The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1900-03-22
The Currency Question.

frequently turuished the means 70
equip piratical craft aud shared In
the division Of spoils. But while they
furnished the money To equip they
always left the ugly work to profess
sionAl eutthroats, Like many trust
mngnateN OF to-day they kept their
conscience at home m unimpaircd
capital for use In benevolent and cdu"
cational enterprises.
But let us examine briefly the out.
line Of the great central money trusts
which Is just now In process OF hnRi
development IN congress. II Is a. this
time Juggling at It's tcther, anxious tn
spring upon its victims. II would he
doing violence to philology 60 call IL
an octopus. az II has more than eight
tentaeles or legs. Myriapod would
be better classification. The myria-
pod Ia described in zoology nv a many
jointed. nocturnal, carniyoroua, and
very active animal. with powerful hit
ing jaws and a pair ~ feet for each
segment Of the hCdy The similitudc
seems perfect. feel sure that both
philologist and zoologist win readily
agree that myriapod is the correct
grouping snr this huge parent trust.
upon which It's myriad OF teutaclcN.
extending into every department Of
trade. must depend for nourishmcni
aud vitality Myrinpod seems right.
and myriapod Il shall be.
The four controlling powers of gov
ernmcut under our constitution are!
1. The power TO declare TO war.
2. The power to lay and collect
taxes.
3. The power 20 regulate commerce
among the states aud with foreign
nations.
s. The power 10 coin tissuel money
and regulate the value thereof aud Of
foreign coins.
Can We not see that the power
which controls the money output OF
nation has In is hands the con
trolling attribute OF sovereignty, and
holds the whole body of the people
and all lines Of business at it's mercy?
There Is no more pitiablc spectacle
In this world than a highly organized
state Of society rising in torment for
want OF en- independent system OF
finance, Once you allow the banks
to assume and exercise this sovereign
function Of determining the money
supply, you have assisted them to
drive from the field their only pos
sibic competitor government
and you have placed in their hands
the very citadel of sovereign rIwrr.
For We all know there can be no war
without the purse; no adequate col.
lection Of taxes without nlmblc cir.
culation of money; no commerce
worthy the name without an adequate
circulating medium TO facilitate IL.
IL is the purpose Of the legislation
now pending In congress 70 exalt the
money trust 20 position of supreme
power, to displacc constitutional au-
thority and cnthrnne FcIf,appointcd
money kings holding their positions
for life and give them "a carte blanche
90 do as they please. All these grants
Of power are express and exclusive.
.
/, OF the constitution. Congress has
as much right to farm cut the war
making power TO gunsmiths and pow
der manufacturers as IL has TO farm
out 10 banks its power over the cur
rency.
In the case of ordinary commercial
trusts combinations strauglc and
crush competition. But the money
trust cannot reach it, end In this way.
The government, with all Its plenary
power over the whole question, stands
squarely across Its pathway, How 20
get rid OF this supreme and omnipo-
tent rival in the money industry Is
the great question which the associa-
ted banks now have in hand. In fact,
with this class ni men, n has been the
uppermost question In this nation for
more than 100 years since Thomas
jefferson crossed swords with Alex
ander Hamilton upon this very ques,
tion In the cabinet councils Of Prcsi-
dent Washington. The contest has al
ways been the banks against the
iiAlNNt AAt WI tfNAAAthftN aftfhA' FaAN
people, from that day To this. The
hank won the first round and leaped
into the field nearly l2 months ahead
OF the mint. Hut II lost caste under
Presidents jefferson, Madison and
jackson, and there has been pro
tracted struggle ever since. II they
can, as now proposed, strike down nil
classes of money recognized in the
constitution except gold, which is al
ready within their control aud will
there remain, held simply az re-
demption fund. and largely in the
shape of gold bars, ready for export
20 Europe, then they will have a clear
field with ali rivalry eliminated. This
will create vast artificial vacuum,
n law made vacuum, which the trusts
will be authorized to ill with its own
product Its wntercd dollars-when II
suits their imperial purpose. The
money trust In law made trust and
Il In the foster parent and life-giver
10 the whole brood of vampires that
are now sucking the good. red blood
of legitimate trade.--Gen. j. y. Weay-