Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1896-10-05

you, poor ignorant" would be taxed to
support other corporations insurance
companies and Individuals The fact is
too evident, you desire this debt repudi-
ated; ii isn't the national banks you wish
overthrown so particularly.
The greatest cause for attacks upon this
system of banking arises from commu-
nistic spirit: as ! have before stated, which
IS kinded by the oratoricaI outbursts of
aspiring politicians. and an almost monthly
report of the national hanks financial con-
dition. which is published in the leading
paper in the town or city where the bank
is located. The president, cashier. nor any
officer connected with a national bank
knows when the comptroller of the cur
rency will call upon him for a report. and
the condition of these banks, being almost
constantly paraded to the public ii is not
surprising that they attract so much un-
necessary attention, and are subjected 10
suspicion and many unjust attacks from
those who know but little about them. and
who are ever ready to injure those more
prosperous than themselves.
At the end of every six months the
comptroller requires the national banks 10
furnish him with the amount of their
2rofits since last report, and since organi-
Zatton. These reports, when furnished the
government. become public property, and
there is never an attack made upon this
system of banking by senators or congress-
men but that the comptroller's books are
examined and their immense profits is
made a serious subject of investigation;
b.t yet | have never read of the oppo-
rents of national banks Numbering TO the
expended in conducting the business, or
taxes they pay; enormous and startling
these amounts aggregate, and interesting
they would prove.
Were the state and private banks re-
Quired, without a moments warning or
Preparation. al any and all times. to fur
nish the secretary Of state their condition
for publication, and every six months they
furnish the secretary the amount of profits
for that time, and since organization, what
cry would arise from this communistic
spirit, and these same opponents of ma
ticnal banks, against this system of
and private banks: the rnonopolist's grip
u.,on the purse of the nation" l would
suggest the next attempt our worthy sena-
that by way of variety and justice, he tell
us what he knows about some other sys-
LON V. STEPHENS.
The state convention met, as all remem-
Der. nominated Lon Vest Stephens and
adopted a platform that fully indorsed the
national platform adopted at Chicago.
little less than month before. In that
Chicago platform upon which Lon Vest
Stephens is compelled to run are these
words:
issne money and President Jackson de-
ciared that this power could not be dele
gated TO corporations or individuals. We
therefore demand that the power TO issue
notes TO circulate as money be taken from
national banks and that all paper money
shall be issued directly by the treasury de-
receivable for all debts, public and pri-
vatc." Nothing could he palmer than this
section of the platform and nothing on
the other hand could he palmer than Mr..
Stephens opposition to this. AT that time
he speaks OF Senator Vests Sttitude as
''communism,' Again. Mr.. Stephens says:
THE president of a national bank who
closes his eyes to danger and does not
stDdiously avoid dangerous experiments is
unfit for the position he occupies and Is
literally stealing from widows and or
rhans who. 10 large extent, own bank
stocks" The question that is being con-
tirually ASKED here IS. when was Mr..
Stephens hpnestg In 1852 when he said
he would be guilty of stealing from the
WIDOWS and orphans che being bank
PRESIDENT If he favored the adjustment
of the national banking system? or now
when he, occupying the same bank posi-
tion. is running on a platform to abolish
that system?
Almost everyone in the central part of
the state seems to take II for granted
that the love feast Senator Vest and his
worthy namesake are now enjoying is sim
ply skin deep. as the little senster has
forgotten the youngsters threat to change
his name on account of the senator's ac-
tion and the suggestion on the part of
the now gubernatorial candidate that his
senior was attempting to soft soap the
people. --f