The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1896-04-22
Some Facts to Reflect Over.

millions OF dollars, JlllS Ill looO' III
the thirty years since that time,
about three thousand millions OF
dollars have been paid i'll interest
on this debt, and the principal is
now say twelve hundred millions OF
dollars, yet it is a cold fact that
we owe more now than in
1866. 1t is fact that the
the twelve hundred millions OF
bonds are worth more to their own
ers than the three thousand mill
ions were in 1866; so we have actu-
ally paid nothing in these thirty
years, though heavily taxed all the
time. 1t will now cost more bush
els of wheat, or pounds of cotton,
or acres of land, or hours of labor
to pay the twelve hundred millions
than it would have cost of the same
commodities in 1866 to pay the
three thousand millions.
Through long years of Republi-
can administrations we grew IA
miliar with the announcements OF
monthly reductions in the public
debt, and it looked as if it would
some time be wiped out, but that
class of people who own bonds that
cannot be taxed, would not have it
so. There were various findings OF
the public debt and apparent re-
auctions of the rates of interest.
Mr.. Sherman acquired fame as
financier by the way in which he
handled these findings, but though
the interest seemed to be reduced,
the bondholder took care that 1t
should each time be worth more to
him, by increasing the value ofthe
dollar in which he was paid his
four per cent. interest was worth
more than his six per cent. had
been. Silver was struck down by
Sherman and the Republican par
ty in 1878, and the value of the
dollar was increased enormously,
and it was made impossible to pay
the public debt. No holder of gov
eminent bonds wants the debt
paid. The further off the date at
which bond may be paid the
higher price it will bring. BY this
system of bonds whole nations are
cnslaved. Is it possible that the
American people will permit any
party to bind them i'll the chains OF
perpetual Indebtedness i'll order
that favored few may live AT ease
and without a care?
Now, the great struggle on the
part of the gold bugs is to change
the wording of every government
bond so that in place of being pay
able in coin, as they now are, they
shall be payable i'll gold. All the
rot about fifty cent dollar comes
from the holders of government
bonds or their hired tools who
want the interest on these same
bonds paid in two hundred cent
dollar. Silver has not deprecated
in value. Silver bullion will buy
today as much as ever of the ncs-
cessaries of life and as much land,
but gold has enormously increased
in value. Is any man so blind as
not to see the object of an office
holding class in increasing the val
ne of the money in which they
we're pail, OF ofn hond-holding
class in lobbying through Congress,
law which doubled the value of
their incomes? How blind the
farmers are to their own interests
when they support political par
ty that advocates financial policy
in conflict with their every inter
est, a policy that depresscs the
price of everything they produce
and to that extent destroys the val
ne of their land.
The advocates of gold stand
ard, Gliding now like Mckinley
under the assumed name of BIZ
metalists,) hold up their hands in
holy horror at the idea of bring
ing the country to silver basis.
But would silver basis be worse?
Could it be worse for the country
than our present system? Would it
not perhaps be fair to give the debt
or chance to pay out He can
mecor pay out in gold, and those
who wish to hold him in perpetual
slavery do not intend that he shall
pay out. We are told with bated
breath that we will be MeXicaniZed.
God grant it. Mexico with no
gold money, is to-day more prosper
GUS than our own country, and