People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 February 1896 — Page 2

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republican platforms in the year just named, were generally unequivocal in endorsement of the proposition to pay the five-twenties in the legal-tender money of the country. In the writer’s own state, in that year, the platform was as as follows: "The public debt made necessary by the Rebellion should be honestly paid; and all bonds issued therefor should be paid in legal tenders, commonly called greenbacks, except where, by their express terms, they provide otherwise.” On this platform senator Oliver P. Morton, of great fame and equal honesty, carried the state by a heavy majority for himself and General Grant Within six months from that time, however he yielded or was conquered—and in yielding lost the ambition of his life. The titanic knees of that great and resolute man. little acquainted with the common use of pregnant hinges, were broken, not, as the people supposed, by paralysis, but by the bludgeon of the money power! t In the recently published book called “A Coin Catechism,” by S. K. Upton, three times assistant secretary of the treasury and financial statistician of the eleventh census, the following remarkable interpretation of the coinage act of April 2, 1792, is given: “The first congress of The United States provided for the coinage of ‘silver dollars, or units, each to be of the . value of a Spanish milled dollar as the same is now current, and to contain 371.25 grains of pure silver,’ hnd fractional pieces of the same fineness and proportional weight, and gold pieces to contain 24.75 grains of pure gold to a dollar,” etc. The last clause of this Is so cunningly false as to be amusing. It is a logical and literary curiosity that it ought to be remanded to the text-books, as the finest existing example of sophism. Why did not the author go on with his quotation from the statute of 1792 and give the clause relative to the coinage of gold? JHe knew that to do so would be iruinous to the yspecial plea which he was making. The first congress of the United States did not provide for any such coinage of gold as that described by Mr. Upton. Mr. Upton either knows it or else he does not know it. The “gold pieces” to which he refers in his carefully covered expression were precisely as given in the text above; namely, an eagle, a double eagle, a half eagle and a quarter eagle, and the coins each and several are defined in the statute as being of the value of so many dollars, or units, and the dollar, or unit, is defined as being 371.25 grains of nure silver. The conformity of gold to silver by the same statute at 15 to 1 made the gold coins to be multiples of 24.75 grains of gold—a proportion which was afterwards twice altered to preserve the conformity. This simply showed the amount of gold which at the time should be. not a dollar, but of the value of a dollar. Senator Sherman says in a published note relative to Upton’s book: “His statements on financial matters may be implicitly relied on.” Of course! Asa matter of fact. Mr. Upton’s whole book is pervaded with the same species of false interpretation shown in the quotation given in this note. Ex uno exemplo disce omnia. And as to false quotations, the Century dictionary, making a pretense of citing the statute (see under the “dollar”), has this: “That law [act of April 2, 1792] provided for the coinage of'dollars, or units, each to be of the; value of a Spanish milled dollar,’as that coin was then current, and to contain 37114 grains pure silver.” etc. This quotation curiously omits the word “silver” before "dollars or units.” and yet in that omitted word lies the whole controversy I It is not good usage in making a quotation to leave out the principle thing. S On the afternoon before the assassination, when Vice-Presi-dent Schuyler Colfax wason theeve of departing fortlie West to examine into the conditions and prospects of the proposed Pacific railway, president Lincoln said to him. measuring his words: “Mr. Coliax I want you to take a message from me to the miners whom you visit. I have very large ideas of the mineral wealtii of our nation * * * Now that the Rebellion is over thrown, and we know pretty nearly the amount of our national debt, the more gold and silver we mine makes the payment of the debt so much the easier. Now lam going to encourage that in every possible way. [Even so, 0 Lincoln!] We shall have hundreds of thousands of disbanded soldiers, and many have feared that their return home in such great numbers might paralyze industry by furnishing suddenly a greater supply of labor than there will be a demand for. lam going to try and attract, them to the hidden wealth of our mountain ranges where there is loom enough for all. Immigration, which even the war has not stopped, will land upon our shores hundreds of thousands more per year from overcrowded Europe. I Intend to point to them the gold and silver that waits forthem in the West. Tell the miners from me that I shall promotetheir interests to the utmost ability, because their prosperity is the prosperity of the nation; and we shall prove in a very few years that we are the treasury of the world.” These are the last glorious words of Lincoln. O thou Immortal! In thy staunch and capacious heart there was a place eves for the miners and the mining interests of our country. Thy last thoughts of public concern in this world were how the war debt was to be paid with the treasure of the mountains! To remember such a man and to compare him with the poor automata who are now truckling and fawning around the Hessian Rothschild in order to support the treasury of the United States kindles in every patriotic soul a fire In which the flames of inspiration are blended with flashes of undying contempt.

