Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1896-06-26

the south which followed the war, is sub
stantially settled. So, too, is the revision
of the tariff, which next challenged the
attention of the voters.
Now comes that of the currency, also
deranged during the war and since. The
question here of vital Importance is
whether we shall have money enough to
insure prosperity to the nation. This
takes the phase of a silver question be-
cause our redemption money was com
posed of gold and silver, and by the de-
monetization of silver is being reduced
about one-half.
The question then before us is, shall
we have bimetallism or the single gold
standard. Every reader of the REGISTER
we believe understands its significance.
Bimetallism means substantially double
the amount of money, and that means an
increased price for all the products of the
farm. The single gold standard means
still lower prices and still harder times
for our farmers.
TO suppose that in this contest the
farmers of Vermont can he delivered
over, bound with withes by adroit law
vers in the interest of few bondholders
and other wealthy mehe to their own com
plete and lasting destruction, we do not
believe.
And yet this is exactly what is pro-
posed. 1t is exactly what was done
in the following resolution passed at the
recent republican State convention at
Burlngton
We denounce and condemn the attempt to
establish a free and unlimited coinage OF sill.
Yer rs destructive to the best interests of the
people and, if successful, sure to injurc and
debase the credit OF this country.
As we are informed, the resolutions
were introduced into the convention
pending the counting of the votes for
the candidate for governor, at one of the
most exciting ballots in a convention
that has ever taken place in Vermont.
This in itself was a trick. AS almost a
matter of course there would be very
little attention paid to the resolutions at
such time, and as matter of fact we
are informed that there was none. The
chairman of the committee on resolutions
was MIR. johnson, lawyer, of Woodstock,
and the resolutions themselves are sup
posed to have been his handwork.
The machinery of the party is mainly,
if not entirely, under the control of men
of wealth who favor gold standard, or
of politicians who easily favor anything
that will place or keep them in Office.
The rank and file Of the voters, com
posed very largely of the industrious
farmers of the State, and composed al
together of its plain citizenship, had in
this matter no spokesman and got no
voice whatever in its management.
This is a usual condition. and is well
enough or bad enough in ordinary times,
but at such times as these becomes an un-
endurable outrage.
The republican party of Vermont can
not be held to any gold standard plat
form secured in this way, or by the pur-
chase of negro delegates, as it is said to
have been secured at st. Louis.
This alignment of the nation on new
party lines will doubtless proceed with
varying degrees of celebrity at diff
ferent points in the country. We
hope to see the republican party
come back to bimetallism, casting out
those who would mislead it, but, how
hon ha tn,
the farmers should be banded as one man
against the gold standard. For their in
terests are at stake as they have never
been before. or can hardly ever be again.
The gold standard strikes particularly
at them. Its very purpose and practical
ly only purpose is to make money more,
and other things less valuable. The
result of its working must be to change
the character of our agricultural popula-
ton; indeed, to destroy the independence
OF our farmers and make them simply
hewers of wood and drawers Of water,
like the peasantry Of Europe. That grand
body of mer, the farmers of America, to
whose intelligence, bravery and devotion
American liberty owes its existence, are
to be sacrificed in order that the wealther
classes and those who have fixed incomes
may the more rapidly augment their prop
erty, or live in greater ailluence.
In this connection we would call
especial attention to the speeches of
Senators Teller and Cannon in the
national republican convention, at st.
Louis, which appear on the inside of this
paper.
Estate of EVereth Il. Pond.
Notice OF Proof of WIN.