Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1896-10-22

spite of legal enactments of parliaments
or congresses. Our hard times have
come from the general competition with
the countries of the whole globe into
which w are forced by cheapness and
facility of transportation-from over-pro'
duction in past years, from extravaganza
during good times, and from our own
social and political agitations. One Of
the chief causes of hard times to.
day is this agitation for a radical
change in the currency of the cOun
try. If the American people put down
by IN overwhelming majority this agi.
~tation-bury it out Of sight-one chief
cause of hard times will be out of the
way. Other causes may remain. more
or less. That of the general competi.
ton with all the nations of the earth
must remain. Good times, however,
may be expected to come back, even il
glutted our markets has been used up;
capitalists are anxious to do something
with their money-if it a be invested
safely; our wOndrous natural resources
invite investments to develop them-and.
confidence, restored, the outlook il
bright. But the essential thing is con.
fidence. Today It is confidence that is
needed far more than an increase in the
volume of the currency. The volume OF
Tic SuIISuNS Ac h0l6N SAOuShS w
it fictitiously, surely, will not help us.
Ninety per cent. Of all business is done
without curreney-by cheques and
drafts, of which the whole foundation is
confidence. Those who suffer from
hard times-and they are the many
must hearken to reason, silence passion,
TURF away from delusive remedies-and
the country will be again put on the road
to prosperity.
1 ask, is it honest to try to pay debts
with half the money which we received
when contracting them? National or pr.
vate, debts contracted upon a inan.
cial system, such that those who
loaned money gave it a certain com.
mercial value. and believed, as they
could not at the time have helped
doing, that they would receive il
should be paid in values of that same
financial system. That the great Amer.
lean republic will as a nation, declare ia
the world that it will now make a law
compelling its creditors to be satisfied
with half, or a little mor of the money
they loaned to it-and so on record in
the eyes of the world as a b~roken-down,
possible to believe. No one will say in
justification of such a possibility that
America is compelled by national poverty
to do 20. Then. nc one should be able to
say that she thinks of doing 30.
: There are a hundred aspects Of this
question which I do not touch upon. ]
merely throw ont some thoughts, which
show reasons for my W present pc.
litical faith. and which may be of some
benefit to others In forming their own
judgment.
may. Of course, be mistaken. But !
have come. to look upon the present agl'
tation AZ the great test Of universal SUIT
frage and popular sovereignty. Can the
people defend public honor and the in.
situations Of the country at the polls, Al
they have done on the field of battle
Can they be SO calm and deliberate III
their Judgment, 30 careful to weigh all
things y, III the rae, scales s4esr; 81 reason m. ana 4he g
can be trusted with the settlement Of
grave social and political problems
That 10 the question that 10 before ua
at the present moment.