THE FARMERS' HON,
MEMPHIS, MISSOURI, THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 1895.
Number 0.
Volume III.
Q
O
3
n
3 g
8
in
00
3
91
IS
o
o
o
P-
w
D
H
(ft
IS
3
P
(ft
A FINANCIAL HISTORY.
Coure and Effect of Legislation
Since 1861.
No 8.
You cannot oorrow of capitalists
any money on twenty years seven per
cent bonds, nor on your 7 3-10 Treas
ury notes at tbe rate fixed by tbe act
of July last. If you offer to the
people and put on the market $300,
000000 more, to the highest bidder
in the present aspect of affairs, they
would not be taken except in runious
rates of discount. That policy would
depreciate the bonds already taken
by the banks and the people who are
most loyal to the government, and
who came forward as your best
friends, and furnished the means so
much needed during the last few
mths to organize your armv and
navy; and besides depreciation will
greaily increase the debt' by requir
ing a much larger amount of bonds
to lie issued than would be needed if
your loans were taken at par. A
loan put upon the market in the
present depressed state of United
Stales stocks, to be followed by other
larger loan, is not regarded as a favo
able mode of providing the means for
maintaining the government at the
present time. If it had been adopted
at first it might possibly have been
the best mode; but it is now too late
to essay that plan, and 1 believe it
would be ruinous to adopt it. I fear
the twenty year six per cent bonds
would under the pressure fall to 75.
70. 60. and even 50 cents. This
would be a ruinous mode of raising
the means to carry on the govern
ment.
What, then, is to be done? The
Secretary of the Tieasury in his an
nual report does not recommend the
issue of demand Treasury notes, al
though be points out many advan
tages that would result to govern
ment from the issue. He suggests
two plans: first the issue of demand
Treasury notes, and second, a
national currency, secured by a
pledge of United States stocks, to be
issued banks and associations, with
proper regulations for their redemr-
tion by the banks themselves. , On
the propriety of the issue of Treasury
notes by the government, to lie but
in circulation as money, the Secre
tary says:
The first of these plans were par
tically adopted at the last session of
Congress, in the provisions authoriz
ing the Secretary to issue United
States notes, payable in coin, to an
amount not exceeding fifty million
dollar- That provision may be so
extended as to reach the average
circulation of the country, while a
moderate tax gradually argumented
on bank notes, will relieve tbe nation
from the competition of local circu
lation. It has been already suggested
that the substitution of a national
for a state currency, upon this plan,
would be equivalent to a loan to the
government without interest, except
on the fund to be kept in coin, and
without expense, exeept the cost of
preparation, issue, and redemption;
while tbe people will gain the ad-
jditionnl advantage of uniform eur
! rency, and relief frcm a considerable
i burden in the form of interest on
debt.
The remarks of the Secretary werp
hefore the suspension of specie pay
ments. Tbe situation of the country
the only pay in which it can be done
I is by issueing Treasury notes payable
on demand, and making them a legal
tender in payment of all debts public
and private, and by adequate tax
ation to be imposed by new bills.
This will bring into full exercise all
higher power of government under
the Constitution. The Constitution
confers on Congress the power (art. 1
sec. 8:
"To lay and collect taxes, duties,
imports, and excises, to pay the debts
and provide for the common defense
and general welfare of the United
States.
To borrow money on the credit of
the United States.
To regulate commerce with foreign
nations, among the several States,
and with the Indian tribes.
To coin, money regulate the value
thereof, and of foreign coins.
To raise and support armies.
To provide and maintain a navy.
To mvke all laws which shall be
necessary and proper for carrying in
to execution tbe foregoing powers,
and all others vested by the Consti
tution in tbe government of tbe
United States, or in any department
or office thereof.
These are among the high power
of government which must now be
brought into full, ample play. The
table which I have before me, pro
cured from tbe Census bureau, shows
that tbe true value of tbe property,
real and personal, within the United
States, is sixteen billions, one hun
dred and fi t -nine millions, six hun
dred and sixteen thousand and sixty
eight dollars, ($16, 159,61 6,08) and
tbe assesed to be $12,006,756,585.