Nobody can predict how the next presidential election will result, however much the wise-acres may pretend to do so. Some of the democratic leaders tell us that they do not expect that their party will succeed, while the republicans have no doubt of their success. Upon the surface it does look as if things were running the republican way. But there is many a slip between the cup and the lip. It is not expected, of* course, that the republican convention will declare for free silver. It is probable that both of the old parties will insert a pliable silver plank that can be twisted into any shape. But will that sort of thing suit the western states that are directly dependent upon silver coinage for prosperity? Will it suit the south that is clamoring for more money? It is not probable that the people can be so easily fooled by meaningless platforms as they have been. They have drank the cup of bitterness to the very dregs. Harsh experience has compelled them to open their eyes and behold stubborn facts as they exist. The time is come when the people must act in their own interests and it would seem as if they must recognize the necessity for so doing. If they do who can tell what the next election will bring fortlj? The people’s party and the silver party, it is announced, will combine, and even if we admit that this combination will not elect a president, it may mix matters to an extent, so as to make the result, judged from this moment, very misty. It looks to us as if the people never went into a more uncertain presidential campaign than the next one will be. It will be utterly impossible to retain thousands upon thousands in the party ranks. They will leave their partisan association in the hope of doing something to change conditions so that the farm, factory and workshop give them at least a living. Where will they go? It is that question which will give the next campaign its element of uncertainty.— Farmers Voice. “Do you know that it is very seldom that I take in a*s gold piece now days?” asked a well know Grand avenue clothier. • ‘During the past month not a gold coin has passed into my store. Before that time I received one occasionally but I have noticed that gold coin seeing to be getting scarce. How do I account for that? I think the banks are holdiog it back. Especially since the bond issue has been spoken of. I believe the banks have held back all they could get. Years ago customers of mine were partly paid off in gold and then I used to get considerable of it, but now silver and greenbacks do all the buying. Some think that people have hoarded gold, but I do not believe it. ’’—Milwaukee Sentinel Republican.

Next Year.

THE PEOPLE’S PILOT. RENSSELAER, IND., THURSDAY, FEB. 6, 1896.

< We are in receipt of a letter from an Illinois complaining of the increase of taxes this year. Is it to be wondered at that the tax payer makes complaint? Illinois is out of debt. Her industries, in common with those of the whole country, are not prosperous. Farmers are selling their products at a loss, and under such circumstances, when it might reasonably be supposed that government would become rigidly economical, up go taxes. There is no reason in it. In Cook county, Illinois, the taxes have been increased 33 per cent, and many a man with a little home in town and many a farmer will find the burden heavy. Railroads and government never let up in their demands for money. It makes no difference to them whether the rates or taxes amount to confiscation or not; and what is to be the remedy? A political revolution; the united action of the tax payers against the tax eaters and tax shirkers; the curtailment of the number of offices and the cutting of official salaries. Reduce the offices and cut every salary in two from President and Governor to town supervisor. But such heroic measures will necessitate heroic work at the polls. There is not a moss-back in office or who ever held office who would agree to any such measure in the interests of the people. But the people can force it, if they will. It is a pleasant thought that the people are sovereign. It is an unpleasant thought that they are so slow in asserting their authority.—Farmers Voice.

Pertinent Political Paragraphs.

