Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-02-07
A. GREAT REPUBLICAN
SENATOR HANSBOROUGH FO2
AMERICAN POLICY.
A Gentle Hint tn the National ConVen .
ton Next Yesr-Why Protect In
dustries and Leave Financial system
Exposed tn Foreign Invaders

IA, Is not only a statesman OF discern
ment and ability, but he is an expert
cnced journalist and knows how 10 put
his views into concise English for pub
lication In compliance with request,
he sends the editor of the World the fol-
lowing interesting summary OF the
political outlook in North Dakota:
The political situation In this state
amounts to this: The people are look
| ing forward anXiously to the time when
they can assist in bringing about a
change of administration. The money
question and the tariff will be the two
| national issues here. The two old par
! ties are about equally divided with re-
! spect to silver. There is talk about or
! ganizing a silver party and | should
not be surprised to see a third party
| upon an exclusively silver platform.
! place a ticket in the field next year.
There is very strong and growing dis
position on the part of the people. re
CARELESS OF party, in favor Of independ-
ent action on the part of the United
States on the financial question. Our
people are getting tired of dictation
from abroad. A great many republic
cans do not understand why it is that
our party. which goes for the protec-
ton of American industry, should not
also go for an American financial sys-
TEN. | am one of the republicans who
cannot understand why we should favor
foreign financial system. Perhaps l
do not fully grasp the American idea. y
Cleveland World.
In the foregoing, Senator Hansbrough
, voices the sentiments OF vast numbers
of republicans in all parts of the United
States. They are at loss to know why
the average republican leader should
swell with indignation, look big and
talk big whenever 1t is suggested that
we should follow England's revenue
policy, and at the same time enter
tremulous protest against an independ-
ent financial policy.
They appear to think that our very
salvation depends upon being in accord
with England's monetary system. Just
why they never explain.
The talk in a grandiloquent way
about the best money in the world"
but they never clearly and intelligibly
state how gold meets that definition.
They start out with the broad assump
ton that gold is the best money in the
world, and If we only preserve the gold
standard, our monetary system will
necessarily be Sound" even though
the business of the country be para
that we have had the gold standard for
% years-that since 1878 every dollar
in use has been upon par with every
other dollar, and still there has been
endless complaint.
We have had high protection all
these years. Some classes and some
favored localities have prospered, but
at the same time general conditions
have not been healthy. There has been
a constant melting away of property
and commodity values, altogether TO
the disadvantage of those engaged in
productive industry, and utterly de-
structive Of genuine prosperity.
While millions Of producers have
been literally ruined by the ever-in-
creasing burden of debt. consequent
upon the fall of prices, in the money
centers, millionaires and multi-mil-
lionairs have been created with start.
ling rapidity. If there is a party leader
IN the country who can not see so
palpable a fact, he ought to descend
from his pedestal at once.
Republicans ought to know that there
is less reason why we should adopt
England's monetary standard than
there is for us to oppose her free-trade
policy. In the latter, there is simply
a legitimate rivalry. But upon the
question of adopting a monetary stand
ard the interests of the two countries
are completely reversed. England is
creditor nation; the United States is
debtor A creditor is benefited by a rise
in the value of money; a debtor is in
jured by such rise AS gold goes up
the English creditor is enriched. while
the American debtor is impoverished.
Instead Of making ourselves a poten-
tial factor in maintaining and enhanc-
ing England's gold standard, the prin-
ciple of self-preservation should prompt
US to use our strength in breaking il
down.
If We should demonetize gold entire
ly, il would considerably lower the
value of that metal, and relieve us of
a portion OF our debt to England. On
the other hand the more nations Eng
land can induce to demonetize silver,
the greater becomes the demand for
gold and the more it rises in value.
What America wants is not Eng
lands monetary system, not especially
the money standard of any nation, but
an honest standard, which will meas
ure the same to-day, tomorrow and for
all time.
OF course this would be an ideal
standard which it would be difficult,
perhaps impossible, to reach; but there
can be no question that the restoration
of true bimetallism by the full and free
use of both gold and silver, will be a
vast Improvement upon existing condi-
tons But to return TO Senator Hans
brough The significant part of his ut
tarauoa 10 that rofafipo IN tho fcfr,a