The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-07-11

The following letter from Petroleum
V. Nasty on the silver question, first
appeared In the Toledo Blade in January,
1878. The Blade says Taken In con-
nection with the recent Democratic state
convention in Kentucky 1t shows that
public opinion down there has been
greatly enlightened, when compared
with the 'Confedrit x Roads view as
expressed by Mr.. Nasby:"
Confedrit x Roads
(Which IS in the state of Kentucky.
Jan. %, 1878.
l amt so certln that want the sill
ver bill to pass ez / wuz. The fact is
the thing don't work as sposed 1t
wood, and / amt clear onto 1t. There
is suttle principles in these flnanshel
questions wich requires q great dee
NV thought and there is underlying
principles wich a man has got to un-
derstand afore he is competent to set
hisself up ez authority.
One thing 1 am certain NV, Bascom
aln't no finanseer, and never will be,
and l told him So
''Wat Is a dinanseer?" asked ne.
"A fnanseer," sed /, assooming the
look of Dan'l Webster, "is a man wich
kin pay his debts with nothln'-a man
wich kin git suthin with nothin'.
"The Corners then, Ls full of finan-
seers," he remarkt, bitterly castin' a
casual glance at his slate wich wuz jst
full enuff to turn over and begin on the
tothsr side.
But he hezn't any Nv the science NV
1t. l wuz argooing with him the other
day In favor NV my noshun NV leather
currency, though i told him silver WIZ
much the Same thing, and, for example,
7 hat fn hp
the currency NV the fucher.
Now, don't yoo see, Bascom, that ef
| he'd tweed ez much money, l Good
drink twict as much whislsey, and pay
for dt?"
"How much is twict nothin'?" wuz
the unfeelin' anser Nv the tyrant who
holds the destinies NV the Corners in
his hands. "Tbat's wot yoor capitle hez
bin ever sence l knowd you"
"Parson," said he, II don't see what
earthly difference it's goini TO make
whether silver is currency or anything
else. How are yoo a-go.n' to git silver
ef It Is made legal tender? Ef silver
wuz ez plenty ez bricks, wat hev yoo
got to git any NV It with?"
''rroo, c. W." wuz my answer; but
can't yoo see that to hev silver wood
relieve the dettor class? Even now,
afore 1t is legal tender It's only wuth
N cents on THE dollar, and when the
country is fioodid with it, 1t will go
st,ll lower. Then we-or rather sLch
NV us ez hev property to raise money
on-kln pay off,"
'sDggsactly so,'' retorts Bascom; you
kin pay me fer the good honist l1kker
NV mine, wich 700 hev consoomed' IN
coin wich Is hess than the dollar yoo
pnom sed, All rite. But look here
come I'M here all NV 700, want yoo
silver men to know exactly wat yoo
are rushln into"
And THIS feend led us In to the back
room--that back room wich contains the
subsistence NV the Corners There, IN
long rows, wuz Bascom's stock There,
In barrls, piled one on top NV another,
wuz this delishus whisky NV Louisville
NV different ages, rangin from that NV
two weeks old to that wich he'd Jist
left the still and was scarcely cold yit..
There Ct lay, and ez my eve ranged
af6sclSshunately over u, felt of l Good
hey the drinluln' NV all that liklxer
wood be content to lay down and die
when the last drop wuz gone.
Bascom pinted TO an immense tank
wich he had erectid within few days,
with a pipe runnin in from the roof.
II shan't raise the price NV likker
in conscience NV be.n' paid for 1t In
a depreshiatld currency" sed he.
fell on Bascom's neck in an ex-
tacy NV delite. while the others shoutid
"Rah for Bascoml"
"G w" 4 remarkt while teers, suf-
| feosed my kyes. II never placed you
much below the angels, but this gem
erous act has histid yoo a hundred per
cent In my estlmashun, Bless you, G.
| W., bless yoo."
"But I'll tell yoo wat shell do. Do
| yoo see that tank2" sed he.
May l asg wat that Is for?" l sed
THAT tank will I'LL with rane-water,"
| sed he. 'aThe moment yoo sit 10 payin'
me IN sAver, l shell take out NV each
nv them barrils jist eggsackly three
and one-fifth gallons NV liSler, and I'LL
It with water"
"Merclful hevingsl" we all exclaimed.
and yoor likker so weak now!'
And when silver gifts down TO seventy
| Ave cents on the dollar l shell take out
| twenty-five per cent OF whisky and fill
her up with twenty-five per cent NV
water And so on down. II silver goes
! up ! shell add whisky eggsaclxly In pro-
| porshea. In short my whisky Is jist
/ agoin' TO foller currency, and nothin'
shorter. Yoo feilers witch work fur
wagls may swet. but WON'T
"But WOOL increase the size OF yoor
| glasses?' sed l.
mot any. But you may drink twice
ez many times TO Sit the same amount
NV drink ez before, by payin' for eech
drink"
And Bascom stalked hawtily back and
took his posishen behind his bar.
Thsr wuz consternashun In the Cor
ners sch ez I hev never seen. Their
wuz a hurried consultashun at the Deck
ms house, and / sejestld that We eman-
cipate ourselves from the dominyun NV
this tyrant by starEn' a grocery NV
our own, on che Joint stock principle