Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1907-12-05
..stand Pat" Is Not Enough.

this country since 1873 land perhar
since the reconstruction days. 1t
nothing less than the establishment
Of this growing nations finances on
basis that will prevent recurrence
Of the difficulties that have assaile
business at intervals, and In the pas
month have been SO serious as to ALARM
the most conservative. Fortunatel
there has come about q righting o
affairs to a large degree but the bust
nessmen Of the country know tina
something should be done to put tn
minds OF the people completely a
ease and to make the future certain
One school OF politicians breaches
forever the one doctrine, "Stand PA
let well enough alone" That is q
good theory when everything is run
ming smoothly, but it is not the policy
for the present. There are wrongs in
business and in finance they should
be righted. 1t seems likely that
there are wrongs in the tariff and
they should be righted. 1t may be
that the trusts would continue under
the lower tariff, but maybe not; at
least the men who make study OF
such things should investigate it
enough to apply remedy. With the
cost Of living increasing every month,
with the control Of prices of the
necessities Of life becoming absolute
in the hands OF few millionaires,
the people are going to demand re-
lief. Things have come to crisis
and there should be such action as
will bring results, unless it is to be
admitted that the power Of the great
financial institutions is greater than
that Of the government. A fine Of
500, 900, 900 against the Standard Oil
company will not do. If the men at
the head Of the Standard Oil company
have really violated the law, they
should go to Jail; If they have not
they should be acquitted-a fine that
can be paid out Of raising the price Of
necessities to the consumer does not
satisfy the public's demand.
Finances deserve a great deal Of at
tention and will get Vt. A plan to
have the government in its regulation
Of the national banks furnish insur-
ance Of their deposits by making an
assessment to pay losses or by the
maintenance Of a fund for the pur-
pose meets with general favor. MIR.
Bryan is claiming 1t as his idea, but
he did not originate TIT is as old as
the organization Of the banks Of the
nation. 1t is practically certain that
state banks will work out q system Of
insurance Of deposits at the next seS-
sions Of the legislatures. There some
objections to this plan and many
strong points. The strongest argu-
nent Of all is this: A government
owes it to the people who live under
u and support it, that the man who
works all his life to gain q savings
'und for his own age or for his chill
iren shall be protected in its possess
ZION up to the very limit Of the gov
srnment's power. 1t should IS 3
iuty to Its citizens make 1t as certain
IS the governments own existence
that when money is put into bank
Il will be safe. 1t is also duty that
Is owed to the bankers that they shall
have such assurance Of stability In |
The volume Of their deposits that they |
can make plans for the future. The
banker who in q time like that Of the
past month sees the work Of his life
time threatened because Of the I'M
reasoning fear Of his depOsitOrs de-
serves relief from the government as
well as do the depOsitOrs. The re-
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