Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-10
TOLD TN LETTERS
Mr.. B. Il. Warmers Contribution to
the Bryan Campaign Fund.
AN OBJECT LESSON IN FIAT MONEY
Mr.. Norris Makes 1t the Occasion
to Express His Views.
THE CORRESPONDENCE

THE CORR EsPoNDENcE
| One Of the circulars of the democratic
rational committee soliciting subscriptions
| to the democratic campaign fund having
| come into the hands of Mr.. B. H. Warner.
| he addressed a letter to Mr.. James L. Nor
| ris, inclosing as a contribution a 800 con-
| federate note, and expressing some of his
views on the question of the campaign.
| This has called out reply from Mr.. Nor
ris. The correspondence is given below:
Warner to Norris.
October Z, 1896.
James L. Norris, esq, assistant treasurer,
9Th and G streets northwest, CITY,
My Dear Sir: Your circular asking for q
contribution to aid in the pending political
| struggle is at hand. l entirely agree with
| you that the issues of the contest involve
the dearest rights Of the American citizen.
| The campaign is a struggle for the main
tenance of the individual liberty of the
citizen. l entirely concur with you IN the
| statement that a foe emboldened by the
past supneness of the people now boldly
| proposes to seize the republic through the
| assumed forms of law. 1t Is not difficult,
| either. to realize that the unlimited re-
| sources Of wealth of which you speak are
| backed by the owners of various silver
mines, set forth in detail by the New York
! World and other papers. cannot, how
| ever concur with you that this element OF
| wealth arrays it's forces for the establish
| ment of gold oligarchy.
! The democratic party, l am proud to say,
! as represented by its great leaders. Is now
| eEdeavoring to lead back the masses into
! proper and conservative consideration of
| the civil. religious and political rights of
| all the people.
1 think that I could interpret the rest of
| your circular to lead us to united
| thinking upon the main topics of which
! you speak. but we should, perhaps. have to
| part company to the virtues of the plat
forms of the different parties. and my way
| Of thinking would naturally lead me tc
| forego making contribution for the neces-
! saIy fund with which to defray the legiti-
mate expenses of the campaign on behalf
| of the establishment of a party in power
| which seeks one of its great achieve
| ments to issue fifty-cent dollar to the
| people at large, and make it equal to one
| hundred cents.
| trust you will carefully read the litera-
ture that is now being circulated through
| the country by the national republican
committee and that such study will lead
you from the error of your way into the
! republican fold.
In order that you may have ready OBJ
| ject lesson as to the instability of fiat
| ncney, l inclose herewith 800 in confed
crate money: It is my firm belief that
! every attempt on the part of the govern
| ment to create value where it does not
| exist will lead TO a disaster which, though
| rot extensive that which happened
to the confederate currency. will neverthe-
less prove m ,st detrimental to the best
| interests of the nation.
l called on you, personally, yesterday to
see whether You did not think 1t would be
proper thing for you to make a contribu
ticn in good money toward the campaign
for the preservation of the honest dollar,
| and was sorry to find you absent.
| Sincerely yours,
B. H WARNER
|
| P. S.-Read my article on the French
+ assgnat in the Post of this am.
| Norris to Warner.
Office of the Assistant Treasurer of the
! Democratic National Committee, Wash
/ ington IL ca October o. 1896.
B. H. Warner, esq. Washington, D. c.:
My Dear Warner: Your esteemed favor
of the 7th instant. apparently in response
to a circular sent out by me as assistant
! treasurer of the democratic national COM
mittee, for aid in conducting the pending
presidential campa gn. has just reached me.
| Recalling the past courteSieS between us,
though we are of opposite political creeds,
1 const1ue your present communication as
! an elaborate explanation Of the reasons
which influence you to decline our invita-
| ton for assistance in the legitimate prose
cution of our democratic campaign. If this
We're the only design apparent on the face
of your letter l should have little to do be-
yond the proper acknowledgment of its re-
| ception.
But l perceive we are at issue on vital
points of interest to every man. woman
! and child II. this country, and therefore
beg your candid consideration of the OBJ
| servations which in the most friendly spirit
| | venture to submit.
| l. The wealth of the owners of silver
mines in this country is not indeed pledged
| to the support of single gold standard,
but to the double gold and silver standard
of the Constitution and of the American
people from the foundation of the republic
down to the year 1873. al which time a
| most disastrous departure was made in cur
| financial policy by the very party now
} seeking return to power that they may
| fasten on the neck of this people the yoke
of bondage. prepared for us by the money
lenders of Europe. Are you as free citi-
| zen of this great nation prepared to aid In
the preparation of such an injury to the
vast body of your fellow citizens? If you
| are l am bold to say l not.
2. 1 notice in your letter a glarlng ms
| apprehension to what 1.-The great leaders
of the democratic party, as you tern
them, are now doing for the conservation
of the peoples rights. 1t Is natural. per
haps that you should mistake the trend OF
/. | the great current events Transporting
, | in our country, and that you should imagine
that small body of boilers from the dem
ocratic party, thoroughly sold into tbs
idolatry of the golden calf like the Israel
; ties of old are engaged in patriotic strus
r gle for the defense and perpetuity of the
great republic. But allow me to REMIND
, | you Of the fate OF thOSe Hebrew leader:
when Moses descended from the mount
and beheld the mischief they had done
among the people.
B. l perceive you are likewise resting
under the vain hallucination which unhap
PLY nfflicts too many of the people. an(
which you evidently indulge in speaking
of an attempt to make "a 50-cent dollar
l equal to a 1O0-cent dollar" No man who
understands the nature of currency Great
ed by the laws of a nation will expect t
make any value the double of itself by
legislation. AS well might we think t
5 make two and two equal to eight instead o
I four. 1t Is not purely upon such mathe
: matical absurdity that the coin of a coun
try is created,14 The currency of FREE
r people is the simple creature of their ow,
: law, and what that law makes it, is tn
Sound moneS'sef the country and this il
the only ''seuriq money possible to an,
> "repudiatioK.'' But it is reputation onl.
!. of gold plutocracy. which is holding b!
: the throat the great masses of the peop
:, and slowly choking the very breath of lif
out of them.x
4. You suggest my reading of republica,
literature. I am reading a good deal o