Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-08

1
tion between the gold-standard Democrats
and free-sliyer Democrats a necessity, but
| II ought TO be desirable TO both sides.
| If the gold-standard Democrats are as
| bad, politically, as we think they are,
we ought not to care to affiliate with
| them. and II those who supported the
| Chicago platform are half as Tad the
| Soidbugs say they are, they are apt TO
contaminate all who associate with them
In my opinion. there should be no COM
| promise Of the issues involved in the late
| campaign, and no terms short of absolute
surrender offered those who have deserted
us. If any Democrat becomes convinced
| that the gold standard is necessary, or be-
comes a defender of trusts, he can leave
| the party ai.i Join the boiling Demo-
Gratis or the Republicans. If any bolting
| Democrat sees the error OF his way, and
| Is willing to endorse the Chicago platform
and labor with those who seek TO carry
II into effect, we will welcome such a
| Democrat back into the fold
FIGHT AGAINST BANKS.
I'VE are engaged now in Just such
contest as that through which Andrew
! jackson passed and we do well on this
! occasion TO take encouragement from his
| devotion TO the cause OF the people. lie
| gained his greatest silver victory i'm his
| fight against the national bank. We have
| the same fight on hand to-day. The ma
| tional bank is seeking to force retire
ment of the greenback and then monopo-
| lie the issue Of paper money. The RepuD-
licans. during the campaign just closed,
avoided this subject. and refused TO de-
clare themselves either for or against the
retirement of the greenbacks. But when
they come 10 apply their ideas TO legisla-
ton they must disclose their views.
"a statement issued by the Treasury
| Department near the close of December
showed an available cash balance, in
| Guiding gold reserve Of more than go
| M00o0. OF this sum about S50,Oeo,OJJ was
In greenbacks and about S36,oCO0O0 in Trea-
| sury notes. his money Is either good or
| bad. II IL is good il ought to be In circu-
! lation among the people. instead of locked
| up in the vaults at Washington. To keep
a balance of 25.0OOOOO In the Treasury
| when the money Is needed among the peo-
| pie Is ineXcusable. The only ways to get
| this money out among the people are
| first, TO have the government receipts less
| than the expenditures. in which case the
! amount Of the deficit being paid from this
surplus and saved TO the people In taxes,
| is virtually paid TO them In the proportion
| I'm which they pay taxes; and, second, TO
| loan IL out through banks or other agen-
| cies. We have now surplus Oi ABOUT
| si25 10000 above the reserve. For the fiscal
year ending June 80 1885, the expenditures
| exceeded the receipts nearly SBOyy0O; Tor
| the year 1895. q little more than S2o,OcO,OO.
| II the Republicans attempt TO increase the
| revenue they musc expect either 10 IN
crease the expenditures or the surplus In
| the Treasury. | think we are safe In as
suming that they are hostile to the green
! back not because II IL inferior TO the
| bank note, but because the national banks
/ desire to retire the greenbacks with bonds
and then draw upon the bonds the interest
| which the people as whole now save on
| the greenbacks.
while the Republicans have not yet
had an opportunity 10 write their poll
| cies upOn the statute-bOOk. we have
proceeded far enough to discover that
the mere announcement Of Republican
success does not restore prosperity. III
the advocates of free silver hf.1 won,
every bank and business failure would
have been attributed to their success.
During the month of November, 1885,
seven national banks failed, ana in the
month of December nine more closed
their doors. | fnd upon examination OF
the statistics that December witnessed
the closing of more national banks than
were closed in any other month since
January l. 1893. excepting me thfee
months of the panic of that year
"One bank announced az the cause or
its failure. Inability 10 realize upoh
assets" This notice was a confession
of the argument made during the cam
paign by the advocates OF free coinage;
I've have all along insisted that the gold
standard was destroying the value oi
assets. With money rising In value ana
property falling in value, hard times
must continue. That this is not due 10
local causes is evident from the s Idc.
that the same complaint comes from
other nations. The press dispa tches state
that the holiday trade in Germany was
disappointment to he merchan g.
WORK FOR CLUBS.
"It will be the duty of the Jackson
Club to point out from time TO time the
effect of Republican politics so that the
work of education will extend over four
Years. instead Of being crowded into
feU campaign months. The members
of this club should not be deferred py
the charge that they are agitators' me
ftsaf1
Democrats were neVor aIraid 10 s'tl,t as,LaSto
against the Mckinley bill; the Repuon.
cans were never afraid to agitate against
the Wilson bill; the bankers are now asI-
tatinR through their conferences anu COR
ventions and through lne pi W., VI, enn,,id
our present currency system why shoui1i
those be silent who believe that the 6Viu 6
standard Is ruinOus TO the masses Ihls
club and similar clubs can also heep os
fore the people the growth OF tne trusts.
Thev can secure such State legislation as
l. r,ossible md bring what influence tney
can To hear upon those officials VINO are
charged with the enforce 'nent OF the li,, NV,
LET me call attention TO another S NoLn
which clubs can do. They can ehcour'Se
,be s,nnort of those newspapers which are
onnos1d 10 the gold standard. No news
paper can long exist without reaueIs, anu anu
unless the advocates or tree courage ale
willing TO support newspapers whicn rep
resent their ideas they must eNpec' " 10
without newspapers. -.,-
"And | might suggest as ahotner WIN
which the clubs can perform tldt l nnes
can he prepared 10 make such a canvass
oS their respective localities that they
,rpl know whether a sudden increase IN
he vote means that there Is usually "a
iaroa stav-at-hOme vote or Wnethef IL
means that all the votes cast are hol
renresented by legal voters.
Chicago is the great me1ropiTisc ,,s i cbicago e
vii exert a large influence upon the poll
tics Of the States tributary to this city.
I rejoice that the Democracy or omlcdso
is supporting the prlnclpies ol Ii,.n Soti
and jackson. and rejoice that the Demo
orats ~ this city are determined 10 con-
,in,,e the fight for Democratic principles,
in the face of all opposition. gid mem mem
godspeed I'm their work, ana, as l D1heVe
in the ultimate triumph OF the righl, 1 can
nnconrage them TO believe that their IA
Snro Iii finally be crowned with sue
cess" ..o >-o,r ppEcE,NT
limited States Senator Dubois of IDAHO
,,.as axnected. but his dght for another
term in the Senate prevented his attend
ance. .,.,.,,o
s,oxa with typical southern eloquence
ond fervor TO the toast: Memories OF
Heroic Conduct -
ExPostmaster r. NJ. Ridgely, OF SPRING
field. H.. who was dismissed Ifom ms
office by President Cleveland for oinclous
,,artisanship in advocating free-silver
Coinage. spoke pontedly about civil-ser-
vice reform 10
Gaoree w. Ambrose. of Omaha, spoke
NJ the past and Future of the Allied
Silver Forces"
The concluding address was delivered by
Governor John Z. Altgeld, of Illinois, on
.eThe Character and Mission of Minority
Party" =,
Mr. BRYAN left for Omaha at 2:45 A. M.
on the Northwestern fast mail.
Duel to the Death.
MEMPHIS. TENN, January John
vaughan and Gus Homer, armed with a