This is the capital, $16,000,000,000
in amount, on which your Treasury
notes and bonds rest. This claim of
government, in the bands of Congress
is direct and specific on tbe banks
through tbe United States, including
the gold and silver in their vaults, on
commerce, on all kinds of production
and business, on railroads, steamboats
and their passergers, on gass com
panies, on manufacturing companies
of all kinds, in short, nil real and
personal estate of every kind is held
subject to the payment of the treasury
notes and bonds issued by the gov
ernment. Congress is clothed with
this mighty power to sustain the
nation at this time. Will you lies'
tate to do your duty? This is what
the people, the capitalists, tbe merch
ant and all who confide in your de
mand notes, want to know. If they
take these cotes, they want to know
positively whether jou will enfore tbe
claim of the government upon the
property of the country, to the ful
extent necessary to redeem the treas
ury notes, and pay punctually tbe in
terest on tbe bonds which they take
of you to sustain tbe government
Unless you are prepared to satisfy
tbe country on this point, it is in vain
to issue bonds or note;, and expect
them to pass currently among the
people. Unless this is done they
will depreciate, and the- ought to
depreciate, but with ample taxation
cheerfully voted by Congress, the
will be the very best secueity in tbe
country, because the whole propertx
of the country is held for tbeir re
demption. Congress has a plain duty
to perform. It has ample power.
This power should now be enforced.
Will C njrc s perform this duty?
Tbe Government of the Uriited
States is not prohibited by the Con-
stitution from issueing treasury notes
trinsic value is not as
great as that
fixed upon it by governments. All
governments fix the value of gold
and silver, and without the govern
ment stamp, gold and silver would be
simply commodity, like other things
having intriusic. value Some gov
emmentsfix the value of coin higher
and some lower, just as each for
itself chooses to determine. Any
other metal or thing that should be
stamped, and its value regulated by
all tbe governments of tbe world,
pass equally well in all commercial
transactions as gold and silver, al
though intrinsically us valuable.
Exchequer bills or treasury notes
whose value is fixed by government,
and stamped as money, would pass as
money in the payments of debts
within the jurisdiction of the govern
ment fixing such value.
In regulating the value of "coin,"
either foreign or domestic. Congress
ma provide that gold and silver
shall be of no greater value in the
payment of debts within lbs United
States than the treasury notes issued
on the credit of this government.
which stamps such coin and fixes its
value. These high (towers of gov
ernment have been frequently exer
cised by Great Britiau during her
contit.ental wars, in making the bank
of England notes receivable for pub
lic dues, and virtually a legal tender
in pawnent of debts, by suspending
the staturary -clause requiring specie
payments within the United King
dom; and other governments of Eu
rope have exercised the same high
prerogative whenever necessary to
preserve tbeir existancc. But we are
not left to this argument alone for
constitutional power to issue these
demand notes and make them a legal
tender in payments of debts, as I
will endeavor hereafter to show.
McOmber, U. T. Judson, J. M. Lon-. that for the purposes of a fund topty
don and L. Leonard, was appointed. legitimate campaign expenses.
i m i -- - that tbe dues of each member shall
A period of speechmaking then . . . . . 77. .
I 1 9m mm I'PIIIH J 111 It 111111 III III
ensued, the confere nce being ad- trea9urer of the club, three fourths of
dressed by Messrs. Long, Leonard, which shall be forwarded to the treas-
T. W. Gilruth and others. A recess urer of the county central committee
was taken until 1:30 o'clock. Pn .the lst of cU month, together
f. ... ,, I with a report ot membership ami all
loon reassembling the conference .i .
6 . such other information as may be of
was addressed by fc. fc. King ot ivan- benefit to the county committee. The
sas City, Kansas; Austin Demrait.. I treasurer of the county central com-
L H. Moore, M. B. Rice, T, W. mittee shall forward to the treasurer
Llrnth muor Mr Hi ifartr. tQe 8late central committee on the
tilth of t!ifh month iuw.1 hint nf 1 1
m f I V . as -v - m m mm v mm wsa x. a i . ' a
t .k t t.. l - ot I T AO fi a mm km lltnn llAil I
...u, w.. v.w uie dues received by him from the
hopper farmer, who farmed his own eiaijS of bis county. No persou shall
farms. At the close of Mr. Gilruth's be eligible to serve as a delegate in
talk the flow of eloquence was inter- any People s party convention unless
rupted long enough to permit the he te a member ita good standing of
... ...... ..I f . . a I. ... . I o o t
VUUIUIHICC UU IC9U1UMVU9 tU 3UUIVII
its report which is as follows:
To the Chairman and Members of
the Peoples party State Central
Committee.
We, your committee on resolu
tions respectfully report the follow
ing:
Whereas, it is customary for pub
lic bodies to set fourth tbeir senti-
sentiments in resolutions; and
Whereas,
THE POPULIST CONFERENCE.
G. P. Garland.
J. B. Johnson,
H. W. P0t.UA,
A. Ho.ku.k.
Geokuk A. Campbell,
Gkoroe C. Warp.
