Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1896-04-29
FORNEY SAYS FIGHT.
People Must Get Together and Make WI
on the Common Enemy.


on the Common Enemy.
Senator A. G.. Forney, of Sumner
county, Kansas, writes the following
open letter to Cleveland, Sherman. Wall
Street, Congress & Co.:
"Gentlemen: desire to inform you
that 1t is source of great pleasure
to learn that you have finally conceded
that the Populists were right, and have
been for several years, in declaring
that the financial question was the main
question for the consideration of the
people of the United States.
"You have proclaimed to the people
by your hirelings and parrots since
1878 that we have the best financial
system in the world Why did you
make this assertion? Is 1t true or
false? If true, why have you joined to-
gether to change the system and estab-
lish monometalism. displace legal ten
der currency with bank promises and
force this government to adopt the
bond system, placing debt upon the
American citizens which they can never
pay. a hundred times greater and more
unjust than King George placed upon
the colonies in the eighteenth century.
IF you are false and dishonest by
your declaration of the best financial
system in the world, then, how can we
have confidence in you now?
Another Of your silly phrases con-
ceived in deception and uttered for the
consolation of the distressed masses, is
lack of confidence which you said was
the cause Of the panic and hard times.
If that was true few years ago, why
is it not true now? Your entire crew
said two years ago that 1t was the pur-
chase of silver bullion that was the
cause Of hard times. Through your
leadership, influence and command,
the act was crucified. and the times
have got harder; ruin, distress and suf-
fering have spread broadcast over our
fair land, and that in the midst of peace
and plenty. Wrong again. And you
admit 1t by declaring that the cause of
hard times is the circulating of United
States treasury notes and greenbacks
You told the people that the free
coinage of silver or the purchase of sill
yer bullion would drive gold out Of
this country and run 1t to a premium.
To prevent this you defeated the free
coinage, retired the seigniorage bill and
repealed the purchasing clause of the
Sherman act.
Again your theory has proven false,
for gold is now at premium and more
gold has left the United States since
you uttered this than for fifteen years
prior.
"Mr. Cleveland. you stated in your
proclamation that you desired the de-
struction of silver for the protection of
the mechanic, farmer and laborer. You
secured it, and the very men you pre-
tended to assist, your false doctrine has
ruined.
You told the people tariff reform
would bring prosperity and happiness.
We have taken your medicine. but the
disease has grown worse Proven false
again.
You say now that you want Sound
money and honest money About
everything you gold worshippers have
uttered for years has proven false and
your measures of relief have had the
opposite effect. Is it any wonder that
people have lost confidence in you?
Now, honor bright, is it not un-
sound money you want, when you saw
sound money!
You state in your message that
you want the greenbacks and treasury
notes retired, Cancelled and burned IN
and in their stead $500, 900, 900 of bonds
issued and the bonds made the basis of
bank currency, issued by the bankers
which currency is known as the nation
al bank currency.
Now, Grover, don't you know that
national bank currency, the money you
recommend, is not legal tender and
Is the only unsound money this gov
ernment ever issued? Don't YOU know
that when you succeed in DESTROYING
our legal tender currency, there is no
other money in use which is a legal
tender, except the silver dollar? Don't
you know that the gold dollar is a legal
tender only by weight?
Then when you say you favor an
honest dollar, don't you mean q dis
honest dollar? You say you want gold
money. Don't you know gold is dis
honest money? 1t has changed many
times in the history of this government
and is purely commodity money. The
value of the SO gold piece grows less by
abrasion and cheats the person who
holds it. 1t both appreciates and de-
preciates, and is the most cowardly and
dishonest money in our land.
rs it not fact that your war cry In
behalf OF the Monroe doctrine is merely
to draw the attention of the peopIe
from the financial question, and get
them to talk war, while your outfit
mortgages our homes and our lives to
Johnny Bull and our American Shy-
lock? Is it not fact that your object
is to give to some of your government
pets the building of war ships and to
establish standing army as they have
now in Russia?
Your imitation of the czar of Russia
by keeping a body guard causes the
people to think you would like to pat
tern after monarchial form of gov
ernment instead of the government of
Washington. Jefferson, Lincoln and
Garfield.
ssCeuator Chorr,oa ora yo,, oo.-n,%i,,