Omaha daily bee., 1896-10-26
ETHAN ALLEN oN SILVER.
An Interview with the Manager of
GrcCIcy'S Campaign.

New 1ufk sun
While no lived. and as long as he lived.
Horace Greeley was the fast friend Of the
American farmer Whether his advice was
always correct is OF no Importance now;
but his heart was always in the right place
when agricultural! interests were the subject
OF discussion. Ethan Allen was the chair
man of the national committee which tried
to make Mr.. Greeley president OF the Uni
ted States and perhaps can speak for the
great editor as well as any other man now
living. Mr. Allen was asked the other day
why he had not been upon the stump as
usual in the campaign.
Il was asked" said he. by the national
committee and by Mr.. Hanna, in July last.
TO give this service, and l intended doing
so. But i'll health forced me to the rear.
j have done my share Of that work since
Lincoln was the candidate, and others
should now carry II on. II is correct to say
that Horace Greeley would have been hot
for Mckinley were he alive. He was, how
ever, the farmers friend before all other
classes and were he satisfied that unlimited
free coinage would benefit the Agricultural
he would have pushed this idea along, re-
gardless Of his republicanism, or his well
known protective sentiments. The farmer
held no secondary place in his heart But
his whole life was a refutation OF a diluted
currency None knew better than this
grand old man that money was but the thing
OF commerce and that II did not control
commerce. After the civil war 1t was he
who led the way from an expanding paper
currency to a gold basis by his edict, the
way to resume is to resume This phrase
became the shibbOleth OF parties and was
followed to a successful demonstration.
John Sherman. who officially conducted
this nation from a fluctuatng sea OF green
backs to the solid ground OF coin, had in
Horace Greeley his most helpful colaborer.
In the fierce heat OF the fight while IL was
contended that greenbacks should redeem
our bonds and become the currency OF the
rcDublic-thc quantity to be, according 10
the ability to print them--he said to me:
You might as well legislate that the wind
shall blow northeast on the Fourth of July
as to fix the value Of paper currency by
law Here Is epitomized the whole argu-
ment. You can't legslate against the laws
OF nature for nature will beat your man
dates every time. man who has some
thing to sell will insist that he Is getting
full value in the thing returned This is
Law OF nature not commerce. and all the
legislatures ever assembled can't change 1t.
Then by this law he won't take silver II
silver is OF lesser value than any other
currency In the market. This brings us
face 10 face with the question: Can the
government by Its stamp make silver in
endless quantities the equivalent OF gold?
Bryan and his followers say II can; common
sense says IL can't. limited amount or
silver the government can control and carry.
Unlimited free coinage. and this is the
Bryan platform in meaning II not in words,
would stamp the government just as Mr..
Greeley foTesaw greenbacks would do, If
permitted to become a currency without
foundation OF coin to support them.
at is true that in Mr.. Greeey's day sill
yer took It's place as the equal Of gold IN the
resumption OF specie payments but this was
silver TO a limited degree. Conditions have
since changed. and unlimited silver now
would be disastrous in Mr.. Greeley's
eyes. were he alive today. as were a free
issue OF rredeemable greenbacks while he
lived. make no spology for appealing 10
Mr.. Greeley for counsel though 1t comes
from his tomb. The example of great think
ers. their advice. and teachings, though
dead are often the safest guide TO the liy-
ing. and the state which despises such coun-
sci may miss the path of safety"