Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-10-28

my kinsfolk have been Republicans: but
L could never agree TO their doctrines Of
centralized government and taxation.
Many OF my friends are now Inde-
pendents; but l cannot agree that there
can be any middle ground between the
two great contending lines.
PRIMARY ELECTION.
In the primary election I opposed free
silver, and knew IL was the main issue
IN the canvass. Though opposed 70 Il
now, / believe myself bound by my vote,
even IL preferred not 10 vote the Demo-
cratic ticket: and even though some
OF my friends consider themselves re-
leased by what they call the revolu-
tionary planks in that platform.
do not agree with the construction put
upon the Democratic platform by it's OPP
ponents. My study of the law has made
rue observe that the construction OF a
document put upon II by an adversary is
not always the proper one.
/ am Democrat because believe that
party contains the true doctrines OF the
rights of mankind-equal rights to all,
special privileges to nonel I believe that
it was greater than the Federal party
and the Wing party, and Is greater than
the Republican party. the Silver party.
and all OF the independent movements
that can arise.
THE MONEY PLANK.
The present financial system OF our
country is, / think. by general consent,
inefficient and ill-adapted to the conduct
of It's business. And the Notifying thing
about the situation 10 one who cannot be-
heVe in free silver is that the Republican
party offers no redress or alienation.
Confidence" cannot stay the tottering
mansion, and protection" cannot bring a
market TO the producer after all within
its limits have been supplied.
The MISUNDERSTANDING system, upon
which the Republican party rests It's claim
to what II calls a grand financial policy,
is inadequate to the needs OF the people
This may be shown by reference 20 the
history OF that system The national
bank is based upon United States bonds
These bonds are what give II existence.
In 1865 the bonded debt Of the govern
ment was S2.Si4.6i9.626 In 1899 the bonded
debt was $Sil 526. 463. Subsequent issues
now make the bonded debt about one
billion. So that If the natiOnal-bank sys-
TEN was efficient when it was founded.
the payment Of two-thirds Of its bonds by
the government must have had the effect
TO reduce In the same proportion the cir
culation which the banks once had. But
the reduction has been greater.
n national-bank president of this city
told me the other day that he had 800 900
capital and had notes in circulation
amounting to $4,000.
When the system was inaugurated du-
ring the war, the intention was to allow
the banks 10 issue money I'm proportion 10
its capital stock. The practical result. has
been that the high price OF the bonds has
made IL 10 the interest OF the banks to
reduce their circulation and TO sell their
bonds. relying on deposits for their loans
do not claim TO be a financler My
dealings with banks have been as de.
positor and as a moderate borrower from
time 70 time. But what DO resent as a
citizen Of this country is that the United
States, with her untold wealth Of re-
source in men and materials, shall be
held up in the markets Of the world as a
bankrupt according as she may have $780,
100000 Of gold-an amount not equal to
the wealth Of her individual citizens-in
the Treasury at any one time. And al
though with this reserve shells TO be pre-
pared TO redeem the S3i6000000 Of green
backs, and the Sl5O,0000o0 Of Sherman-act
Treasury notes, Mr. Gordon, In HIS valu-
able work on Congressional Currency"
tells US that "under our system OF cur
rency the United States is made the prey
OF every gold-seekng country in the
world The Treasury itself Is at the
mercy of the bankers and brokers. who
find profit I'm the expectation Of gold
coin and bullion" Congressional Cur
rency, page 1f3.
DOES NOT TEACH ANARCHY.
do not believe in anarchy. Nor do
understand that the Democratic platform
teaches II. Ny reading OF history has
taught me that Mr., Jefferson was reviled
with every epithet that has Of late been
applied to the Democratic candidate for
the presidency. Even more so. For he
was accused even touching his religious
faith--a charge never yet brought against
the exemplary life Of Mr.. Bryan.
INCOME-TAX.
believe in an income-tax. The State
Of Virginia leyies a tax on incomes in
excess OF 500, and It seems difficult 20
comprehend why the government OF the
United States should not do the like.
THE FORCE BILL
I would not for a minute add fuel 20
the fires OF sectionalsm, but / feel that
McKlnleyism is a standing menace to US
here at home. / know that the impress
sion Of many good men IS that the force
bill is a dead issue But what change
has come over the minds OF those who
once urged this measure? Are Mr.. Lodge
and his friends more tolerant than
formerly VIII the solid vote OF the
South render them less aggressive to-
wards her than formerly / fear not.
A friend Of mine wrote me the other
day doprecating the fact that l should
vote for Bryan. i told him my reason.
He said among other things: "The force
bill is dead; Mckinley meant that by the
last clause of his letter OF acceptance"
said you remind me of the old womans
reply 10 the parson when she asked him
what he meant by the word "Proto-
martyr" In his sermon. He answered:
Il meant first martyr" And she said:
"Huc come yo' didn't say SOP"
'Tis hard for me 10 forget the vitu-
peration that was heaped upon the peo-
pie Of Danville, among whom / lived AT
the time OF the trouble there in 1883, and
whose vicissitudes l then shared, as
then, and since have shared their good
will.
GENERAL HARRISON.
I rejoiced the other night that Gene
raj Harrison had come to speak I'm Vir-
ginia. and / am willing TO admit that IL
may be an omen of the softenlng Of the
Republican party towards the South; for
50 TAR as my study or his administration
-ilustrious as Il was in some re-
spects-he had forgotten that the South
ern boundary OF the United States was
the Gulf Of Mexico and the Rio Grande.
and not the Potomac and the Ohio. And
this in the face OF the fact that there
were reasons why he should at least
have known that James river was within
the borders OF the Union.
/ do not believe thai Mr. CLEVELAND Is
the cause of all our woes. His views
have been known from the beginning.
and he was nominated and elected with
the same opinions which have charac-
terized his whole course. The bond issue
whlch he nada was In accnrda ncn win |