The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-07-24
TWO BOOKS OF LOCAL INTEREST.
Rev. II, Il. Tower on the silver QuestiO
The Venerable DIR. Reuben Greene
..ThOughts for the People,"

Rev. #. Il. Tower on the silver Question
THE Venerable DIR. Reuben Greene'
"Thoughts for the People,"
The champion Swindle, Or New
Light on the Silver Question" is |
work, published by Jas. II. Earle o
Boston, that is being circulated quit
extensively in the interest of the free
silver propaganda. 1t is written b,
Rev. F. E. Tower, who was the Bap
fist pastor here for several years after
1888 and who has since been somewhat
prom inent in labor and kindred agita-
tions and has written several works in
that line. This book is written to
prove that our people are being vic
timized on a gigantic scale and made
the prey of the bonded Shylocks of
two continents. - Mr.. Tower says that
when he began the study Of the silver
question back in 1892, all his pre-
possessions were on the side of the
gold standard, accepting as decisive
the catch phrases honest dollar,
"sound money" etc, which he has
since found to be "baseess surface
fallacies, cunningy woven to de-
ceive." The book il a curious in
termingling OF strength, in its pre-
sentation OF the silver argument in
some of its broader lines, with pitt
able weakness in the unreasonipg ex-
trayagance with which he makes practi
cal application of them to the problems
of to-day. In this respect it may
fairly be said to represent in concrete
and col centrated form some OF the
striking aspects of the silver movement
in politics, beginning philosorhically,
4 - he ~ nj
vagaries. The best Of his argument is
where he calculates that with a cir
culation OF $50 per capita business
could be done on cash basis, but
that there are l, 200, 900, 600 people in
the world, exclusive of the barbarious
and semi .barbarious nations, with not
over $40, 600, 600, 600 Of gold and silver
together, both coin and bullion to SUP
ply them, or barely s.. 30 per capita
Or that ii both were used, f. ere would
have to be far more than safe use of
credit, credit appliances ana credit
money. These figures are subject to
modification in several ways, but in
their g neral trend they make an ar
yument for silver as world ques- !
ion" that is simply unanswerable. |
While Mr. Tower remains on this plane |
If argument he handles himself very |
but when he comes down to
tetai!s he shows remarkable in
capacity to be fair. For instance,
,tating that England has 800 per
.apita. Holland 500 and France $50,
he goes to work to prove that instead
# the s24 claimed for this country
ana incorrectly in some degree) that !
We have only s. or 81 and gets it by
out bank reserves, which he
cunts in the other countries, and
which do the work Of money several
lines over. and several similar pro
esses. He asserts that we have four
lines as much undefended paper out
S any nation in Europe-a bad cxag-
though our situation is
bout the worst among leading nations
, this respect, and such that can
id statement of ii ought to have an
xered. He estimates our debt TO
'ngland at sl2. 600, 600, 600, and the
nnual interest also at figures that are
liculous, and counts 10 per cent. of
pure steal, because OF the demone
cation OF silver. He gives the gen {
,al silver argument about the close
aralle of gold and silver production
! 80 year periods Of the worlds his ,
ny and along this line also does him d
III credit, only to fly Off into the
,surd again in his chapter on banks !,
al banking. with illustrations that
ny schoolboy ought to be able to see O
trough. !
DIR. Reuben Greene. native of !,
'hitingham, now in his S0th year y
ter life Of usefulness, has written
book OF far different character and A
liber, Thoughts FOR the People" :
Illustrating man. real relation physi- i
lily, politically, socially and religious t.
to the Universe of God with prac- o
cal suggestions upon sickness, suf
ing and premature death. The
ntral idea of it is that every
ought good or bad. becomes an es- !,
ntial factor In forming the character a.
every person, There is vein Of J.
rene spirituality throughout the 81
hole work which is everywhere -,
cked also with practical sense. 1t ~
vers a wide range, with chapters on cS
vefnment and social and religious
oblems, education. intemperanca, NJ
rcotic stimulants, sanitary science,
Night. sleep. the use of the nostris
d the beard, exercise, posture,
isic, and stammeriug. DIR. Greene
hard study and long experience has h ,a
ened the portal of mind. and shown wi
} powers of thought as IA controlling al
ment of the universe. Health of IN
iy and peace of mind" he says :"
re SO intimately connected with the
MS and objects of ife, and the
ritual nature of man, that physio Mi
ical questions can never be properly
we'd until we embrace in our faith Nj
works the whole nature of man and
relation to his Maker Lee a.
epard are the publishers and it is
LOT SAFE py Tue author al 80 str
rren St, Boston Highlands. OF