Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-01-31
KINGS AND PATRIOTS.
THE CHICAGO TINES HERALH
HAS SiLVERPHOelA.
Attacks the Character OF Our United
States Senators Because the Majority
OF Them Are for America-"Tatriots
of America"

or America.
BY II. f.. Bartinc: The above caption
stands AT the head of an editorial in The
Times-Ucrald of the 18th, which in its
entirety is about as senseless "A piece OF
drive as it would be possible for any
journal to lay before its readers.
1t attacks, in combination, Colone.
Harvey's new organization known as
the patriots of America" and the sill
yer men who are in control OF the
finance committee of the Senate.
The wisdom of Colonel Haryey's
method is a question that must be left
TO the judgment of each individual act
! ing for himself But that the avowed
purpose of the organization, namely,
that of restoring silver to its former
position in the monetary system of the
country, is a good and patriotic one,
no honest man who understands the
question will deny.
If the Times Herald thinks it can
break the force OF such movement
by calling the members slaves ii
must have a great idea of economic
argument.
But its reference to the control of the
Senate committee is even worse. 1t
says:
silver property combined with silver
lunacy will be represented by Noor-
heos, Harris, Vest, Jones of Arkansas
\ If
Nevada"
Only the two latter represent states
engaged in silver mining. Senator
Jones personal mining interests are
more largely gold than silver, and we
believe the same is true of Senator
Wolcott Their states, though. are en-
titled to some consideration, and the
position of the Times Herald with ref
erence to them is simply brutal.
1t is characteristic of the average
gold standard argument in the United
States, although not elsewhere.
In Europe the question OF bimetal-
! lism is discussed as a great economic
problem, and both sides proceed with
some regard for dignity, decorum and
common honesty.
But in this country there is scarcely
any length to which the gold champion
will not 90. With absolutely no argu-
ment TO stand upon he simply starts a
! hurricane of denunciation, and If there
is anything that he does not say against
a silver advocate it is because he can
not think of it,
The tendency of the decentralization
| of silver is to ruin the silver mining
! states. When they protest against so
/ causeless and insensate an attack they
/ are assaulted with a bitterness of de-
nunciation and disregard of truth al
most without parallel in the political
| history Of our country
The silver states are asking for moth
| ing under heavens but restoration Of
constitutional right which they al
ways enjoyed up to 1873. Not only
this, but il is a right which when exer-
cised will they firmly believe, be OF in
estimable advantage TO the country as
a whole
The gold standard champions have
! never argued the question of bimetal-
lsm except negatively. They deny
that we ever had bimetallism, which
shows that they do not know what BIZ
metallsm is. They deny that the de-
monetization OF silver has had any
| thing to do with the fall of prices and
business depression of recent years.
! Int iaI ic
! is worthy Of the closest attention that
while the goldite can generally fill the
air with fervid rhapsodies about
'sound money" and bitter phillipics
against "depreciated money" and so
cent dollars" not one OF them has ever
attempted to specifically point out a
single advantage that has accrued 10
the American people AZ a result of de-
monetiZing silver. We hazard the
! opinion that the man does not live who
can show how the virtual destruction
Of silver as standard money in Europe
and America could possibly benefit the
people of the United States.
AS a matter of fact the champion of
Sound money" as he chooses TO term
It, does not discuss" the issue at all.
He blinds and obScures it. He seeks
to divert the minds Of the people from
the real issue by false appeals on be-
half OF honest money" and by pro.
nouncing every advocate of bimetal-
lism i'm the United States either an I'M
principled scOundrel or a deluded slave
Concede that there is selfshness on
the silver side as we'll as on the side OF
gold. The science of political economy
deals entirely with selfish concerns.
The manufactures is enriched by the
tariff, the importer VIII certainly be
enriched by free trade. Yet both sys-
TENS have strong representatives in
Congress. The manufacturer says:
True, the tariff benefits me directly.
but the benefits also spread out over
the whole country
The importer says True, free trade
will be of direct advantage TO me, but
| the whole nation will be more pros