Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1896-02-14

quality of the grecnbacks.
The great commoner and honest Nermonter,
Thad stevens, one Of the foremost and ablest
Of all the leaders in that time OF the nations
great struggle for existence, is said to have
she'd tears when he saw that this monstrous
clause which, as he feared, would double the
tzpense Of the war. would have 70 be ac
cepted.
This was the beginning, Mr. Sherman
stating that his vote for the bill, believed to be
absolutely essential to the prosecution of the
war, would depend upon the acceptance of
this amendment Mr.. Morrill,, then a menu
Der of the house, now senator from Vermont,
opposed the bill but favored this amendment,
as he has since every measure that put money
into the pockets of the rich.
From that date down the money power has
been in the saddle, and from that date down
its only thought in legislation has been to
augment its wealth.
Men Of Vermont brave men, toiling men,
true men, nursed under the shadows Of free
Of independence that DEGREES destruction to all
tyrants, or destroyers OF the public good, what
are you going to do about it2 Will you stand
by indifferent and see your property stolen, your
families scattered and your independence taken
away by this damnable crew of pirates, through
these laws that with silent but irresistible
force mass the property Of the nation in few
hands at the great ccntcrs of wealth? We use
these harsh words not because we want to. for
we do not wantto; but because the nature of the
crimes perpetrated make them necessary. Farm
ers Of Vermont, consider for only moment the
fall in the value OF your lands and Of your
products. How will the children go to school
How will your homes be made attractive
How will the obligations be met in face of a
low and constantly falling scale of prices :?
The only occasion Of this is our
financial laws, that should be alter
ed These laws are the work Of the money
power of the country under the leadership Of
the property of the wealthy. They do this at
the expense and only at the expense Of
the masses of the people. Suppose we
change them and make laws that will aid the
plain people Of the country. increasing their
holdings. and widely scattering wealth in
stead OF aggrcgatng it. DO you not think
that this would make fair and desirable
change? Then take hold like men and ac-
compsh it, for you can do it. In free
country like this the plain people should rule
and not putocracy. Justice and not inequity
should triumph. Law and order and not rob
berry prevail in high places.
In the first part Of this pamphlet we have
touched upon the different laws passed by the
money power since 1862 to cause the wealth
Of the country to flow into their hands. We
have shown hat every one Of these laws was
unjust.
We have shown OF what vast proportions
the stealings from them have been; how dis
astrous to the nation, until, at last. prosperity
has entirely fled, and poverty like great
shadow broodS over the land. The prices of
property, whether land or;products, has fallen
about one half. That OF labor, sustained by
labor organizations for while, is gradually
falling TO the same level or lower, for If the
farmer and the manufacturer make no profit
they cannot employ labor and eventually
large numbers, and constantly growing larger
will be without employment. whilst those en-
ploycd must be at low wages. Aswe have shown
the great cause OF this is the reduction Of the
that every change in the volume Of money
affects that II prices. \one OF the economic
laws OF nature are more certain than this
We have already quoted many and most IT,
lustious authorities in regard to the force Of
this law HE law is universally recognized
No authority dispute, it. But a, it i, at this
time most important that everyone should I'M
derstand, in lis most minute workings, this
science OF prices; this wonderful mechanism
by which the volume OF money in a country
marks with uncuing certainty, the scale Of
prices. and holds them in allowance, changing
them as itself is changed We add here the
following brilliant exposition of the money
question by one OF Americas most talented
statesmen, John c. Calhoun. In speech de-
hvered in the United States senate March 81,
1884, Mr. alhoun said;
"All feel that the currencv'i> a delicate sub
ject, requiring to be touched with the utmost
caution; but in order that it may he seen as
well as well AS felt why it is ST. delicate, why