Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-12-15
TWELVE PAGES
FRIDAY. DEcDArBETo Is. 1899.
THE CURRENCY BILL.

If ever there was q proposed 1egis-
lative jobbery and robbery of greater
iniquity than that contained in the So
called currency bill now pending at
Washington in the House of Represent
atives, we do not remember it. That
it will establish the single gold stand
ard against the plain provisions and
intendment Of the U. S. Constitution;
that 1t will assume a gold public debt
on obligations only for coin, and which
were originally incurred for loans Of
deprecated paper; that it will contract
the currency by the decentralization Of
the silver dollar, the withdrawal or
grcenbacks and other Treasury notes
and the attempt to substitute gold that
will not circulate, and bank-notes that
are gross charge on the people, while
The banks; that 1t will establish a gold
reserve that will largely increase the
public debt AT THE EXPENSE OF
THE MASSES, FOR THE BENEFIT
OF M1LLIONAIRES, AND CAPITALS;
that under the prctence of maintaining
general gold parity" in our currency.
1t depreciates all other mediums TO en-
nance gold and FORCES the public to
borrow its own notes, under the name
OF national bank-notes. at great usury,
because there will be no other cur
rency; that 1t enables the banks to is
sue these notes Cat the expense of tho
pcoplc) to the full par value of their
deposited bonds. with no tax on circu-
lation. and only nominal tax of one
fifth of one per cent. on capital, surplua
and profits; that it increases the mum
Der, of national banks, while maintain.
Ing the prohibitive tax on State banks.
and even threatens the rural people
with an invasion OF SOS, 900 banlss; that
these are the principal features OF the
act Chat have heretofore been mostly
enforced without and against law, by
collision of the Treasury and the whole
Mckinley administration with the
banks and the moneytrusD; and that
they self-evidently impart fraud and
imposition on the citizens who do the
work, pay the taxes and fight the hat.
ties Of the country. to make the rich
richer, and the poor poorer. is known
of all men who have taken the trouble
to look beneath the thin disguise in
which sharpers usually present their
gold-tricks. and other swlndles, to their
dupes and other victims.
Why argue this with Republicans
with party which but three years ago
(althcugh bribed by 1000, 900 cam
paign-fund to surrender completely TO
gold and banks) still professed bimetaI-
ism by international agreement and
promised solemnly--ay, pledged" it,
self--to promote this agreement; NOM
mated bimetallist of Ohio for Presi-
dent. and sent the Walcott committee
to Europe to promote" it (?). Even
the Washington Post administration
organ as 1t is) recalls the fact that four
years ago. among Republicans,
"the responsibility for straight-out
gold utterance wac regarded as in the
nature of a charge or accusation, and
not as mark OF credit"
And speaking Of McKinleys own
State in 1896, the Post says:
IAN illustration Of this state Of feel
ing was found In the action of the Ohio
Republicans when they assembled In
State convention to select their dele
gates to the national convention ana
adopt party platform. II there was
single Ohio Republican in favor OF
the gold standard when this convention
met, he was not even. heard on the floor
Of the convention, much less in the
work Of the. committee on resolutions.
The result was an, evasive declaration
J on the financial question. which was ex-