The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-06-03
WALL STREET s "SELFPOSSE Els
SION"

Every Monday morning Wall Street
sends out to the daily gold press of the
country, over the Signature OF Henry
Clews, It's weekly financial review. Lately
Mr.. Clews has been sending out reports
more of a political than financial nature.
The report of Monday last was of special
interest to every voter in America. 1t was
one of the boldest propositions ever penned
on American soil. In brief, it predicted
the near approach Of victory to the free
coinage forces OF America, and then boldly
set forth the statement that Wall Street
was not disturbed because 1t had at hand
resources to coerce and control congress
which was even two-thirds pledged to free
coinage, and that free coinage would new
ertheless be overthrown in spite Of the
vote of the people.
From the Minneapolis Tribune of Mon
day, May rs, the report of Mr.. Clews IS
taken. Let us see, first, what Mr.. Clews
thinks of the possibilities Of political vic
tory for the free coinage cause:
"The danger from popular prejudice and
ignorance in connection with this silver
agitation Is, however, something more than
a conceivable possibility. 1t is a threat
ened actuality. 1t is up for immediate de-
c;sion; and, at this moment, no one can
feel absolutely certain that this worst curse
of nation may not be brought to con-
clusion within a comparatively few
months. Wall Street is not in any degree
insens:ble to this crisis. 1t sees and meas
ures it in all its length and breadth; but it
is calm and self-possessed.'
Free coinage sis threatened actuality."
Moreover, "Wall Street is not IN any de-
gree insens:ble to this crisis" But 1T is
calm and self-possessed." We shall hear,
in moment, why Wall Street is so self
possessed. But, first, let Mr.. Clews con-
tinue on the subject of the probabilities of
free coinage winning N the public contest.
Says Mr.. Clews of Wall Street again:
"It Is aware that startling results may
come out of either party conventions; It
would hardly be surprised should the sill
verites be able to block sound money legis-
lation in the next congress; all these things
the next few MONTHS
Three months ago, the gold press of the
country was shouting that the currency
question was settled, that free coinage was
dead, and that ''the silver cranks'' were
done for. Wall Street would not be sur
prsed if the "silverites" were able to con-
troll the next congress.
sessed." 1t is not disturbed. It has a
sessed." It is not distu rbed. 1t has a
way to force upon the country "honest"
money, in spite of the country and the peo-
pie And here is the program, which ex-
plains Wall Streets "self-possession:
but WALL STREET IS NOT
GRAVELY DISMAYED AT THIS OUT
LOOK. IT HAS LEARNED TO BE-
LIEVE THAT THERE ARE GREATER
POTENCIES THAN PARTY PLAT
FORMS, THAN LEGISLATIVE SUB
SERVIENCY TO POPULAR IGNOR-
ANCE, THAN THE MADNESS OF A
PARTISAN INFATUATlON. THEY
KNOW THAT THERE ARE SITUA-
TIONS AND EVENTS WHICH CAN IN
STANTLY GEORGE AND CONVERT
THE MOST RECKLESS LEGISLATORS
INTO THE WILLING SERVANTS OF A
CONSERVATIVE SENTIMENT THAT
REPRESENTS THE REAL INTEREST
AND SAFETY OF THE NATION"
Wall Street knows of methods and re-
sources (which can instantly coerce and
convert the most reckless legislators into
the willing servants Of a conservative SEN
t;ment" So Wall Street is "self-pos-
sessed."
What does this mean? Why, simply
that Wall Street will set out to subsid:ze
to it's views in the same way that the
trusts coerced and converted the late "tar-
if reform" congress. The trusts coerced
or bought a Democratic majority in the
senate to add 400 protective amendments
to bill already more protective than the
protective tariff of 1883.
Wall Street proposes to coerce and con-
vert free coinage congress in the same
way. It proposes to subvert government
by the people by means Of bold and whole
sale subsidy. 1t proposes to overcome the
will of the people by open bribery. 1t pro-
poses to overthrow republican government
and substitute despotism established by
Wall Street and for Wall Street through
the fundamentally of Doodle. Henry
Clews announces n the public press, and
boldly outlines in the Wall Street organs,
a plan of wholesale corruption and treason
Listen to the bold buccaneer Of Wall
Street again; as he states what would hap
pen even if the people elected two-thirds
congressional majority for free coinage:
"The near prospects of the authorization
of free conage-a counting of heads show
ing a certainty Of a two-thirds vote IN the
house and senate for Is to 1-WOULD
EVOKE IN WALL STREET THE KIND
OF CONDITIONS THAT NO CONGRESS
HAS EVER YET DARED TO DISRE-
GARD, AND THE CAUSE OF FREE
COINAGE WOULD BE OVERTHROWN
AT THE MOMENT WHEN IT'S Sue
CESS SEEMED MOST CERTAIN 1T
IS THIS RESERVED POWER ON
WHICH WALL STREET IS NOW RE-
POSING"
In short, Wall Street proposes to have
''honest money" if it has to buy up two
thirds of congress to accomplish it!
There never was a better exposition Of
the hollow farce, the hypocrisy, and dis
honesty of this so-called "honest money"
movement, than that given in the above