Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1907-12-27
Entered at the Postoffice at StauntOn, Va,
as second class mail matter.
Friday, December n, 1907.
PROPOSED RELIEF AGAINST PANIcs.

PROPOSED RELIEF AGAINST PANIcS.
So far no relief measure for the pres
ent panic has been advanced by those
who have the power to press such
measures, save the issuance of Pana-
ma Canal bonds and Government Ger
tificaJes of indebtedness.
80 far no plan has been suggested by
any who have the power to put such
plans into effect, except that of Cen
trail National Bank as the panacea for
future financial ills.
1t Is not unnatural that the Nation
al Banks, which hope to control the
finances Of the nation at all times,
should propose a Central National
Bank. Human nature has not chang
ed since the dawn OF time. Everybody
seeks for power. Every man would be
king il be could, and failing in this
every one desires to be as near a king
as circumstances Will permit. The
National Banks are nothing more than
a body of men assembled for the pur-
pose of making all the money their op
portunities permit. They think of
nothing else, strive for nothing else.
They b ave crept step by step for
ward until now they are nearly as
mighty as the Nation whose name
they bear, and under whose franchise
they work, and the money of which
they get without interest, and lend at
usury. They want now to issue ALL
THE PAPER MONEY. Ii this were not
good thing they would drop it, as a
dog does a hot dumping. They are
50 anxious Ito put the Government
out of the banking business" for
whose good we may enquire ! VI
course they are. They want no rivals.
1t is openly stated in New Y ork that
the National banks assisted in the
downfall of the Knickerbocke Trust
Co. because it, or rather trust com
panies generally. were trenching on
their domain. The story has almost
general belief. Now should they be
able to get Congress to pass a Contra
Bank bill they ought to be happy
They would then be so engrafted or
the Government as that they coulo
not be shaken loose short of a revOlu
ton. Before the National Civic
Federation which We attended at thu
Park Avenue Hotel in New York las
week, there were statements made tina
money issued by National banks thu
controlled would be better money thai
any the Government could issue. Th
reasons were 80 purlle, we will not re
peat them. But the idea of an inst
tuition within government haVini
better credit than the government II
self. which created it, will shock tn
ordinary mind outside the bankin
cilcles, if not within them.
In 1896 we were told that we ha
plenty of money, but we lacked cont
depce. which would be restored b
the election of Mckinley and the re
establishment of the Republican part
in power, and that such would estab
lish the gold standard under whicl
panics would be impossible. Bot
theories have proven false. Now W
have neither confidence nor plenty o
money, but the most strenuous PAM
this country has ever seen. The news
papers, that is the large dailies, ever.
one of which in the United States. W
believe, was for the gold standard ar
deceiving the people about presen
conditions-they are suppressing fact
and oiling down the conditions 80 al
to make them look as smooth as pos
sible. We know they are doing it IL
this State. They hate to be proven
falsifiers, or if not wilful liars, mistak
en- M oseses or SOlomOns, they hate tt
be shown to have been fools-and pos
sibIy knaves at one and the same. time,
for many IF them were heavily bur
dened" with your Uncle Mark Han.
mas corruption fund at the time their
jaws worked SO lively over the beau
ties of gold standard and Republican
rule, and the crushing of VIM. j. Bry-
an aud his policy of 16 to Ia thing
by the way they have maintained eve
since 1896.
The Central Bank idea has. we hope,
not taken deep root, but there is dan
ger to the business world lurking in
the camp of Senator Aldrich who il
the we'll known representative of Ma
tional banks in the U. s. Senate. Any
additional power be Can confer on
them he is likely to confer, and be car
kill any financial measure not suited
to their taste.
But the wise ones are In hole, they
are squirming as a fish worm with salt
on it. Their theories have been dis
caded, their sincerity in so far al
they professed to be Democrats before
1896 is gone, their preachments arr
laughed to scorn. Their chosen
ones have had the reins ant
could not guide the machine, ant
unless the people are bigger fools thai
we take them to be, they will chang
drivers and install new one, and tax
their chances for they know condition
could hardly be made worse, or To
machine be worse wrecked than it /
Just now.
Thousands of reasons have been give
for sending our fleet to the Pacific. N
ol:l,a opl not ana to tr,a rNb