The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1898-01-07
SECRETARY CAGES BILL.
Republican Double Dealing with the
People.

People.
A press dispatch of December 16 says
that Secretary Gage, in explaining the
bill he presented to the committee on
banking and currency, said:
''The objects l have In mind In the series
of provisions offered by me are four In num-
ber:
Il. To commit the country more thor
oughly to the gold standard: remove, so far
as possible doubts and fears on that point.
and thus strengthen the credit of the United
States, both at home and abroad.
-. To strengthen the treasury in relation
to Its demand liabilities. In which are in
cluded greenbacks. treasury notes. and the
Incidental obligations TO maintain on a
parity. through interchangeabillty with
gold. so far as may be necessary, the pres
ent large volume OF silver certificates and
silver dollars.
y. To do this In such a way as not to
contract the volume Of circulation in the
hands of the people.
- To take an initial step toward a sys-
tenn of bank note issues without the con-
ditional deposit of public bonds security
therefor"
We are further informed that the
committee has reported the bill as thus
prepared, practically without change.
1t will be noticed that Mr.. Gage says
it is the purpose of the bill to commit
the country the more thoroughly to the
gold standard"
There is no doubt but that tens of
thousands of republicans voted for Mr..
Mckinley believing that he was at
heart opposed to the gold standard and
favorable to bimetallism. And now at
the first opportunity his secretary of
the treasury proposes to commit the
country the more thoroughly to the
gold Standard" and republican CON-
mittee in accord with the Mckinley ad-
ministration approves of and reports
such bill.
All hypocrisy Is thrown off! In
power, there is no longer any neces-
sity for practicing further deception.
and the country is to be driven harder
and harder upon the shoals of adversi-
ty. The people, bonded to the money
dealers by taxation and other onerons
obligations for untold millions Of pub
lie and private Indebtedness, are to be
placed more thoroughly than ever up
on the gold standard"
What will the republicans who be-
lieve in bimetallism and an American
policy think of this administration
which they assisted in voting into
power? Assisted because they believed
Mr.. Mckinley at heart was a bimetal-
listp They are men of honor and can
not afford to follow the Mckinley ad-
ministration. They are men of strong
convictions, and should be prompt in
repudiating the leaders who have sold
out their party to the money power.
Each step the republican party has
made on the gold standard when be-
fore the people has been taken by n
fragrant attempt to deceive the people.
For years they protested that the gold
standard was the farthest from their
intention, and Mr.. Mckinley himself
arraigned Mr.. Cleveland for unjust
prejudice and discrimination against
silver. Those who know Of the trait of
the demagogue in a class of politicians
and the designs of the money power
knew what was to be expected and
pleaded with the patriotic republicans
to go with the Chicago convention, that
had taken up the cause of Lincoln and
jackson and Jefferson against despots
whose purpose. or the natural conse-
quence Of whose action is, to enslave the
American people.
The time has now arrived when the
men of the spirit Of Lincoln are band
ing together to save their country from
"white slavery" to save themselves and
their children from being sold into
bondage; and there is no time to he
lost in throwing partisanship to the
winds, as their forefathers did in 1856
and in 1860. A nation is in peril! The
cause Of freedom is at stake!
The collection of taxes under the gold
standard to pay interest upon the mu-
nicipal, county, school, state and M
tional bonds held by the money
changers-men of Mr.. Cages class
means the perpetual servitude of the
people. 1t means that they are deliv-
cred into bondage! It means, should
they approve of Mr.. Cages proposition,
that they have placed manacles upon
their own limbs!
w. H. HARVEY