The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1896-08-28
ELECTION TUESDAY, NOVEMBER ,. 1896.
DEHOCRlCT AGAINST Pluto
CRICI.


The poor ye have always with
YOU" and from the times of Abraham
and Solomon rich men existed and
fiourishei.
Democracy anil Plutocracy. The
demos, the people, on one hand, the
plut0S, the wealth, the few on the
other We have no kingship as they
had in those days, but Solomon's sys-
tenn of economics oppressed the mass
es to enrich his own Golfers so that he
might array himself in all his glory.
To-day we have plutocracy that is
gradually amassing immense fortunes
at the expense of the people. There
is this essential difference, however.
In former times this condition was
superimposed on the masses by hered
ity, and nothing could alter it but
revolution. Now the people impose
these conditions on themselves by
their ballots. 1t is their own choice,
and it is the price they pay for allow
ing themselves to be hoodwinked.
We feel proud TO say that our land
gives the greatest freedom to individ-
ual energy and enterprise and that
in no other nation can the poorest
citizen rise to the most exalted station.
But while this is true, yet it is equal
~ true that we are rapidly developing
II millionaire class that is sedulously
endeavoring to roll up its millions
without regard to the effect produced
among the masses. We believe that
there is less of this in the United
States than i'll any other country OH
the globe-that labor is freer to move
that it is less trammeled than in any
other country, that the laborer is more
respected, for the highest official is
merely the servant of the people.
The present campaign. however, is
bringing out in its strongest light the
struggle of the plutocracy of the land
against tie people. The selection of
millionaire Hanna as manager and the
five hundred million committee as as
sstants in running Mr.. Mckinley's
campaign, convinces the average mind
beyond doubt that the Republicans
and the Republican platform in this
campaign are what will best further
the interests of the large money hold
ers.
On no one class has the present
financial depression been as oppres-
sive as on the farmer. He is looking
for relief, and he does not want to
wait until the next generation for it.
Nothing is truer than that business in
general is always dull when the price
of farm products is low. The farm
ing interests are the root and basis of
the business of our country. The men
who are running McKinley's cam
paign are not suffering from the hard
times. They are evidently well salts
fled with present conditions, or they
would not be exerting themselves so
strenuously to maintain them. Nc
Kinley promises only to continue what
we now have; for this the monied class
is fighting. The farmer and man of
average means, want better markets
and more prosperous times for them
selves. They are looking around for
means to obtain this end.
The present depression has been
produced in a large measure by lack
of confidence. That is what all gold
men say, and that is undoubtedly
true. What caused this lack of con
fidence: Let an individual begin to
borrow money in a lavish manner
He is soon looked upon as shaky
Poetry is generally inappropriate in
the consideration of go grave u ques- |
ton as the credit of nation, but the |
words of Shakespeare. borrowing |
dulls the edge of husbandry," have |
been proven true in our own day and |
country.
The maintenance of the gold re- |
serve of one hundred millions in the |
United States treasury has been &C
compIished during the past two years
by the issue of two hundred and sixty
millions of government bonds. If this
policy is continued, within six years
our government will owe a thousand
millions to the millionaires and bank
ers of America and England, who are
eager to obtain the bonds.
With bimetalism this treasury
draining process could not be worked.
Let gold and silver both be legal
tender. Why should gold be planted
Oh high pedestal rs it is at present,
aud thus n,cessitate the propping up
of silver with stockades in order to
keep it on a level with gold. Remon.
etiZe silver The foundation was
knock ell out from under it in 1873
Give it Il solid footing, and the read
justnent to normal conditions of the
ratio of gold and silver will be rapid
1t will also be permanent. This normal
ratio was maintained in this country
for nearly one hundred years, aud
the same ratio of Ii TOT
laS been ana now Is maintained III
he Latin Union.
But monometalists, that is, the gold
men, say, I'VE cannot stand the
transition. 1t is the shock that hurts.
We would not mind being OH IL bimet-
Lllic basis, but we cannot stand the =
'eriod of change"
We reply, such an argument is not
ound or even serious. We either can
,eep on Issuing bonds at the present !
ate forever, or we cannot. II we can =
lot, then sometime We mast get an Il
ther standard than gold as the basis il
4 value 1t need scarcely be stated t
hat we cannot keep up bond-.ssuinZ
Indefinitely. Then why should we
addIe the government with several fl
housand millions, and then DO what a
ryan or the Democratic party pro S
ose to do at once. Will the tr.rnsi u