The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1896-10-16

There never has been Il more inter-
eSting campaign to the American peo-
pie than the one in which we are now
engaged. 1t is fraught with interest
from whatever standpoint it may be
regarded. The issue is clearly drawn
and there can be no mistake. 1t is
said by many of our opponents that
the question should never have been
submitted to a vote of the people, but
it should have been settled by legisla-
ton. We have seen the turmoil in
which the whole country has been in
volved while Congress has been at
tempting to deal with the subject, and
all the time business has been depress-
ed and conditions have been growing
from bad to worse. Those who hold
such views are afraid to trust the peo-
pie, and strike at the very foundation
stone OF our system Of Government
The people are supposed to know what
they need, and their views and wishes
are expressed at the ballot box. This
is the only means that are left them,
and if this right be taken from them.
that is, the right to decide any ques-
ton affecting their daily concerns, then
indeed they are incapable of popular
government. and we drift at once to a
different form of government. But the
people are to be trusted, and especially
upon question like the present Then
again our opponents say the only trou-
bile is want Of confidence, and with
this virtue in full play everything will
be righted and times will adjust them
selves. But how much more patience
is expected Of the people who have
been waiting so many years for the
promised change: Then again it is
said that there is too much restlessness
and uneasiness among the people, and
that there is really no cause for it. But
the man who is out Unemployment can
not look at the matter in this light,
nor can the farmer who at the end of
the years labor finds himself in debt
for the crop he has produced, is apt to
b" in a very calm and contented frame
of mind. He finds that confidence can
not give him bread on the one hand
nor supply his penniless condition with
money. No, there is deeper cause of
all the stagnation in our affairs and
the thoughtful masses have come to be-
lieve that the trouble is in the financial
system Of this Government. They
have come t. the belief that the cause
of all our troubles is IN the debasement,
by law, of one of the coins Of our colln-
try, because ever since 1878. when sill |
Yer was demonetiZed. the tide has been
setting against them. The double
standard, or in other words gold and
silver, have been recognized as money
for all purposes since the foundation
of the Government. Never before the |
law OF 1873 WAS the value of a silver |
dollar questioned. nor was the least |
doubt cast upon the bullion value Of
the silver that it contained Why |
should it be SO now: Why should we
be brought face to face with the propo-
sltlon at this late day, that after all !
silver Is only a debased coin, and that
gold is to be looked upon as the only
real money; How much gold is ever
seen i'll the transactions of business.
l ''oes i'' 'iIt"iaIe as money IL can
not be divided into fractional currency
as can silver and it is something that
is too precious for every day use.
There is actually not gold enough in
the world coined into money to con-
duct the business Of all the nations of
the earth for twenty four hours.
W hat then is the reason that we can
not have another coin to help out the
work Of gold! This We have had since
he h"gir ing Of time, and the very