The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-10-18
MEN OF STRAW.

MEN OF STRAW.
A great portion Of the work Of the Popu-
Istic campaign speakers and editors has
consisted Of setting up certain men Of
straw" and then proceeding to belabor
them. amid the applause Of their follow
ers- This 10 . more congenial and de-
cidedly easier task than II Is to meet the
issues which are actually presented in this
campaign. or to attempt to discuss or re-
flute the arguments which have been
steadily poured in from the sound money
advocates.
the one entitled Striking down one-halc
the money OF the world" IL q favori.e one.
How the Populistic orators have raved
over the iniquity Of such a proceeding as
this. How they have brought forward
their array of Populistic authorities and
marshaled their columns Of statistics to
show that II one-half OF the money OF the
country il destroyed the other half Is en-
HANGED In value. Take 1t all IN ell. this
particular lay figure has received rather
any measure actually presented. or any
man actually before the country as can
d:date for office.
AS not a dollar OF the money of the
country has been stricken down. and as
there is actually in circulation in this
country today fifty times as much full
legal tender silver as was ever coined dur
Ing the whole period Of time from the
foundation of the country down to the
year 1873, 1t is Of course quite evident that
no attempt has been made to strike
down" any portion OF the money OF the
country Certainly no such action is con-
templated in any quarter.
Foreign interference in our legislation"
Is another of these straw men which has
come in for considerable belaboring. AS
all OF the foreign interference which has
come to light has consisted OF various al
legged statements from foreign sources
favorable to the cause OF free silver.
which, however, have generally proven
forger.es-a letter from Prince Won Bis
marck, which was CARRIED in translating.
and an Endorsement OF Bryan by society
of Hungarian agrarians-this particular
straw man must also be put down as the
Pigment of diseased Populistic imagina-
ton.
Coercion OF vorkingmen' Is now being
set I'D only TO be knocked down by the
s.edge-hammer Populistic blows. This
particular bugaboo has OF late been ex-
plotted to proportions which have become
infinitely ridiculous. Its latest phase Is
In procuring certain disreputables to pa
their faces. to create the impression that
they are workingmen who are afraid that
their employers wiz find out how they
intend to vote. With the whole PopuIistic
press on the alert. and with every Popu-
list engaged as private detective. not one
single authentic instance OF an attempt
ut coercion OF wos'kingmen has come to
light, save that OF one merchant at St.
Louis. who In a moment OF p.Que dis
charged some Bryan men from his employ,
only to relnsta.e them the next day with
an apology.
1.-THE red dragon Of Lombard street"
"the money power" ana tho 'iplusocrats OF
wag street are other straw men who
are heavily hammered for the alleged
crime OF having loaned money on Western
mortgages. an orfense. II is hardly neces-
sary to say, they never committed. as
loans OF that kind are not and never hare
been looked upon as particularly desir-
able 10 men whose dealings are with
stocks and bonds. Time and again It has
been shown that the heaviest investors in
the mortgage securities OF the West are
panfes, and thai on the average X has
required tbs savings OF about ten money
sAarks" 10 meet the requirements OF one
individual. borrower.
Having devoted all the energies 70 at
lacking fgmenss OF their own magma
ton. IL Is but natural that when they seek
to look up a target tor persona, attack
they have 20 set Up another man OF
straw" instead o. the Republican can
t5date for president Maj. Mckinley IL
too well known 10 the people OF the ooun-
try. so when Il comes 20 personalities the
chairman OF The executive COMMITTEES. who
Is not so wsL known. Is made into Pop
r'.stic bagaboo. and attacked no: FOR
what he IL, or wha; he has done. osr. for
whA; the PcQul!stic Imagination ooncsives
o. him and Of his actions.