Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1898-06-24
AMERICAN FINANCE.
AS ADVOCATED BY REPRESENT
TATlVE QUINN.
Tho Terrible Results of the European
Financial System That Will BE Re-
produced In Our Country Unleso
Halt Is Called.

In debating the bond bill, Represen-
tative Gum, Of Idaho. said:
have ever been an advocate Of an
American financial system. Why not?
When We established our government
we abandoned the European govern
mental system.
It is a common expression among the
single standard advocates that we must
follow the financial methods that the
experience of all civilized nations have
proven to be the best. BY this is
meant European nations. When we
look at the conditions in Europe what
do we see there that claims our adj
miration? In time of profound peace
huge standing armies eating up the
substance of the people; a moneyed
class that owns the earth controls the
circulating medium, and swarms ofhu-
man beings living at the lowest round
| Of poverty and restitution. 1t has
been thus on that continent as far back
as the memory or the annals of man
reach. The money controlled by the
few, the masses with a monopoly on
nothing but poverty. To me 1t is
source of surprise that any American
| would advocate the adoption Of sys-
tenn that has produced such disas-
| trous results.
| The men who laid the foundation OF
our governmental system were not idle
dreamers or vain tourists; they were
energetic, practical men, who were not
afraid to try new theories in govern
ment. They made every man equal be-
| fore the law, placing like opportunities
before all. Every nation in Europe
declared that the experiment was dan
gerous and impracticable and would
end in disaster.
They adopted a constitutional gov
eminent based on the free and untram-
meled will of the majority; divided
F, governmental functions between three
coordinate branches-the executive,
legislative and judicial-with the pow
ers of each defined and limited by a
written constitution. Outside Of the
United States it might be said that all
nations raised their voice with one ac-
cord against this innovation in the
construction of government. 1t was
said to be contrary to the experience
| of all mankind. In every government
| that then existed the executive was the
overshadowing power and the other
departments were all subject to it.
| We decreed manhood suffrage, free
speech and freedom of conscience-all
innovations on the established order
of things and all against the experience
of the human family.
| After more than a century we have
demonstrated the wisdom of our faith
ers, and Europe, perhaps unconscious
ly. paws tribute to their worth, for all
| nations on that continent, with the ex-
ception Of Russia and Turkey, have re-
modelled their governments more or
less closely on the lines their fathers
rejected one hundred years ago. 1t is
| dangerous to say that we must adopt
financial system because other ma
| tons have always had such system.
Had this argument prevailed in the
days of Washington, Jefferson and Ben
| Franklin We would not have had a
written constitution today, nor wculd
we have had free speech, free press,
| freedom of conscience, nor any Of the
other blessings handed down to us by
wise, patriotic and noble ancestry.
| Therefore, when the argument is used
| in a discussion of the financial issues
that we must adopt European methods,
no attention should be paid to it. for
it is contrary to the history, traditions
and experience of our government.
We adopted European financial
methods, it is true, and are endeavor'
ing to perpetuate them, and it is draw
ing us down to European conditions.
The system that produces abject pow
erty on the other side of the Atlantic
Ocean will produce a like state of af-
fairs on this side Of the ocean. 1t
should be patriotic study with every
citizen how to substitute improved
American methods for the enervating,
poverty-breeding system in vogue IN
the Old World.
Measure the extent of country and
count the people who are using money
today; then measure the extent OF
country and count the people who used
it one hundred years ago, and You will
find that the production is not keeping
pace with the demand.
The money of final redemption is
gold. 1t is the sole standard by which
values are measured. OF this metal the
human family has at its disposal in
the shape of coin $4,000, 100000, or
about "a to each inhabitant of the
earth using money This scant supply
accounts for the poverty and distress
which encumbers the earth; this is why
we have periodical famines. The earth
always produces enough for man, and
with our rapid means Of travel all
parts of the globe can be easily and
speedily reached.
The closing of the minis in British
kr