States shall be done by the people of the
United States, under the stars and stripes,
and that the prices of the products of
American labor shall be fixed by Ameri-
can conditions and American competition
My general views upon the financial situ-
alton are as follows: Our people have
been too anxious to pay off in a single
generation the great war debt Our gi-
gantic payments have taken too much Of
the gold out of the country.
How He Would Stop the Gold Outeo.
''FOr the present at least we should be
satisfied with legislation under which we
can refund our outstanding bonds at the
lowest possible rate of interest, leaving
further payments of principal to a more
prosperous and favorable time. l would
put a stop to the outflow of gold from the
treasury first, by requiring that all i'm.
port duties should be paid in gold at the
option of the treasurer of the United
States, and second, by insisting upon
the right of redemption in either gold or
silver of outstanding notes, whenever it
becomes apparent that redemption is be-
ing demanded for speculative purposes.
1t is said that such n policy would drive
gold to a premium. In my judgment we
can better afford to have gold at a pre-
mium than prosperity at a discount.
Believes In the National Banks.
81 do not believe in any of the banking
schemes which have been proposed by the
dominant party in congress. No bank in
the United States should be permitted to
issue single dollar until its redemption
is fully secured by the deposit of govern
ment bonds in the national treasury.
| 1,o Of xx-il r..
cat money by the general government or
by any state in the Union. Our national
banking system should be preserved. 1t
is the best human ingenuity has yet de-
yised. l favor, amendments. however, in
the following particulars: The substi-
tuition of low interest bond as security
for the national bank issue; au-
thority to issue bank notes to the full
amount Of the bond deposits; collection
of a tax on the entire authorized issue
and the imposition of a heavy penalty or
forfeiture of charter for failure to keep it
all in circulation.
Would Not Retire Greenbacks.
81 do not agree with those who would
retire our greenbacks and treasury notes.
am in favor Of keeping every one in cir.
culation, and there can be no danger in
doing so if we will adopt the policy al
ready stated of meeting all speculative de-
mands for redemption by tender of either
gold or silver at the option of the govern
pept N accordance with the Specific terms