Mexico weekly ledger., 1898-01-20
CHUCKLEs OVER CAGES PLAN
Champ CLARK, the Missouri Congress-
man, Says "It's q Waste of Lard to
Grease a Fat Hog"-0pposes
the Scheme.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15.-"Looking at
1t from a partisan political standpoint"
said Champ Clark, "nothing has hap
pened in ten years that has given me
so much pleasure as Secretary Cages
scheme for reforming the currency. If
that thing should be enacted into law
there would not be enough Republic
cans in the next House of Represent
atives to call the ayes and noes, and
VIM. Mckinley would be the last in
the Republican line of Presidents.
Last year I charged in every speech
that I made that the goldbugs intend
ed to retire and cancel and destroy all
Sherman notes and to turn over the
financial affairs of this Government
absolutely to the national bank ring.
All metropolitan orators vociferously
denied this. Now comes Mr.. Gage
and proves that I am correct.
"On a secret ballot, nine-tenths of
the people of the United States would
vote against perfecting the national
bank system. From the day of Alex
ander Hamilton to the present time
they have never been able to establish
a National bank system, except amid
the calamities of war, and in bad days
Immediately succeeding war, and the
people have tolerated them as a nee
essary evil. Mr.. Gage proposes to
turn the country over absolutely to
the tender mercies of the national
banks, increase their privileges large
ly and reduce their burdens one-haif.
He says the government should 60 out
of the banking business. I say that
the banks should 60 out of the Gov
eminent business. He proposes to
put into the hands of the national
banks the exceedingly dangerous
power of contracting and expanding
the currency at will and ad libitum.
This is a sovereign power and should
never be conferred on any person.
son a secret ballot nine-tenths of
the people of the United States are
opposed to the retirement or cancel
lation of the greenbacks, and will
break the neck of any party that un-
dertakes to do 1t. The great body of
people believe that IL greenbacks
were good enough to pay men during
the wal to leave their homes and
wives and little children and face
on a hundred b~attlefelds, in defense
of their country, they are good enough
money to pay to the gentlemen who
recline in the shade of Wall street and
make their living by clipping gold
coupons of coin bonds.
"Mr. Cages plan for impounding
greenbacks in the national treasury
until somebody wants to pay gold for
them, is intended to furnish multi
millionaires al easy way to tax dodg-
ing. Greenbacks are not taxable. Gold
lie taxable, so just q day or two before
the multi miliionaires r required to
give In their lists for taxation under
MI. Cages plan they will convert their
holdings OF gold into greenbacks and
escape taxation absolutely.
SIN suggesting this great scheme
for the multi illionaires, Mr.. Gage
has evidently forgotten the wisdom Of
the ancient saw, which runs this wise:
st ia q waste of lard to grease q fat
The people are not very likely
to take to this scheme kindly. They
think that this class Of hogs are
CREASED enough now. Mr.. Gage ought
to take Q stroll through the political
morgue, pull the shroud from the
corpse Of John Griffin Carlisle and see
how handsome and natural he looks In
DEATH"