Natchitoches populist., 1899-02-03

able to mislead the people. He is no
longer teaching school in Mankato,
but is making money and fame on a
large scale. We quote:
Special Telegram to Minneapolis
Tribune. -McCleary addressed a large
and enthusiastic Republican meeting
here tonight, delivering what is gen.
orally acknowledged to be one of the
strongest contributions to the cam
paign in this state. He said in part:
A problem we'll stated is half solved.
What is the silver question:" Stated
IN its simplest terms it is this: Shall
we or shall we not permit the men
who own silver bullion to carry that
bullion to the mint of the United
States and have it converted into coin
for them at the rate of 371.25 grains
of pure silver Cor 1925 grains stand
ard silver to the dollar, and shall the
government authorize them to carry
forth the coins. thus made and use
them according to their pleasure in
the payment of debt or the transaction
OF business? To this question large
number of good, honest, right-minded,
patriotic American citizens answer,
Yes, emphatically, yes; yes, quickly
the sooner the better!" Another large
number of good, honest, right-minded,
patriotic American citizens answer,
NO, utterly, absolutely, unequivocal-
ly, MOI" What is the present situa-
ton? The man who owns gold may
take it to the mint of the United
States and have it converted for him
into the form Of coin, at the rate of
2S.22 grains Of pure gold Tor 25.S
grains of standard gold to the dollar.
This service is rendered for him by
the government without any charge,
and the coins are handed back to him
with full authority to use them ac-
cording to his pleasure in the payment
OF debts, or the transaction of bust
ness. To the man who owns gold we
say yes; to the man who owns silver,
we say no. By this statement of the
case it would appear that Uncle Sam
does not treat these two classes of his
citizens equally we'll, and the sense
Of fairness in the minds of each OF us
prompts rs, at first glance, to con-
denim his course of action. But every
good man and woman is slow to be-
lieVe as true that which reflects upon
the good name Of any one whom he or
she has learned to honor. Such a
man or woman feels that his proper
course is to reserve judgment until
all the facts have been ascertained.
We all respect Uncle Sam; we all be-
lieve that he would not Intentionally
do wrong to anyone. So we are
prompted to believe that there must
be something else in the matter that
has not yet been stated. And there is.
The man who owns the gold submits
to Uncle Sam this proposition: Uncle
Sam, here are 258 grains of standard
gold, worth $40 coined or uncoined.
Won't you be kind enough, Uncle Sam,
to certify to this fact? The easiest
way for you to certify to it is to put
this gold up in the form Of a coin
and mark it So" To this proposition
Uncle Sam makes answer: why,
certainly, my son; am always glad
to serve any one of my children when
| can do so properly" The man who
owns the silver desires permission to
submit to Uncle Sam this proposition:
uncle Sam, here are 412.5 grains of
standard silver, worth, in the terms
to which we are accustomed, 40 cents.
Won't you be kind enough, Uncle Sam,
to certify for me that it is worth 100
cents?" To this proposition Uncle
Sam promptly makes answer: mot if
the court knows itselfp' We thus see,
in part at least, why Uncle Sam says
yes to one, and No" to the other. "
McCleary in all this is very adroit,
and very liable to deceive the un-
thinking. And yet McCleary knows
very we'll that for 5000 years gold
and silver stood on an equality, as to
& right of coinage, all over the world,
wherever there was civilization. And
he knows that twenty-four years ago
all this was changed. In this country
the change was made without being
demanded in the platform Of any po-
litical party, or without any previous
discussion before the people, who are
supposed to constitute the government
Of this republic. And this piece of ras-
Cally knaveEy produced the fall of the
price Of silver, and McCleary, instead
of demanding that that gigantic wrong
shall be righted, plants himself on the
accomplished results OF the wrong and
demands that 1t shall be perpetual.
Imagine McCIeary in very cold wealth
er campaigning in Minnesota. He has
magnificent astrachan, fur-lined
overcoat, worth $500. A thief steals
it and leaves a tattered, shoddy gar
ment, worth IS, in its place. Nc
Cleary demands redress He seeks out
the nearest justice of the peace, clad
In The ragged robe the thief has left
him. McCleary states his case. The
Justice is lin eahoots' with the thief
.sSThatp he cries "you want me tc
make your tattered SIS coat worth 500
sEhat ii not what | am here for. The