Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-05-19
ODD FELLOWS FAVOR SILVER.
They have 800. 900 members and their
National Organ demands Finan-
cial Reform.

pOlltlcal questions, ]. e., from q partl.
san standpoint, nor is the question of
finance partisan question in any
sense of the word.
ut is however, aquestion that vital
ly affects the great order of Odd Eel
lows. This is great benevolent in
stitution, and anything that retards
the progress of the order is subject
entitled to the fullest consideration.
A contraction of our currency makes
money dear, and thus increases the
burden of our members. If the pur-
chasing power of our money becomes
great the price of labor and the pro-
ducts of labor become less valuable;
hence, if the purchasing power of the
American dollar is twice as great UNI
der the gold standard as it would be
under free coinage of both gold and
silver at the ratio of 16 to 1, then it
will be twice as hard for the members
to pay their quarterly dues under the
present gold standard as it would be
under the free coinage of both gold
and silver. 1t is also twice as hard for
those outside of the order to pay the
price of admission.
when we look over the reports of
the various jurisdictions and see the
thousands of brothers who are being
suspended from the benefits of the
order by their inability to pay their
dues it is simply appalling. The order
now pays out for relief about three
and one one-half millions annually.
II the present conditions continue it
is only a matter of time when there
will have to be made a sliding scale
this sliding scale will be to decrease
the number of dollars paid for the re-
lief of members and families of de-
ceased members or increase the dues
of members-thatt the present ratio of
dues is as high now as the members
can pay goes without saying. Then
the only thing left will be to decrease
the benefits 1t is argued that we
should have only the kind of money
that will pass in all parts of the world
Nothing can be more absurd. Our
gold eagles as now coined are not ac-
cepted at their face in all the coun-
tries of the world and never have
been-never will be. 1t is more diff
cult to pass gold money in the United
States than it is a piece of American
silver. An other objection urged
against the use of silver is its weight.
While silver dollar is much
heavier than gold dollar it is also
true that laboring man can carry
home all the silver dollars he can
ever hope to obtain for one weeks
wages, and if any of our laboring
people should desire to go on a Euro
pean voyage they will not object to
paying the necessary exchange for
money that will be accepted or bear
q the necessary discount at the other
place.
4 ''What the American people want
+ is enough money to keep the laboring
classes employed and transact the
business of the country, and any
i money coined by the United States is
honest money, and it is certainly I'M
patriotic to stamp any of it as any
thing else. When the greenbacks
were first issued by the government
there were those who said it was both
dishonest and unconstitutional and
yet a patriotic people accepted them
as money. After third of a century
the greenback is still accepted and
+ no one wants them more than the
banking fraternity, who were the
original DIRECTORS to their issuance.
If a bill passed the next congress re-
storing silver to its place in our cur
rency, i. e., free coinage of silver and
gold at ratio of 16 to 1, a patriotic
people will accept both for all de.
Smands and our idle members can then
find employment and be able to pay
sdues. Every Odd Fellow III America
should work and vote for free coin
age of both gold and silver"
When Mr.. F. NJ. Dowd, the able ed
itor of the Souvenir, was interviewed
concerning this editorial, he stated
that it was the result of much deliber
alton by many of the most conserva
tive members; that the question hat
been under consideration for more
than year, and the official data
proves conclusiyely that the presen
monetary conditions are workin.
great injury to the order. In part
Mr.. Dowd said:
'erhe present monetary condition
has been a great injury to our order
The official data received at this offic,
shows that we lost in 1898, 36,Ss
members by suspension for non pay
ment of dues, and in 1894 the numbe
dropped was 1889, a total of 1922
for the two years, and it is believe
that the official reports for 1895. whel
completed, will show nearly as man
suspensions as in the year 1894 com
oined. In 1893 we initiated 72,S07
while in 1894 we initiated 63,855, de
crease of nearly 5000. We have abou
300, 600 members in the United State
ind territories. Yes, they are al
voters. Before man can become al
Odd Fellow he is required to sign ,
contract which is binding alike upo1
himself and the order, hence it il