Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1896-03-18
BANKER OF TO-DAY.
SELFISH. UNPATRIOTIC AND
SOClETY'S ENEMY.
n There Arc Exceptions land There Are)
They Should Come Out and BE Heard
In Behalf of the Suffering Peo-
PIE.

1t is possible to conceive of banker
possessing large ability and great in
fiuence. and observing that his coun-
try suffers because it's finances are in
disorder, coming forward, impelled by
feelings of patriotism, to offer, without
hope of money reward, his advice and
his assistance in the work of restoring
order and confidence. Such a man,
performing such a service, would de-
serve and would receive honor from
his countrymen. The land is filled
with bankers, great and small; but
where among them appears figure of
this kind in the present crisis? In
stead there looms up before a nation
bewildered and befooled by the public
press quite another figure. 1t is that
OF the variety of banker who first pro-
cures the rejection of one of the money
metals; who then instructs the dull
witted people that there can be no
other sound money than the remaining
metal; who then proceeds to corner the
gold, which could not have been cor
nered had silver been retained; and
who, finally making the treasury OF
the United States his victim and the
peace and honor of the country his
plaything, proceeds to gorge himself
with the profits of his thimble-rigging
operations. With one hand he creates
panic with the other he despoils the
wealth-producers of the fruits of their
toll He intimidates the newspapers;
he cows other bankers who wish TO be
decent and honest; he DULLES members
of congress so that they dare not speak
in defense of their constituents; he
creates a reign OF terror in which it il
hardly safe for a free American citizen
oven to hint at the fact that his policy
is that of the brigand and the thief.
In truth, the performances of Captain
Kidd were the most frolicsome gam
bols of an innocent child compared with
the plundering of this bandit who
makes the prosperity of a great nation
his prey, and the treasury of the rich
est country in the world mere con-
duit to turn into his pocket the gains
filched from the possession of honest
men.
The banker performs most useful
function in modern society. No judi
cious man will complain If, while en-
gagged in lending money at reasonable
interest, men who are in that business
shall acquire good share of the wealth
created by the labor of others. Many
bankers are just as good men and just
as good and loyal citizens as other men,
and are as incapable of doing a dis
honorable or unpatriotic act. But the
banking class suffers just now in popu-
lar esteem because, as class, it has
rallied to the support of the nefarious
gold system, and because it gives at
least tacit approval to the great money
sharps in the large cities vino have
rugged the treasury for their personal
advantage. These big bankers ap-
pear to terrorize the smaller bankers,
as they do the public newspapers and
members of congress; and meantime all
the banking interest, too eager for gain,
manifests anxiety to obtain for itself
control Of the money issues of the coun-
try, which should remain in the hands
of the government. The notion, assid-
uously urged, that man, because he is
banker, knows more about these
things than other men, is conspicuous
ly absurd. The general run of bank
ers is composed of men Of very moder
ate ability. Some bank presidents are
hardly able to write letter containing
correct syntax and photography. But,
whether they be wise or foolish, it is
no part of their business to undertake
to direct, single handed, the finances
of the nation; and the people will not
have it. If the bankers had real wis
dom they would perceive that their
true advantage is in promoting the
prosperity of the wealth producers and
in refraining from increasing the pop
ular feeling of antagonism to banks
and bankers. We say to them that Mr..
Clevelands recent performances and
the rapacious greed of certain powerful
bankers have not only done more than
anything else to hasten the overthrow
of the gold system, but also to create
dislike of bankers which may bear bit
ter fruit at an early day in the shape Of
hostile legislation.-Th Manufacturer.