From the Irwinton (Georgia) People’s Guide. A year ago Senator Steward said there would be several western senators to follow him into the populist camp if the republicans did not come out flat-footed for free silver. Senator Teller will probably be the next to follow him, as he has declared that under no conditions will he vote for a goldbug for president. * * * Do you know, kind reader, that the net profits of the national banks of this country for the last twenty years have been nearly $1,500,000,000? Such is the fact. Give them complete control of our monetary system and they would net this much in five years. And the farmer and laborer would be the ones out of whom the profits are squeezed. * * * A reduction of $30,000, has been ordered in the wages of those employed in the freight department of the Southern railway, although the earnings of the road show an increase. But then they can buy more with their wages now than they could a few years ago, you know. * * * The Santa Fe railway system, which was recently sold under the hammer for $60,000,000, consisted of 10,000 miles of track and an immense number of cars and locomotives. The real value of the outfit is said to be $350,000,000. When the government comes to buy this same outfit the price will be $500,000,000. * * * In the United States there are 180,000 miles of railway. If the entire mileage should be sold under the hammer at the price paid for the Santa Fe, the cost would be but little over sl,000,000,000. How about that $10,000,000,000 the old party humbugs say the railroads would cost the government ?

The war scare seems to be over, and it is but fair to say that England has acted with a splendid degree of patience toward other nations. We may say that she was compelled to, because of her moneyed interests in this country and uncertainty as to where some of the other nations would stand, in case she opened hostilities in any quarter, but the fact is that when a nation or individual has the weapons, passion often overrides self-interest. England, of course, is mistress of the sea. Her flying squadron was a notification of that fact, and whatever might be the ultimate result of conflict between her and any other nation, she would be able to give any country on earth a terrible black eye at the beginning. With the consciousness of this power, she deserves credit for holding herself in check. She has no idea of engaging in war with this country, and it begins to look as if Mr. Cleveland never had any intention of engaging in war with her. He is reported to be determinedly opposed to the resolutions in the Senate which aim to give our understanding of the Monroe doctrine. Well, let it all pass, and now let us get down to our own knitting. There are several matters that need the attention of Congress, among them the stoppage of. these bond issues, the payment of our indebtedness in silver when we have no gold, an enlargement of the greenback circulation instead of destroying the greenbacks, the issuing by the government of all money, a better inter-state commerce law to protect the patrons of railroads, if we can get nothing better in that direction, a postal savings system and the issuing of fractional currency. Several other' matters might be mentioned, but unfortunately this list is large enough to throw Congress into spasms. —Farmers Voice.

The Coming Campaign.

Our national committee has taken the initial step toward the active work on the campaign of this year by naming the time and location of the national convention.

Taxes.

The War Scare.

In fixing upon St. Louis as the location no complaint can be urged, as it is central, and the offer made by that city of ten thousand dollars to assist the committeee in its work was more than any other locality bid and the committee wanted funds. There is a very general feeling among a large number of our people that the date named, July 22nd. was to late, yet the concensus of opinions |at St. Louis was that a convention held after ■ both the democratic and republican parties had met, would attract a large dissatisfied element and eventually add to our strength. The wisdom of the committee in extending an invitation to other reformers to hold a separate convention will be questioned, and their action is receiving some well deserved criticism; yet it will be recognized when the campaign closes that the great work of the present time is one of education. For actual and effective political results, there is nothing to be expected from the man who endorses all the villainy of the old parties, except the one of fighting silver, and now awaits the action of a coming old party convention before deciding where he is at in the coming campaign. Hence the work of the year is to educate the people on true populistic lines. Until July 22nd the Omaha platform is our guiding star, our magna charta, our declaration of principles and base of action. The national committee may not realize that gvery act of timidity, or apparent concession to a few silver men who have no sympathy in common with our party, is calculated more to discourage and dishearten the old aggressive workers than to inspire enthusiastic support of their course, yet the fact must not be overlooked that in the end we must win by elevating the standard of general intelligence and leading the people to a true knowledge of economic questions. This must be done by the rank and tile of our party. It must not be left to self seeking and aspiring leaders. The salvation of the country depends on the humble and patriotic citizen who refuses to accept the sophistry of the politician as absolute I truth, or permit the prejudices of the past to blind his eyes to all ideas of advancement. Organization on people’s party linos should be pushed. No effort should be spared to see that the best and truest men are placed on the delegations to the national convention. No effort must be spared to educate every old party voter to the impending danger and the necessity of political action.—Chicago Express.

