The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-09-13
banks but to oppose National banks
themselves is absolutely absurd and

objectionable.
The silver republican leader of Craw-
ford coanty democracy may object TO
the issue OF bank notes if he wishes, !
we acknowledge that to be good popu-
list doctrine, but why should he oppose
the bank? In what way is National
bank greater menace than state
bank OF private bank? Is it because
a government inspector sees to it as far
as possible that the bank is run on safe
and conservative lines?
We have national banks in Crawford
county and we ask the leader of our
county democracy to explain in what
Way they have been harmful to the
growth and development of our enter
prises and wealth? Why should this
self anointed platform writer single
out national. banks for his special
spite? Democrats, are you going to be
led by the nose into this wilderness of
populism? Are you by your votes 60
ing to endorse a policy which you know
is wrong?
The second part of this plank is old
in the annals of greenbackism, but
never until the democratic party was
captured by populism has it found ut
terance in democratic platform. The
proposal is to tissue United States
notes redeemable in gold or silver at
the option of the government" No
limit is placed as to the amount of
these notes to be issued and no provis-
ion is made for the means of obtaining
the gold and silver with which thu
notes are to be redeemed.
Let us take an every day example of
how this plan works. Several of our
Denison stores issue checks in payment
for country produce, the checks being
payable in merchandise. AS long as
these checks are given for country pro-
duce only, the amount issued is less
than the demand for goods and the
checks circulate freely. Other stores
take them as cash in payment for goods
and the checks are just as good as gold
Within radius of ten miles of Denison
Suppose however, as the democrats
propose the government shall do, that
these checks were issued in large or un
limited quantities, that these stores
should pay thell wages and all theil
bills IN such currency, the time woule
come when the people would have more
OF these checks than they could use fol
the purpose OF goods buying. In such
an event the checks would invariably
go below par, that is people would hav.
to dispose of them for less.tha theirfac,
value, and the more the circulation O
, the notes expanded the less they woul,
be worth. Then every farmer who ha,
: disposed OF his produce for these check
would be loser, every man who ha,
given labor for these checks would be
loser. This would be the effect of a,
over issue.
y Now let US suppose again that tn
. merchants issuing these checks mad
4 no provision for their payment, tina
they let their stocks run down an
when the people went to redeem th
checks for merchandise the goods wer
not there. Again the checks would @
4 below par and again the farmer and tn
wage Garner would be the loser. Thi
would be the result of currency sue
- as proposed by the democratic pla1
9 form.
# Inc platform states that these note
. are TO be redeemable in gold or silver
probably at the heaven-born ratio {
g l6 to at the option of the goye1,
= ment.
% Inc case would be parallel if OF
merchants should issue checks Stain
# that they would be redeemed in butte
q or eggs at the option of the storekeepe
" at the ratio of one pound of butter
~ liz eggs. The man presents his checl
II the dealer gives him sixteen eggs, /
o has plenty OF eggs and but little butte
~ the customer is in the same fix. II
,r wants butter and he does not war
eggs. What is to be doneY The ma
" takes the eggs because he has to but /
n goes to the next store and asks thel
Sc how much butter they will give for b
,e sixteen eggs. Finally he disposes ,
\ his eggs for halt pound OF butter. an
" butter which stands for gold in this
,f lustration, has gone to premium
% The ratio of l6 to has gone to piece
and nothing on earth can restore il e.
70 cept smaller demand for butter or
). decreased supply of eggs. Butyou wi
20 notice that in every case the man wi
- gives his labor or his produce for I'll
\ paper promise to pay is the loser.
~ Every farmer, every laborer, evel
l., merchant in Crawford county. or +,
- that matter in the entire United Stat,
:, would suffer if the platform resolutic
"A OF the silver-repuclican dictator
IL Crawford county were to become a la,
We ask the democrats of the count
/, to stop and think. We ask them
. look ahead and see into what +. oh.o,