The Blessing of Memory.
The following poem was committed
to memory more than forty years ago
the adverse conditions by the writer, who, at the request of
foretuld by tbe national conference the friends of temperance, has siiven
oi ai. louis ana reueraieu w uinaua : i1i;..urt.
.... I v t puvriivitioii
.u.v.r 't i-Am. "Ye friends of moderation, who think a
...... ..v.. v. wu.u..w,, Vm. "".no reformation, or mnru r.m.vti..i.
a t i t
mes oi our nuance; sou would benefit our nation,
Wliprf.'H the KiiurtfAMt umi offered I
i t mml l4-vl tl rkut Ik ntr hAlta if Nkl uF .
and offer no practical plan for the
I l 1 -f m
present or future prosperity of our u'wnn yr onuervauon ; gives aauy
people and nation; and,
hereas, we, the people, having
alreadv seen and foietold these evils. Th open violation of moral obligation.
' I tl 1 1
lu.tl. tl.o in.lnatr ml Vmfn.iii. ine wiricoeu nsniwuun wimoui ao-
I Otn milutikN AM I r. .mm
..fr.-t,...! nn.l thM lml. i.ti.ml 1 1 1 111 " " W
mm.m. ..v. 9 " " ' common sust iDatton :
conference; t her fore
Resolved, That We reaffirm our A cene of deprivation, unequal in cre-
faith in the Omaha platform and re
A Good Start Made for the Campaign
of i8o4.
According to previous announce
ment a conference of Populists of
Missouri met at 10 o'clock, Monday,
Jan. lst, 1894, in the parlors of the
Centropolis hotel in Kansas City.
There were some 200 persous in at
tendance. In calling the conference to order,
M. V. Carroll, chairman of the stale
central committee, said that the pur
pose of the conference was to formu
late some definite plan of work, so as
to enable tbe party in different couu
ties of ibe state to act in harmony.
He also said the conference was a
promiscuous meeting of the members
of the state central committee and
friends invited for the purpose ofjeon
sulting together and profiting by a
free interchange of opinions
L. Leonard, the Populist candidate
for governor during tbe last cam
pa:gn, was elected temporary chair
man. and J. Weller Long, state secre
tary of tbe Farmers' Alliance, as tem
porary secretary. The call of the
state central committee was then read
for tbe information of those present
After short addresses by Messrs
Leonard and Long, the convention
proceeded to business by making uj
a list of those present. In the mean
time, to faciliate matters, two com
mittets were appointed, one of which
was an order of business and the other
for the purpose of formulating a plan
of campaign work. The first commit
tec consisted of Messrs. J. M. McCali.
assert our firm conviction that the
remedies therein set fourth otter tbe
only efficient measure for the popu
lar relief and future prosperity.
Resolved that we are unutterably
opposed to the further issue of inter
est-bearing bonds for any purpose
whatever, and demand that any da
licit in the public revenues be met by
tue issue ot lull legal tender paper
money in small denominations, con
venient for the general business of
the people.
Resolved, that we are in hearty
sympathy with the general aims of
organized labor, and in proof thereof
re fere them to the state and national
platforms of the People's party, and
we invite and urge their co operation
of securing through the ballot-box a
realization of reforms demanded.
T. H. Hunt,
M. McOmber,
W. T. J UPSON,
d. M. Lonpon,
L. Leonard,
Committee
This report was received and adop
ted, and after some more talk tbe
committe on plan of campaign sub
mitted its report, which is as follows
The scarcity of money in circula
tion, stagnation in business, enforced
idleness, debts, high taxes, fall in
prices, all financial failures that every
ation: the frequent desecration f
Sabbath ordination; the crime aid
depredation defying legislation; tho
awful profanation of common conver-
sation: the dire infatuation with mim
ic sant itication.
Ye, who with consternation, behold this
devahtation and utter condemnation
on ell inebriation, why sanction it
duration, or show disapprobation of
of any combination for its utter extei -mination?
We deem a declaration that offers no
temptation, by any palliation of this
abomination, and under this persua
sion, hold no communication with nox
ious ammunition or brewer's fermen
tation, or any vain libation producing
stimulation.
To this determination, we call consid
eration and without hesitation invito
co-operation not doubting imitation
will raise your estimation, aud by con
tinuation, afford you consolation.
For in participation witn this associa
tion, you may, by meditation, insure
the preservation of a future genera
tion from all contamination.
And may each indication of such regen
eration be the theme of exultation lil
its final consummation.
S. B. Xkedham.
Immediate Duly of Compress.
