Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1900-04-04
AN IDEA WORTHY OF CONFEDERATION.

An interesting circular advocating
the formation of new party is on our
desk. Its author is A. H. CASTOR, of
Harvey, Illinois, and we were permitted
to examine copy through the kind.
ness and courtesy of M. Coryell, of this
city. Mr.. CASTOR proposes the organ
ization of party with the four follow
ing reform planks:
Plank 1.-The perpetuation of our
greenback as national currency.
Plank 2.-All our public highways
turned over to the federal government
to be improved and cared for by the
same.
Plank 3.-That all our roads be
planted to fruit and nut bearing forest
trees, shrubs and flowers.
Plank 4.-That the government lay
electric car and telephone lines along
all our public macadamized roads and
carry the mail into all our farming dis
trIcts.
Commenting and criticising meas.
ures of this kind the following query
and answer appear:
QUERY-"Your theory looks well on
paper but where Will our government
get the money to start so gigantic an
enterprise?"
ANswER-"Let congress issue one
billion or more greenbacks 1.-THE best
system of money ever invented).
They are now legal tender: each dollar
is and always will be worth 100 cents
having all the property of the nation
behind it. Our greenback is very diff
ferent from an interest bearing gov.
| eminent bond for it never has to be
paid. When the notes become mutilat
ed by wear all that the bill holders
have to do is to send them back to the
U. S. treasury and have the old note
exchanged for new, clean paper. Oul
nation needs all the gold and silver we
have now, or ever will get out OF the
mines to trade with foreign nations. Il
is actual necessity to issue greenbacks
for circulating medium for our grea
nation to transact our various branch
es of business with and the soon
er we get them the better. Our ma
tional bank currency that we are nov
using, being issued on the strength O
q. S. bonds will disappear as soon Al
the bonds are paid, their only backing
so we of necessity must come to green
backs or 90 back to the old state bank
once known as wild cat" which wa
the most rascally system of financ
ever invented"
Mr.. CASTOR deals quite exhaustivel
with the several planks and present
some very logical and convincing ar
guments in their support. His idea
are in harmony with reform thinker
and if he would add to the propose
platform direct legislation plank, an
extend government ownership 10 a
public utilities as we'll as streets an
roads, he would cover all the groun
that is covered by the different reforr
elements.
, However, be the result what it may
1t Is very encouraging to see thes
. questions presented and agitated.
, shows that all people of all polite;
faiths are interested In studying az
vanced ideas-such as the increasin
: population and multiplicity of invel
tions demand.
When the people learn that publ
: improvements are economy instead ,
;. expense, when they see that public I;
Dor would abolish penal and charitab
institutions to large extent, whe
they see that it would DANISH yagral
cy and poverty from the land and NAL
!. aims houses matter of history onl
: and thus save as much If not more
!. the public than the improvement
: would cost. they will be eager to vo
d for the advanced system of cover
s ment.
vi The CASTOR circular is worthy
It consideration and will do great wor
Thought to be read BY everybody.