Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-11-01
BRYAN THE ONLY HOPE OF
RELIEF.

II you want money. work for it and
earn II" is the cruel and foolish reply
TO the universal cry OF mankind for
more money. If the money is lacking
however, how vain 1t is to earn 1t, MS
our agricultural people - employers
and employees-haveb been doing for so
many years. The act Of 1873, contract
Ing money and currency by denoncii-
zing silver, accompanied as it was by
the wholesale withdrawal of green
backs nRd other Treasury lcgal-tcnder
notes-causing n general scarcity of a
circulating mediums in this country
was Of course followed by n decrease
IN tho demand for labor. n fall in
wages, q lowering of prices, diminish
ING Oh values and Il failure of conf
dence and credit that created prevail
ing distress among all men except those
VINO mad command OF money.
From that condition arose the Green
oack party, or Populisni, as it was soon
caiied. 1t was the popular sense of a
need OF money. without regard to par
ues, or politics, OF gold or silver. and
which voiced this sense, in a demand
LOT more money, in that form which
seemed most ready. cheap and easy
tor government to provide to meet a
great necessity. 1t was Gncoherent
unwlse and passionate. but mad ana
tcoMsh as 1t was in some of its projects
1t testified to a situate that should
nave been met calmly, wisely and with
such relief as our best sagacity could
provide Instead of that, no attention
was paid to the cause OF Populism and
ITS proper remedy. but the fonles and
dangers OF Populism engrossed all OBJ
servation and remark. and it was met
everywhere with jeers and denuncia-
tons for Its mistakes, while the real
malady affecting the people and the
country, was ignored.
The Democratic party, true to its
principles, while holding aloof from The
ragaries of Populism, recognized the
real cause that had generated Populists
among us in all sections of the Union,
ana at sought to check the contraction
that was aggravating the evil. and to
afford such relief to the Impoverished
liberal banking and currency legisla-
ton. ~ minority party, opposed by n
majority rarty and the power OF Il
moncy-trust or combine. can do little
mere than protest against public
wrongs and impolicics. From the first.
Democrats united in opposing and de-
nouncing the gold mono-metaIlist net
OF 1913 as unconstitutional, as n fear
iui closing OF one of the only two nat
ural sources of money when we most
nee'cd all they could produce, and as a
most disastrous tightening of cur
rcncy-contracUon that must destroy
our prosperity. developed by an abund-
ance of money, and sure to collapse
under construction.
But no heed was given to the Demo-
Gratis. nor the demands of their re-
peated party platforms, until in 1896,
Mr.. William j. Bryan, the Democratic
candidate for President, and the plat
form OF the party, made the demand
for the restoration of silver and the
relief OF business and the people from
the increasing strinSency of money.
SO prominent and pressing, that the
Republicans were constrained to prom
Use silver restoration as soon as they
could gain international co-operation.-
a mere blind for the people. which
having fallen, leaves the Democratic
party alone, as the only hope of the
country. from money scarcity and the
monopolistic trusts it has bred so pro-
lifcaly.
More money!" IS the cry, growing
louder and more emphatic daily and
everywhere. The people Will cry in
vain, unless they elect Mr.. Bryan.
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