Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-02-08
TWELVE PAGES
THURSDAY. FEBRUARY s. 1900.
A BILL TO PAUPERIZE
GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE.

E. C.
1t is impossible to believe that the
Republicans in Congress who are fore
ing the currency bill upon us do not
understand that measure. They do I'M
derstand 1T; but the reasons which
cause Democratic opposition to it are
tho reasons that attract Republican
favor. 1t is not n bill for the general
welfare, but one designed specifically
to make the rich richer and the poor
poorer; 1t is legislation distinctly in be-
half of the banks, the bondholdcrs. the
creditors and spectators, and as dis
tinctly adverse to the public-the debt
ors., the producers, the masses of the
people This administration and its
party are in power because in 1896 the
special beneflciarics of this bill not
only contributed 81 s2O.OO0,OOO campaign
fund to Republican success. but their
Influence and control over hundreds OF
thousands of men In their employment
whom they bulldozed by threats of
lower wages, or complete suspension
OF work, if the Democratic party came
into power-the consideration for their
cash contributions and other help he
ing the promise OF just such lcgisla-
ton as this currency bill carries; for
The classes against the masses.
Yet, as Objectionable as the bill is in
all Its Textures, 1t is these very fca-
lures. from the polltico- party stand
point OF Tho Dan,oorot, tl,ot ..a, ~.
passage an egregIous bunder on the
part of the Republicans. and a most
fortunate and desirable event for the
Democrats; for more plainly and en-
=phatically than ever before does 1t re-
veal the Republican party as a slave
Oh consolidated, combined and corpor-
ATE wealth, to entrench 1t in the mo-
nopoly of everything and the mastery
ofeverybody by assigning to its control
oil the functions of government. as
Well as the liberties. privileges and in
derests Of our citizens This collusive
attempt is so obvious and monstrous
that 1t oVer-reachcs itself in its blind
and eager haste to grasp at once all
lays Them Even the assinine stupid
ity attributed to the people by the Re
puelicans and golditcs cannot smother
the Instinct of self preservation which
must revolt at this destructive meas
ure.
In 1896 the Republicans still PROPOSED
. 1bimpt ~ = int
lsm,-which they insisted was a better
bmeiallsm than the national blmctal-
lism protested by the Democrats Now
: they have cast their mask aside, and
boast of their single gold standard and
'heir intention TO force 1T ON the peo-
pie and the government at the rxclu-
sive demand of the banks and bond
hoide:s. Thus expanding every debt
and liability, public and private, to the
enhancing value OF gold, they contract
all money TO gold and aN currency TO
BANK notes by making gold the sole
standard Of value and proceeding IN
4 withdraw and destroy all greenbacks
and U, ). Treasury notes and all silver
. standard dollars. the banks and bond
holders to have the gold, and the pub
lie to have nothing but bank note
. promises to pay, issued to these pri-
j vate corporations from our Treasury a
4 o!le-tenth OF one per cent. year, vet
which we are to use as our only cur
rency at from to 20 per cent. a
7 year,--when We can obtain them at
oil!
;5s The Secretary of the Treasury, in his
/. annual report, says that n, the end of
I septsn,ber. 1899, our entire circulation.