Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-10-13
HOW Will They VOYE?|
Many Thousands of Young Men
Have Reached the Threshold
y Of Their Career. -
TWO POLITICAL PATHS OPEN.
Sound Money Stands for National
Honor-Debased Coinage Stands
for Dishonor.

There are good many thousands of
young men who will this year east their
first vote for President. They stand on
the threshold of their career and are
looking forward to achieve success in
life in some chosen vocation. With but
few exceptions they all expect to be
business men and by their own efforts
win competence if not fortune. This
ambition to obtain wealth is laudable
and should be cherished by every honest
and industrious youth.
To these young men the money ques-
ton, which is now the political question
of the moment, is of surprising impor-
lance, not only for the right casting of
their votes but for the right understand
ing of business principles, for If they do
not understand the meaning of money,
what it should be. what it is for, and
what it can do, there is but little hope
that they will be able to accumulate
much of it. or, accommodating it, know
well how to use it.
The common phrase in business is
making money" but money is only
means for obtaining other things. When
young man has saved his first hundred
dollars he doesn't put it away or hide it,
but invests it in other property or loans
it at interest until he can find an oppor-
tunity for other investments. AS he in
creases his money he sets it at work for
him, and in this way grows rich. Money
is not the ultimate object of business,
but it is the means whereby men obtain
what they want.
1t is of the first importance. therefore,
and each mans common sense confirms
it, that the money we earn, that the
money we borrow and lend and that we
use for the purpose of exchange SHOULD
be uniform and stable i'm value, that it
should mean the same thing next year
that it does today, and the world of bust
ness has agreed that gold and silver
makes the nearest approach to that
kind of money-gold for large transac-
tons, silver for small. That these
metals can be equally used history
nations have provided that gold should
have the principal place and silver be
treated as subsidiary.
The political question, then, for the
young man who now votes for the first
time to decide is, whether 1t is wiser to
follow the teachings of history and the
example of the most successful business
nations of the world or to start out on a
plan that has already been tried and
found disastrous. Shall we as people
take pattern after England or after
Mexico? Shall we learn from China or
from Germany?
How does a young man act for himself
when looking around among his elders
and superiors In business life? Does he
choose the example and advice of sue
cessful men--of the Armours and Fields
and Cages of commercial and financial
life--or does he start out regardless of
their methods and attempt some short
cut to success? How many young men
have stood at the parting of the ways
looking wistfully into the future? How
few have taken the narrow and forbid
ding path of hard work, thrift and self
sacrifice, but that leads to the mountain
tops, and how many the fowery road
that Is SO enticing in its ease and pleas
ure, but which ends only in increases
and despair?
As it is with individuals so it is with
nations, and no people can defy the
principles Of honesty and integrity in
their national life any more than in
personal life.
Sound and honest money, which means
money as good as gold in this campaign,
stands for national honor. A debased
coinage stands for national dishonor.
Which banner will our young men fol-
low!-Chicago Times Herald.