The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1896-04-03

Bland Law checked for time me VuIn.
Gus decline Of prices. and the sherman
Law" kept the business Of the country
on q steady basis at . time when the
Barring failure was threatening ruin to
the finances Of gold standard England
But in the fullness Of time the financial
storm which had formerly swept over
Europe struck the United States, and
when IL came the gold champions had
the unblushing efrontery to lay the
whole blame upon the advocates Of sill
yer restoration. The fact that bust
ness depression began long before the
Bland Law was passed Is kept hidden
away in the background. The circum.
stance that between 1873 and 1878 prices
had taken a tremendous fall. starting
the tide OF depression rolling over
every civilized natien, Is one that they
complete ignorance. In short. they have
been laboring with might and main TO
4 consummate the most gigantic scheme
OF robbery ever devised by men through
the destruction OF the money function
OF silver and those who protest against
Ii are characterized as idiots. lunatics.
and knaves. and accused Of causing all
the trouble.
Suppose burglar were to enter a
dwelling in the night for the purpose Of
committing larceny. The proprietor.
reused from his sleep. gives battle. In
the struggle the burglars dark lantern
is overturned and the house is de-
stroyed by FIRE. The flames spread
and other houses are burned. The
burglar escapes in the confusion. and
later on has the proprietor OF the first
house arrested for arson. claiming that
the fire would not have occurred il he
had kept still and allowed himself to be
plundered.
Would the champions Of the gold
standard take sides with that burglar,
They ought TO. for his position is in
hnitely better than their s~c The
,ofu standaru CANE upon us IKE tnlei
IN the night. and il did its -tealthy
work while honest men slept. II did
4 so insidiously that BY it thousands
and millions OF people we're ruined
without perceiving the cause II cut
Town the return of the producers for
Iheir labor, II doubled the burden of
ne debtors by making II more dificult :
'or them TO get the dollars with
which to pay. Ii finally crippled them
o such an extent that they could not
'ay at all. and the United States being
he heaviest debtor in the world. il
nally landed in the vortex Of the great
st financial convulsion Of modern
lines.
After thus bringing us to the verge
ruin. and INJECTING more misery upon
ne people than ever before came from q
single act Of legislation. the authors
1t all wrap themselves in a cloak :,
sham sanctity. roll their eyes heaven
ARD. sing psalm OF honest money" e
40 with the piety OF Richard III. ap- y
cal to the god of justice to deliver
lem from the Vaccinations Of the sill =
er thieves" and cheap money vaga-
onds who are trying to -svindls the -
idow and the orphan with so-eent col
Lrs."
In conclusion. We only wish TO say
hat the success Of the loan will not end
he silver agitation. II will intensity ~
!. The circumstance that 20 many ~
sople are willing to loan money at .
tile more than per cent interest u
ne Of the most unhealthful signs OF the
meA
II business conditions were just rea-
'nably good. that money could all nnd n
lvestment In productive enterprises
hat would pay from to II per cent
The fact that II Is ready for invest
'ent at 50 low . figure is the strongest -,
,ssible proof Of business stagnation- III
any other proof were needed than is
Finished by idle factories. aban doned
rms. deserted mines. and millions OF
aemployed men.