The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-02-11
THE CRY FOR MORE.
The "Business interests" Begin tn
Feel the Money Squeeze.


| New York Journal.
Inc members OF the chamber Of commerce
were in fighting humor at their monthly
meeting yesterday. They had heard, through
the newspapers, that the coming admins
tration intended to have only tariff con-
sidered at the special session Of congress
so they entered a protest and appointed a
committee to urge that the currency cues
| ton be also considered. Then the cham
Der authorized the same committee to as
sist similar bodies in recon nen.ling leeis-
| lation.
As final financial sensation, William E.
| Dodge. the millionaire member of the firm
OF l'helps, Dodge d Co.. made a speech de-
Glazing that he learned from n trip West
that the East doesn't understand the South
ana West. and that there is lack CT money
in important sections mat practically
makes the transaction of business inn ossi-
bic oxcep; by primitive systems Of barter
The determination to tackle the coming
administration on the currency question
case Is suggestion from cx-Congressman
lsdor Straus. HeIs not a high tariff man
and views with dfsfavor the reported inten-
| ton OF Mckinley to have the special ses-
| sion do nothing but deal with tariff
We want currency considered, too" he
said. and | move that Il committee be ap-
pointed 10 urge the powers that be to have
included In the call for the special session.
that congress Is convened to pass needed
currency legislation as we'll as to consider
other matters"
a member called NO. moi" but there
was general feeling In favor, and the mo-
tion was carried, with only one dissenting
voice
The committee that will convey 10 Major
Mckinley the views OF the chamber CON
l.,
Dodge, Charles L. Fairchild. George Foster
Peabody A. Swan Brown and lsidor Straus
The same men attended the indianapolis
monetary convention. and in speaking of
this MIR. Dodge made speech that created
sensation. He was ono OF the nen who
in The last campaign declared that there is
plenty OF money In the country ara that
ali that is wrong is in the currency system
lie said yesterday. referring 10 his Western
trio
found that there We're great sections OF
the Southern and Western country where
there was absolutely no money at all; where
the most primitive Forms of barter obtain
ed where everything was most disorgan-
izei.
one gentleman told me that In his coun-
ty, which was quite a rich agricultural
country. by some happy accident $50 bank
bill had como down into tho county. and
that he had taken horse and buggy and
in the county trying to get it changed into
smaller bills, but had been unable to do
SO, and finally was Obliged 20 send it TO
Richmond.
There were senators who toll me that
'heir constituents Tever saw dollar OF
money from tho beginning OF the year to
the end, with the result that Trey had con-
stantly TO get into ioDt 20 tle local store
keepers. The local grorekae3ers received
their pay IN kind. n 'act. overtime was |
drifting back to The old lines .!-'ore money |
was invented. And this was not in one
section of the country Only. but in large
sections.
My impression Is that 4 some thoughtful
plan could be suggested il would be quite |
possible TO educate all The agricultural peo- !
pie of the country TO understand that 4
man who was thrifty ild Ito lest md sober |
and prompt can always ~ GONE way get |
some money. 1t is a Try Lard thing
10 not understand II 81 all here because |
We have so much money moving among U.S.
but If every time We Wclt to a store we |
were unable to ,uy anything except on
credit, If we had no money to pay down
to enable us TO ltIp he Advantages OF cash |
payments, we should begin 10 b. fretful.
II came away from Indianapolis with this
very firm impression. and ! have only ven
tured to submit it because eeel it SO deep
ly that unless those OF us in the more fav-
ored parts OF the country understand the
condition of our brothers ond our fellow
citizens in the other parts of he country,
unless we wisely instruct and educate them
and bring about some Use methods for
their relief that when 1900 comes we shall
he swamped with an infinitely more power
fui vote against us than during the last
election"
On Mr.. Dodgo's motion It was determined
that the committee of which Mr. Rhoades is
chairman should make Il study of the
question and shall have power TO make
recommendations to a congressional none
tary commission, provided one is named.