The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-11-18
POLITICAL GOSSIP
Del Valentines Issue Of Fiat
Money" in 1890.
Used to Ridicule the POpulist
Speech Makers.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Mr.. Miller's Central Committee
Votes 1t Down.
Nevertheless He Says He rs
Personally i'm Favor of One.

Some old timer in politics has dug up
and put on exhibition a sample of the
calamity money printed by Del VAL
entine in 1890 during the Populist as
tendency.
This calamity money was intended es-
pecially as a slap at John Davis, who
was running for congress on the Pop
ulist ticket in the Fifth district that
year. Davis favored some sort OF a
cheap money programme, and Del VAL
entine took advantage IF this to play
his Calamity money" joke. 1t was at
a big Republican meeting at Clay Cen
ter, and Valentine. put a four horse
wagon in the parade, on which wagon
he mounted a job printing press. This
printing press was kept busy during the
whole parade printing and distributing
by the thousands on slips of green pa
per the John Davis Fiat Money" The
money was made up in imita ton of a
piece of currency, and in the four corn
ers were the figures: "$5-$50O-$5, 600
S., 600, 00O." In the center of the bill
were the words: THE holder will erase
the figures in three corners of this bill,
the remaining figure shall determine its
denomination The bill also bore these
words
Calamity currency. suggested by
John Davis in 1890. This bill Is good
money as far as it goes, and 1t goes
good ways. 1t must be taken and ac-
cepted for all debts, public and private,
all taxes, duties on imports and every
thing else everywhere in the world. A
man or woman anywhere who refuses to
accept the same shall be punished, sub
ject to the same penalties as for coun-
terfeiting. Authorized by no one, guar
anteed by no one. No one agrees TO
pay it. but it is genuine. This must
not be counterfeited, for it is easier to
make the genuine than to get up
This money exactly COM
plies with John Davis 1890 scheme
with Congressman Otis attachmenD
for paving off all the mortgage indebt-
edness of the United States"
The fact remains, however, that Davis
was elected to congress, in spite of the
fight.
1t was the flat money" talk that
made Kansas a laughing stock at one
time, but now the tables are turned,
and it is the east which is clamortng
for more and cheaper money. The
''Ickleheimers'' of Wall street want to
Issue a lot more currency on most any
sort of basis, and the erstwhile Kansas
Populists are the ones who are satisfied
with existing conditions. and are the |
real conservatives of the country
At the meeting of the Fourth district |
committee, held at EN- |
poria on Saturday afternoon, the resolu- |
ton providing for a direct primary to |
Fourth district was laid on the table |
by a vote of to 8, the friends of Con- |
gresham Miller voting to table the res
olution.
The resolution was introduced by |
George Wood. brother-in-law of |
Senator George Tucker, and those
who voted against tabling were
George Wood, o. A. Meyers. and T. F.
Hollinger.
Congressman Miller, in spite of the
fact that he had his friends kill the
resolution, said he favored the pri-
mary, but did not believe 1t wise to
adopt the resolution because there
would be only one man in the race
when the time came for the nomina-
ton.
ct might die before that" he said,
cor Mr.. Tucker might withdraw. In
which event it would be too much of
4 hardship on one man to conduct the
primary"
Tucker Said He Would Stick.
Mr. Tucker made 1t plain that he
had no intention Of withdrawing from
the race, saying that he was in the
race until the end.
The resolution was as follows:
Three years ago the Republican
party of Kansas, in state convention
pledged itself to a primary
system of making party nominees.
their inability to agree upon