Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-07-30
The "aioney Powcr' ana tho "pebto,
Class"

/
Class"
The great stock in trade of many ad-
vocates OF the free and unlimited coin
age Of silver is fierce denunciation OF
what they term the money power"
and an almost maudlin sympathy with
what they style the "dsbtor class, +" 1t
may be we'll, therefore, to look into
the matter little, and ses Just what
the money power" and the "dsbtor
class comprise,
As to the former, its statuH is very
ably and suecinctly described in the
following editorial from the Richmond,
Va, State:
There has been great deal of cheap
talk about the people against the
money power. " From the Anarchists
| standpoint it is right and proper to
take up arms against men Of means
and force them TO turn over their
| goods to the people. But that is not
law, and it is not the doctrine OF those
| who love law and order.
| But Is this 'money power" such a
| demon, after all2 Let us think for q
1 moment what it Is in Richmond, 1t
4 iH that which runs the Tredegar works,
| the locomotive works, the tobacco FAC
tories, and all manufacturing in
dustries which give employment to
labor. 1t is that which runs the large
stores of Richmond, which In turn buy
the products Of many OF these factories
and employ thousands OF salespeople.
IL is that which operates the street
car lines, giving work to many men
and cheap transportation to the public.
1t is that which operates the Chesa-
peake & Ohio Railway Co., with its
5000 employees in this city, ami other
great railroad systems eentreing hers,
giving TO Richmond the means Of com
munication with the outside world.
Ii is that which operates the banks
OF Richmond, and, however much you
may detest tho name, Richmond would
be poor indeed without its great bank
ing institutions.
But why go on with the list? II
may all be summed up in word. The
'tmoney power" of Richmond is Rich
mond's wealth; and whatever hurts
that power, or makes it timid, or
] keeps it agitated, must OF necessity
hurt Richmond
Now, if you viii take the trouble to
/, inquire of the managers OF any of
these great institutions Of which we
: speak. you will find with few ok
ceptioDs, that al are opposed to free
. silver because they believe that it will
, bring distress and hardship to them
selves and to the community, and II it
shall hurt them it will also hurt you,
! Take that thought home With you
. and ponder 1t soberly.
) Here is the "money power" OF Rich
. mond, Va, and by an extension OF
comparison ii is easy to comprehend
Q what is the real ''money power' Of
1 the entire country. It is the business
i of tho counrry-the only power that
8 can make country and its people
4 prosperous.
t The "debtor Glass; it is assumed
o by the free silver coinage advocates,
! includes mainly the farmers with
0 mortgages on their FARMS and thost
n househoders whuse homes are mort
Q gaged. But it comprises many more
= elements Every industrial, CONNER
eial, mercantile and mapufaeturin,
y CONCERN in the country belong TO tht
debtor class. Each concern of thi
j. character is debtor to its employees TO
II the wages they receive, and to othe
:. concerns and individuals, for material
10 used in its business. Here is debto
e class of mighty proportions, to who's
is existence the advocates of debaset
y currency apparently give not tn
II slightest heed.
" This "debtor cass'' is absolutely op
IT posed to the free coinage of silver, AM
to all connected with them, particularl
le the workers for wages, should b
g equally opposed. With the free coin
age of silver the enormous sums O
Is money paid out by these concerns fo
wages and material would be paid il
Or a deprecated currency, and wage
y workers and those furnishing the ma
Or terial, particularly the former, woul
y be the sufferers.
IA 1t will therefore be seen that tb
1t "money power" is not the graspine
I'd grinding monopoly that the silverite
er assume, and that tho debtor class
u comprises far creator element in tn
"a material prosperity of the country tha
nv they ever dreamed of. Both are resC
IN lutely opposed to the free coinage {
silver, aud combined they repressn
x about everything that tends to I'll
is well-being, the very existence of th
II great mass of the American people.