Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-09-22
A DEMOCRATIC VIEW.
EDITORS PUBLIC OPINION:

~
cussions on both sides in your paper
upon the issues of the day. AS you
run Republican paper your generosity
is commendable and 1 embrace the
opportunity to start the ball on the
Democratic side.
On the Sd of next November a
president of the United States is to be
elected and what is the issue? Here
tofOre it has been the "robber tariff
which varies about four per cent be-
tween the Mckinley bill and the Will
son bill. Either one would furnish
revenue enough to run the government
if properly carried out, and is all the
people ask. But today another issue
has arisen that overshadows all others.
1t is the question of whether the money
of this country shall be as our fathers
fixed it for over eighty years and up TO
1878, and under which the country
prospered without a parallel in the
world, or shall the few who have a
corner on the money of the world die
tate what particular metal shall or
shall not be the standard of the en-
tire money system of the world. These
few men have become immensely
wealthy and as "the more man has
the more he wants" they see the way
clear under gold standard to hold the
destiny of the financies of all countries
lin the hollow of their hands. When
we advocate the principles of our fore
fathers and demand bimetallism, we
are met with the charge of lunatics,
fools and anarchists; is it possible or
probable that three-fourths of the peo-
pie of this country, who are as honest
and patriotic as any class of men on
earth, are desirable of bringing ruin
and desolation to this fair land, and to
the homes where they have spent their
most happy hours; where their Child
rem were born and reared and the word
home seven with mortgage upon it'
| is the dearest word in the world to
them? But, says one, you want dis
honest money. Romans XII: IL says,
"provide things honest in the sight OF
all men," Webster says, "fair in deal
| ing with others, free from trickishness
and fraud" these are some of the def
tnisions of honesty. Now, let us see
how they compare with the gold
standard. This government has in cir
culation $3.50, ,OOO, 600 of greenbacks re-
deemable on demand in gold, to say
nothing of the billions of other obli'
cations payable in gold. The redemp-
ton of greenbacks would take nearly
one-tenth of all the gold in the world
and whenever in case OF a war OF
when the goldites feel like increasing
their pile by few millions all they
have to do is to gather up the green
backs and put the screws to Uncle Sam
but the poor man is absolutely help
less and can do nothing but scratch
, around for the "filthy yellow luchre'
} to satisfy their demands and keep ou
J credit good abroad. To keep our credi
| good we have borrowed $3.50, 100000 il
J the past three years, and who is bene
, flied by it? Are there any more me-
f employed? Are taxes any lower? Ar
i our coast defenses any stronger? Nc
!, Then who is benefited? Why, we hav
y kept our credit good with England an
: Wall street at cost of $3.50, 900 600 an
E a bonus of from $lO,OOO,OOO to 5000
: 600, which principal and interest tn
: people have got to pay. But if onl
e one deal we might stand it, but tn
: law says greenbacks when redeeme
t shall Immediately be put in circulatiO
n again. So the same may be presente
a | for gold every four weeks and we are
e the tolls of an endless chain with tn
/. money power at the windlass and a
8 the gold on earth if i'm our possessio
{ could not release us from its deadl
O embrace. And yet gold is called hone
). and sound money when we have not
d dollar in the treasury but what is bo
e rowed and its payment is matter
It no little uncertainty. The only none
v we have las there is no gold in circu
s. atom that is based upon honor an
e business principles is the silver doll'
Of and silver certificate. That certitica
Of passes just the same as gold. III
D. government says pay to the holder Il
4 number of silver dollars this calls f
al and it has every dollar in its vaul
n- ready to pay without getting on
a. knees to England or any body else
borrow the money. That is sound al
il honest, but the promise to pay in go
is whether much or little when it amt
is be had is gigantic fraud and humbu
re We hear a great deal about fifty ce
Sc dollar, and the intrinsic value of d'
IN lar and the market price of money.
or there market for money the same
81 for hogs, cattle and grain? Ifso, whe
os is it, and who has the power to s
l. what it is worth? Whoever heard
o. gold dollars being worth so much, pa
We able in gold dollars. What sense
| Il artl \,