The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1896-08-21
THEN AND NOW.

The Louisville Courier Journal, ed
tied by the brilliant but cratic Henry
Watterson, is one Of the strongest ad.
vocates Of single gold standard and
one Of the few great Southern journals
that goes to the extreme In refusing
to support Bryan and Scwall, because
| OF their attitude on the money qucs.
tiOn.
There was time, however, when
the Courier-Journal thought differ
emily. 1t was only ten years ago
when that journal published the fol-
lowing editorial and followed II up by
Others on the same line.
"The Courier-Journal lays down the
following propositions:
81. That the dcmonctizatiOn Of
silver, which has prevailed for some
years up to this writing, both In the
United States and Europe, has had
the effect Of advancing the value Of
gold about 40 per cent.
"2. That this has been accomplish
ed by depressing the value Of all other
property to that extent.
49, That about 40 per cent Of the
property and producing resources Of
the people have been thus transferred
to comparatively small class OF men,
whose stock in trade is gold invest.
ments.
~. That the exact proportion az
gold has risen, the burden Of debt and
taxation has been increased, and that
In proportion as property and labor
have declined, the capacity Of people
TO pay their debts and taxes has d.
minished.
IS. That the silver discount is ere.
ating bonus OF more than 30 per
cent In favor Of the farm products of
India and Asia, which TO that extent
cheapens the wheat, cotton snd yari-
Gus other productions Of the United
States.
IS. That these lamentablc condi.
tions have been produced by anti.
silver legislation.
~. That they can be undOne and
prosperity restored by prO4slavery leg
iSlation.
"Now, here are seven propositions,
either Of which, il true, certainly
proves the silver situation is a matter
Of intense and universal importance.
II so, why is not the matter forced
upon public attention day after day
by all the newspapers In the land
which are not owned body aud
brcechcs by the money kings OF the
gold conspiracy? II they, or either OF
them are not true, why do they not
prove 1t, and put the whole question
at rest at once and for all? II any
newspaper in New York, or Boston,
or Chicago, or Philadelphia, or New
Orleans, or Cincinnati can succoes-
fully controvert either OF these prOpo-
sitions, it will render the public val
liable service by doing so at once. II
they cannot c0ntroyert either of these
propositions, they are obviously corr
nivlng at a gigantic fraud and wrong
which cannot possibly co-exist with
any degree Of prosperity. II any or
all OF these propositions are true, tho
honest journalist, with the capacity
to understand the principles involved,
|Rnnot conscientiously abstain from
giving the greatest publicity possible.
1--WE challenge the editors OF the pa.
pers named, end OF any Others, t0
point out sinf gU1aw or error In any
proposition Of the seven, and IL this.
cannot be done, we ask In the mare
(Uf the people what interests they are
serving and what consideration, in
kind and amount, they are receiving
in conniving at the iniquity. 1t will
be worth a great deal to the country
II these papers will prove all the
propositions stated are either true Or
false, and the public should be con.
tent until the public press is awaken.
ed to the sense Of its public duties, to
its dependence on public support and
to its betrayal or ignoring OF its Us.
tensillc Office - public advisor In
chief"
The question naturally arises, after
reading the above, was the Courier.
Journal right In 1888, when it pub
lished the above, or Is it ri0Dt now,
when 1t turns its back on free silver,
and dcn0unces those who stand as
the leading cxponents and representa-
tives Of that doctrine.