The National tribune., 1896-07-23
THE SAME OLD CROWD.
The same old crowd are found under
the banners of the Free Silver party.

the banners OF the Free Silver party.
There are the men who, when the
greenbacks were issued as means OF
bel ping save the Nation, denounced
them furiously as Lincoln rags" and
Abolition shin-plasters." They could
not conceal their delight at the deprecla-
ton of the money, whenever a battle
went against the Union forces; they
aided and abetted the "gold gamblers /"
in New York, who were pounding down
the value of the money until green
back dollar was only worth 80 cents.
They gleefully predicted the time when
a workman "would take his money to
market in basket, and bring home
what he bought with it in his pocket
book"
Then, after the war closed, they we're
for repudiating the greenbacks and the
bonds altogether, and fought vindictively
for years on that issue.
Next, they wanted to pay off all the
bonds in greenbacks, and for years sang
the same song they are singing now, ex-
cept that greenbacks is succeeded by
"Free Silver"
Next, when we wanted to redeem the
National honor, fulfill our promises to
pay, and put the finances of the country
on sound basis, where every man get
ting dollar, for his days work, or his
bushel of wheat, would know precisely
what value he was getting, we found
them all lined up against us and resump-
ton of specie payments.
Now they have a new song, but it is
the same men who are singing it. They
want to food the country with debased
dollars, the value of which only the in
finite wisdom of God can determine.
There is probably as much silver in the
mines of this country as there is lead or
copper. There are really more silver
mines in sight than copper or lead mines
1t is only question: of the cost and profit
of working these nTines. We know how
immensely the cost of this work has been
reduced by the introduction of dyna-
mite, and the diamond drill, and the
development of scientific processes of re-
duction. Within a comparatively few
years the production of silver in the
United States was increased about fifteen
hundred-fold. If sufficient inducement
were given it would doubtless be in
creased that much again within very
few years. What would silver dollars
be worth then? What would silver
be worth now, if all the silver known to
be already mined and stored up in this
country should be taken to the minis
and converted into dollars?
How much benefit would mans
little pension be to him if paid in these
debased dollars?
How much would the workingman
get for his days skilled labor?
How much would the man or woman
have who has been working and saving
for years to lay by little hoard to pro-
vide against rainy day, and the in
evitable time of sickness and burial?
How much would all these have who
have been depositing in savings banks,
or paying premiums ON life and fire
insurance?
What a pleasure it would be to the
gang which has been fighting pensions
and pensioners all these years TO see
every pension not only cut in two, but
that half again cut in two again by the
cunning device of free and unlimited
coinage of silver!
Leaving aside every other considera-
ton, the very fact of the composition of
The party which is most vociferous for
Free Silver is sufficient to chill the heart
Of every veteran and friend of veteran,
Of every man who remembers the past
history and efforts of the leading advo-
Gates of Free Silver.
What can We as veterans, or the
hope for men whom we have
lad to fight all our lives to prevent
heir doing the gravest injury, in one
way or another, to the country which we
owe SO dearly. .t