West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1896-09-03
AN ELOQUENT AND ABLE PLEA
FOR BRYAN AND FREE SILVER
BY AN OLD-TIME REPUBLICAN.
Rev. JOhnssYinton Potts, Who Is
Well known In This County, Con.
tributes An Interesting Article.
NORTH ROBINSON, ONO, J
Ann d 1900

aug - AoJos
Hr. J. SlideH Brown,
Dear Sir - remember, with
great pleasure, my brief stay OF four
months in West Virginia. in 1884,
and of my associations with almost
all classes of the people. would
be glad to come down and canvas.
the State in favor of Bryan and
Free Silver, as shall not vote the
st. Louis platform, though | have
been Republican since 1856.
commenced the study Of Finance
about 1890, and took issue in favor
OF the abundant coinage of silver
for American citizens in 1898, and
even before that. Silver was used
by the people OF this country from
1892 to l776, then from 1776 to
1892, when the United States mint
was established; from 1892 to 1878
silver was legal currency among us.
Gold and silver are the currency
of the Constitution. The act OF
1873 was Infamous, and We are now
reaping its bitter results. Not only
this, but other iniqultous laws on
finance, disdgure our National Leg
islation, such as the National Bank.
ing system, the bond system, the
entallment Of an immense national
debt. the payment Of bonds in gold
alone, which is not law, but mere
constitution, the judicial discard
ing Of an income tax, the barter
and fraud in the sale of bonds,
favoriteism to syndlcates, trusts
and corporations and immense sales
OF bonds in times Of peace. These
are bringing US to the verge of
bankruptcy, and must eventually,
if the same policy is pursued, end
necessarily in reputation. The
end must come to gold. The bur-
den will be too great to carry.
Then we must break down nation.
ally. This immense debt of over
81 100000 900 brooding over US
like nightmare, could have been
paid off under proper financial
management in twenty years after
the close of the war. Except two
terms, the Republicans have had
control Of this government since
1861, now thirty-fve years; over a
quarter Of century, and they have
brought the country to the verge Of
ruin. 1t is folly to say that the
Democrats have produced all this
disaster by two terms of 8 years,
out Of 36 years. The Republicans
provoked bloodshed and race war
IN the south after the southern peo-
pie had laid down their arms, they
squandered the vast revenues Of the
government by "salary grabbing"
by "Credit Mobilier," by burning
our national paper currency and
putting its face value in gold in
terest bonds, by decimating our in
ternal revenue, by paying over 10
billions Of dollars on a debt Of p
billions, and still leaving our debt
over J billions.
The leaders in tho Republican
ranks appeal to the cupidity Of the
old soldiers, and ask them to vote
the gold standard, so that their
pensions will buy twice the amount
Of farm produce, and other prod
ucts OF labor, that these men who
fought for freedom shall now vote
to compel men to toll in the sun,
in mines, in forests, in the shops,
and on the plantation to produce
cheap goods OF all kinds at starva-
tion wages, for them, the soldiers,
to enjoy at gold standard prices.
This is what Republicans have in
reserve for the sons Of veterans who
live by labor, and they are now
asking the fathers and sons to vot,
for their own degradation and mis-
cry. They say "your pension
money will buy you more, II you
vote the gold standard" Thoy
heartlessly do not care for the mil
lions who produce that movo fol
ono-half price. They say they ar,
in favor Of bimetallism, but they
must wait the option Of other gov
ornments before making any chang.
in our financial system. that W,
must do the bidding Of the grea
/ powers Of Europe on finance ol
meet ruin ia most dire forms. Dit