Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1899-01-18
OFFICE IN TRIBUNE BUILDING,
WEDNES DAY, JAN. Is, 1899.
GREENBACKS VS.. WILD CAT BANK
NOTES.. ~

GREENBAcKS VS.. WILD CAT BANK
: NOTES.. y
A battle royal is on between the
bankers association and the Repub-
lican politicians. The bankers are
demanding the passage of the Nc
Cleary: Gage banking bill now before
Congress. The passage Of this bill
will in affect put saddle upon the
backs OF the business men, property
owners and laborers of the country,
and put the bankers in the saddle,
booted and spurred. The demand of
the bankers for the passage of this
measure is the most brazen demand
ever made by any class of citizens of
their government in any age. It is a
criminal demand that the people sur
render their right to life, liberty, and
the pursuit Of happiness, because the
effect of this hill will be to put into
the hands of the banking combination
the power to plumber the people ud
zibitztn1. Unier the operations of
such law, values become plaything
in the hands of the bankers. To re-
tire, either through taxation or by en-
larging the bonded debt, all the green
backs and treasury notes and make
silver dollars redeemable in gold, and
then turn over to the banks the power
to issue and control all paper money
would prove as disastrous to the
property owners, business men and
laborers of the country as it would to
surrender the taxing power to private
parties.
With a sound and stable money the
people would be able to transact bus
mess and create wealth with which to
pay taxes, and an abuse Of the taxing
power would not destroy the people
before an opposition could be aroused
that would restore to the people their
rights. But with bank control of thu
money volume the banks will be able
to expand the currency and lend short
dollars and then contract the curren-
cy and force the people to settle with
them on long dollars. In short the
proposed bill puts into the hands of
the banks the power to manipulate the
money volume SO as to transfer the
wealth of the country into the hands
of the money-lending classes with no
check upon them and no regulator ex-
cept the greed OF the bankers.
Under the operation of this bill the
bankers will he able to bankrupt, at
pleasure, not only such individuals as
oppose their sway but the whole coun-
try as we'll. Under the threat of their
displeasure 6hey expect to be. able to
overawe the people individually and
collectively. %.s.#z
The Republican party did not dare
make this demand of the banks q part
of the ST. Louis platform. They we'll
knew that to do so would mean over
defeat. The Republican
voters OF the country are not in favor
of this measure. The Republican par
ty is not openly pledged to it. That
the bankers exacted a pledge from
Chairman Hanna, before contributing
to the campaign fund, is not doubted,
neither is it doubted that the pledge
was given. The chairman Of the Re-
publican committee, in giving such a
pledge, no more represented the indi-
vidusl voters Of the Repub licanparty,
than q similar pledge BY the Indian
apolis Cold Democrats would repre-
sent the six and q half million who
voted for Bryan.
The Republ lean leaders are afraid
Of this measure. They wish to avoid
ii, but the bankers are insisting upon
It as q q1til pro quo for the cam
paign funds furnished.
{ President NICK inley 8 position upon
this subject is evasive at the present
time. He ia throwing up straws to
ascertain the direction and force 90
the Winds o. i, as he does o.. all ]
other matters. He knows the powerof
the bankers, as \ q actor 10 politics,
and Inc lines 10 favor them and viii do
50 unless be becomes Convinced that
70 DO 50 will comp ass the pol iticala
downfall zof himself and zhis party
The Repub1i can pol iticians aremore
afraid 81 the bank questlon than they
are of the 81 yer qnestio and they
Ivyoald avoid not1er encounter upon
lthatissu could, The American
I|psople cannos a. throWn into panics