* BAKING POWDER* HAS NO SUPERIOR - BUT FEW EQUALS THE ONLY HIGH GRADE BAKING POWDER SOLD AT THIS PRICE 607. CAN I LB. CAN 2 MANUFACTURED BY NORTHROP, ROBERTSONS CARRIER LANSING M! CH. LOUISVILLE. K!

J. F. ANTRIM. c. J. DEAN. 2 ; ANTRIM Jfc DEAN, • ■ ODD FELLOW’S TEMPLE. • • NEWHARDWAFBSWB, ■ H The Price Reducing System. 2 BUYS FOR CASH. SEUUS FOR CASH. J 2 —K ■ • * M H| ; 2 £ ■ q fIBSI JiSSIBi® w 5 ™ a. #- “ ~ I k 1 9 IKVJljkaw rwurauOL. ****** a O r * t lOJreswEarii Z ■ 15 • z HMM I™ # I* J ■ i I ", As • • fe M the.nonr.i, i ooe stove for wood or coal. ? ■ In the opening of this new hardware store and the establishment of a eash system. Antrim & Dean £ £ have carefully considered the undertaking. The stock which they offer for sale is paid for, and all the discounts M m which ready cash could influence in these hard times has befen obtained. They were not hasty in purchasing, and took advantage of several opportunities to obtain lines of goods far below wholesale quotations, and they ? _ propose to give their customers, with cash, and equal opportunity to buy cheaply. They have a most attractive ■ stock of goods, centrally located, and hope to have the public bestow a portion of their favors upon them, if they prove to deserve it. A first-class tinner is employed for all kinds of new and repair work, including roofing. H

Disguise it as you may 99 out of each 100 people are looking and longing for a way out of the troubles of today. They would accept anything that promised relief—except the only thing possible to give them relief, study ing to find out. They are dissatisfied but believe because the *‘great” people have not discovered and applied a remedy that there is no remedy. They do not know where to find and literature that will enlighten them, and seek information from the very source that has brought on all their woes. A marked change has come over the people in the last few months. It is noticeable everywhere. They will listen now with some patience. They are not going wild over Reed, McKinley or any other place or fortune hunters. No such apathy was ever before noticed five months before the national conventions. If reformers will do their duty now millions can be made to see the Great Conspiracy to reduce the people to a new form of vassalage. Never was a more propitious time to spread the Gospel of a New Civilization. I know from personal contact that there never was a better time to get men to read our books and papers. To my mind there is nothing more certain than that a New Social Order is just ahead of us, and it will be for this generation. /How long will depend on the personal exertion of each reformer. Nineteen hundred ought to see it established and will if reformers will do their duty. It will be a more radical change when it does come than any that has ever come in the history of human society. It will bring the abolition of all corporations and the assumption by the people of these. functions for the benefit of all. It will mean that man is first and that property will be looked upon as a means to make man collectively happy. All the people may not see it. but it will as surely follow as that the abolition of chattel slavery followed the agitation to prevent the extension oi slavery. There has never been an agitation before to wipe out private property. It has always been held as sacred, except when escheated for the kings’ benefit. The neople are getting ready for this change. Everything shows it. The protest against corporate oppression is leading the people on to the logical conclusion. The great trusts have taught the people against their will. A. New Social Order is in the atmosphere, and before many years the sun wiil rise over a New Nation in which the shouts of joy and the smiles of a happy people will replace the misery, woe and want that now everywhere darkens the world. Be of good cheer, and put enthusiasm in your labor of opening your neighbor’s eyes to the Glorious Prospect,—Appeal To Reason.

It Is Coming.

WEAK MEBMABE VIBOMUS. I»’DAY. What PEFFER’S NERVIROR W! Don t let druggist impose a worthless substitute S?i c " rie A‘ n Pocket. Prepaid plain for sale In Rensselaer by B. F. Fendig.