Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-11-11
DRIFT is TO FIATISM.
SILVER WING or DEMOCRACY
RAPIDLY DISlNTEGRATING.
The Leaders Are Looking Around for
a New Issue Which Can BE Made
Popular with the People-Many Be-
lieve In Greenbackism.



Special Washington correspondence:
With the gradual dying out or the
free silverissue throughout the country.
considerable interest Is awakened as
10 what the leaders OF the Democracy
will choose as the basis OF future prin-
ciples upon which 10 so before the
country and the voters OF the United
States. Not little curiosity is mani
Tested here as TO the exact status or
the lew political party which Is said
to be in a state OF organization, and
which, is-denominated the National Pa
per &oney party, and which promises
primarily to devote itself exclusively TO
the currency question as the first and
greatest issue before the country. The
tariff question Is to be relegated to the
rear, and all the other issues which
have been the mainstay Of the old
Democratic party are TO be side-track-
ed as side issues of only minor import
ance.
1t is well understood by close observ-
ers, ard in fact by all intelligent read
ers Of che newspapers, that the wing OF
the Democratic party which last year
adopted free silver as its cardinal prin-
ciple has been gradually disintegrating
owing TO the unpopularity Of the silver
cause, and that while some Of its sup
porters still cling to the free coinage
idea large proportion of them are
casting about for another issue which
will be more likely to take with the
people as a campaign issue in the fight
Of 1900. A preliminary meeting of the
new Paper Money party was recently
held in Chicago and arrangements
were made to enter the Congressional
campaign Of next year. 1t Is claimed
that the new movement has made some
Roadway in the Western States, and
that clubs have been organized in San
Francisco, Kansas City and other
Western cities. Pure fiatism. no metal
lie basis of currency, and no redemp-
ton Is announced as the motto OF the
new movement. This resolves itself
into old-time greenbackism pure and
simple, and will doubtless find many
supporters from the ranks Of the sill
verites, who have always believed in
greenbackism and have tolerated silver
simply as a means to the end. The new
party promises to devote itself to the
single plank of greenbackism, demand
ing Government paper, issued and con-
trolled entirely by Congress, legal TN
der for all debts and not redeemable.
Congress will be called upon to stop
issuing all gold, silver and bank paper
money, and TO issue only national paper
money for the use of the people. The
money now in circulation in the c0un-
try will be recognized for its face val
ne, but no more of the kind will be is
sued. Ex-Governor Altgeld is said TO
be In favor of the movement, but ex-
presses the doubt that the people of
the country are not ready to accept the
fiat scheme in toto: in other words,
they are not educated up to 1t. FIRE.
quent declarations were heard during
the campaign of last year that free sill
yer was but necessary stepping stone
to the true money of the country, viz.
paper currency. 1t was frequently as
serted during the last campaign that
Governor Altgeld was more Of IA green
hacker than a free silverite, and the
following words of the Governor would
seem to corroborate the claim: "Agi-
tation in the paper money direction is
good; and it may take only n spark to
cause the tide to turn; but / think it
will take long time to educate the
people to adopt the correct system" 1t
Is the purpose of the new party to
commence the work Of education i'm
membered Democracy will be united
under the standard Of true fiatism and
imitation.
What the new movements will result
in will be interesting to watch. That
disintegraion is steadily going on in
the Democratic and silver parties is be-
You'd question, but what new phoenix
will arise from the ashes no one can
ut this period tell. The followers of
Bryan, under whatever name, still as
sert that there has been no real revival
of prosperity in the country or improve
ment in business. Business men know
that this is no.--o, but there are q great
many peopie who have no such person
al experience to guide them. A million
or more laborers, whose wages have
been increased, or who have found en-
ployment after long idleness, know
that this is not so, but there may be
millions more who have not had any
such experience. The volume of bust.
ness actually transacted, as shown by
tha hank clpo ra Noes and businass eta 70.
ments, shows to the business man that
a general and great Improvement Is at
hand.
Considerable satisfactory comment Is
occasioned by the appointment by the
President OF Mr.. John A. KassOn, as
Reciprocity Commissioner. The reclp-
rocity features of the Mckinley law
were managed by the State Depart.
ment. which occasioned much delay,
owing to the tedious routine of that de.
partment, and the need is now felt for
n better and quicker transaction Of the
work required under these features of
the Dingley law. Although an expert
ment under the Mckinley law, reel
Nprocity has proven most satisfactory
undertaking and one Of the most seri-
Gus plumbers Of the Democracy In 1904
was Ina the repeal of all reciprocity fea-
lures Of the tariff and the resembling OF
all special agreements entered into un-
der the Mckinley law. The avowed
policy Of the Democratic administers
ton was free trade, and those agree
ments looking to that very end with all