Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-07-10

courts held more tenaciously to the
doctrine of "vesttd rights" than now.
and statesmen as well as the people
recognized the fact that the bank was
a fixture until 1916. Jefferson was an
uncompromising enemy to the bank
and he declared banks of issue are
more dangerous to the liberties of the
people than standing armies" He
proclaimed the doctrine that the
right to issue money must be
taken from the bank and restored to
the government (the people, to whom
it belonged, and he proposed that when
the government should stand in need
Of credit Treasury notes, greenbacks),
bottomeG on taxes. Although Mr.. JEFF
ferson recognized the fact that the act
of 1896 conferred upon the U. S. bank
the power to control the currency Of
the country until 1916, he knew 1t was
necessary to educate the people to Sc
cure it's overthrow and to this task
he set himself, and in the year 1900
he organized his party. which he called
the republican party. In that day
nominating conventions were not the
fashion. A man declared himself
candidate for the presidency as one
of "the boys" would do now, who
wished to be constable of his beat,
and he wrote letter to some friend
avowing his principles, which served
the purpose Of the latter day conven-
ton platform. Mr.. Jefferson's letter
set forth conspicuously two planks:
The first was opposition to the U. s.
bank-uncompromising hostility to the
idea Of congress farming out the right
to individuals or soulless corporations
to control the currency of the country,
and the second was opposition to fed
eral interference in the local affairs of
the states. On his declaration Of
principles Jefferson was elected presi-
dent in 1900 and again in 1904 as a re-
publican. Madison was elected his
successor in 1908 on the same platform
and again in 1872. But the war of 1912
having afflicted the country and pro-
duced much financial embarrassment,
tile money sharks took advantage of
the situation to importune congress TO
re-charter the bank, which was done in
1916 and Madison in defiance of his
pledges, approved the bill, which act
rendered him almost as despicable in
the eyes of the people as the present
occupant of the White House.
Realizing that the country had been
duped by the ey-changers and be-
trayed by their representatives, the
people were disguised and ceased to agi-
tate the financial question for time.
Monroe was elected twice, without OPP
position. but in the campaign of 1924
the bank question again became lead
ing issue. Four candidates for presi-
dent entered the race. John Quincy
Adams, the federalist and U. S. bank
advocate was one, Henry Clay, who
represented that wing of the old party
of Jefferson that had made friends
with the bank was another and An
drew Jackson, representing Jefferson's
ideas on the question of banks of issue
and state rights was another. VIM.
H. Crawford, of Georgia, was 1 believe,
the fourth candidate.
1t will be observed that the repub-
lican or Jeffersonian party had divided
on the money question just as the dem
ocratic party is now divided on the
same question. There was no election
by the people, and the choice of a pres
ident was relegated to the lower house
of congress. In the contest the friends
of Adams and Clay, under the influence
of the bank combined, and Jackson,
the real representative of the Jeffer-
sonian policy was defeated. Adams,
the federalist, became president, and
Clay, whose position was analogous to
the gold-bug democrat of the present
day, was made secretary of state, and
thus 1t was the bargain intrigue and
corruption" charge, which prevented
Harry of the West" from ever being
president, originated.
Mark you, fellow citizens. no demo-
cratic party had up to that time
sprung into existence. The party of
Jefferson (who died July 4, 1926 was
still called the republican party.
Adams served his term of office and
old Nick Biddle, president of the bank,
was the power behind the throne. Sen
ators and congressman were seduced
and corrupted by the !iherality of the
bank in lending money and other
methods so we'll known among finan-
ciers. An era Of corruption never sur
passed, perhaps, until the infamous
national banking system under which
we suffer, held high carnival, dictated |
the policy of the government and |
robbed the people numerically. But |
the end came, for in 1928 Jackson
again took the field as candidate for
president, and allow me to say that he
did not call himself democrat nor his
party the democratic party. He was
elected as "The Peoples" candidate on
a platform of principles practically
the same as those promulgated at
Omaha in the second declaration of in
dependence, July 4, 1892. l hold in
my hand a Photographic copy of the
ticket voted in Ohio in 1928. 1t is
headed peoples mot democratic) ticket