Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-10-15

open and he is given welcome and
entrance. Paradise will some day open
its gates to him, but the Breakers great
iron portals never had within the en-
closure soldier, unless he came on an
errand or as a hired man. He may
be helpless himself, but he ought to
hope for something for his children
1t is idler than dream, it is the de-
lirium of fancy, if he expects such seed
to produce any other harvest than the
same grinding conditions for them.
He can hope for nothing for them, if
he supinely lets them deprive him of
his fangs, extract his claws and bind
him captive to their chariot wheels,
The money drifts steadily IN their
direction and ''ne'er feels retiring ebb. !"
There has been conspiracy to that
end. When silver was at a premium
over gold, when it was serving better
than gold its function of money, it was
debased. Who did it? Why was it
done? There lives no human being
who can answer, other than that it was
the first step to contract the volume of
money to be followed by other con-
fractions, until gold should be absolute.
1t took the people years to get this in
fanny through their heads. 1t was the
prologue to the play now on the boards.
If the owners of gold can dwindle the
money into their hands, they have the
earth, its fullness. ifs fatness in their
grip. They can dictate, not only
prices, but terms of existence. They
can destroy commerce, PROSTATE busi
ness aad imperil the very flag for which
you fought. The republican party had
been by tradition, the intimate and
familiar of silver. 1t was great Amer
lean product, to be protected as much
denly, at ST. Louis, these traditions
were forgotten. The polar star no
longer navigated the ship. 1t was
there declared for the first time that
silver must wait on an international
agreement" legerdemain of rhetoric,
which means. never. England must be
first consulted, and give in her adhesion
to it. That country breeds only pau
pers and princes. Blaine has char
acterIzed the population of that country
as dominating lords or peasants with
out shillings. Her blue blooded peer
age needs a dumping ground for her
marriageabie progeny of delatante
mobiles, profiigate scions and illustrious
ldlerS. There IS common purpose
there and common purpose here. In
that purpose there Is neither Philan-
thropy, mercy or humanity, 1t will be
pursued as the court executes its SEN
tence. Silver is not to be restored.
The siver coin now ID circulation is to
be debased. The paper money is to
be withdrawn, and if successful. the
scene closes as has been predicted by
and gives on the limbs of the great
millions of our country. Think of it!
The very silver that they seek to pre-
vent beng made money, was once too
valuable to pay to soldier for his
valor in fight, or his suffering in hos
pital, or his agony in death. The past
is a precursor. The future is lumi-
nous by the experiences of the past.
The chapters will follow until the book
closes on scene that never entered
into the brain of soldier as a possible
destiny of the Republic. Its culmina-
ton, gold the only money, in the hands
of few, resident in a metropolis on
our farthest verge, of questionable
citizenship, and then watch for the ex
ercise of a power, greater than wizard
or necromancer, which has restored
slavery and calls the roll of its slaves
beneath the very shadow of Bunker
Hill 1t is not passion; it is not party
politics. 1t is existence and a battle
for the very prime conditions of life.
Party ties are ropes of sand in this
supreme hour, and we appeal to old
soldiers everywhere, after battling for
others, to come at last to the rescue of
themselves.
COMRADES:
Our patriotism has been challenged,
our honesty questioned, and we have
been classed as conspirators, repudia-
tors, and are charged with being III
league with men for the purpose of tar
nishing the good name of this republic.
And why is this charge made? Answer,
because we, in the exercise of our rights
as American citizens. rights for which
we fought, see fit to think for ourselves
on the over -shadowing issue of this
political campaign, and for the further
reason that our conclusions. do not
agree with their judgements, do not
SUIT the Generals" who have arfogat-
ed to themselves the right and duty to
think for US, and to Generals Horace
Do-xo- n n nox.,,rd Dan;o1 SicEalS