The present duty of congress is
quite plain. To comply with the re
quirements of the law in force at the
time every contrast has been entered
where harass and distress the people, into since 1892, it should decree the
are the direct results of mistaken and freH coin.wo of mild and il monpv
. o r .
" I XliSa ttlmiiLl ho ciintili.niiMi1i.il In-
nation, and the only remedy of relief , ,, ... . .
is to repeal the bad laws and suhsti- carefully regulated volume of legal
tute just laws instead; and to this we tender treasury iotes. Prohibit bank
recommend that the people come to- issue altogether.
gether, irrespective of previous potit- To do other than this is t. pcr-
ical party affiliations, in every Pe-I -. .... . , . .
I - V J M. I m IT T 111 iw till t ti lloitMii t t T 1 Lit at'alulu t - T
cuict and ward in the state and form L.
a People s paly organization, and the roonery, waich i one of the
only condition of membership shall chief cause now tapidly reducini the
be an avowed .villingness to support people of the United State m two
the Omaha pi tform. classes masters and duen lenta.
Therefore, we, our committee re $verv dollar cf indebtedness in th
spectfully recommend aud urge upon
the chairman of each county central
committee of the People's party that
he call his county committee together
on the last Saturday in January. 1894,
and see that each aud every township
and ward is provided with a coiiuuit-
is now very different from what it
was two months ago. The circum- j o0 demand, and making tnem a legal
stances have changed; and the Secre j tender in payment of all debts witl-
! tary and Congress will find it neces- j jn iU jurisdition. The Constitution
; sary, in the present, to conform their (rt 1, eo. 10) prohibits the states
! actiou to what can be done, and not j fQ, making anything but gold and
i what they would be able to do, j 8iiver coin a Ktgal tender in payment
were it otherwise practable. jet all debts, but this does not at all
! If you cannot borrow the money on j restrict the soverign power of :be
! the credit of the United States, ex-; the United States. Congress has the j Atkeson, of Butler, as chairman, and
cept at runious rates of discount, and j power to coin money 'regulate the Mr. Loug as secretary.
of Kirksville; J. H. Hulls, pf Met all, j teetnan. It shall be the duty of each
and W. T. Aldrcge, of California. ; township and ward committeeman to
Tbe committee on plan of campaign I immediately organize clubs through
c nsisted of Messrs. G. P. Garland, oi
p!eted, a permanent organization was
effected by the elec'ion of Mr. W. O.
I cannot make the new banking system 1 value thereof, and of foreign coin.'! The permauent organization being
effected, the report of the committee
on order of business was received
and adopted.
A committee on resolutions, con
sisting of Messrs. T. A. Hunt. M.
ui tueir respective towusnips or
wards. The nume of piii-Ii ilnh to lu
Butler; H. W. Pulliam, Kansas City; j tue People s Club of
J. B. Johnson, Lyndon; George A. C. lownship or ward; each club to lie of
Campbell, of Odessa. I tiecred .by a president, vice-president
The list of delegates being com j 5411(1 secretory -treas urer, and their
hi . I . L. . m
Lei in oi wince to oe tuiee muuiiis.
' available in time, and cannot realize ; Gold and silver by long practice a
the amount required from your tariff i practice that has continued for cen
aud tax bills, in what mode can the j turies among all nations has Itecome
means be obtained, and tbe govern-' the legal money of tbe world in all
meat carry on? It is beliered that i commercial transition. Its real in-
Any person shall be eligible to
memiiership in clubs by subscribing
to the O.naha platform.
Whereas, The People's party is
fighting for tbe liberties of the peo
ple, and in the conflict is opposed by
tbe united forces of corporate, monop
olies from whom the old parties re
ceive tbeir campaign funds, we ap
peal to the patriotic impulses of the
masses of tbe people 9ml recommend
county, except where a special con
tract provided otherwise, could have
been pa:d last spring iu gold or silver
dollars.
By the repeal of tbe purchasing
clause of the Sherman act, we an;
now absolutely on the small liassis of
gold alone. Kvervth'ng is measured
by the yellow metal, which is eon
cdntrolled by the ll dhchilds and thfir
allien Prices are falliii;, the indus
trial masses are out of emplo inent
starving and growing desperate, but
Shy lock is gathering in an alu n lent
harvest' through the appreciation ot
his money.
We are at tbe mercy of the few
who con troll the gold of the w rid.
he few who enjoy without working.
Congress can give relief by making
in honest dollar, a dollar which, as
well as :umau ingenuity can devise
will maintain the same relation to the
commodities which it measures in ex
change this year, next year, and for
all timr To lahoe's Magnzeue.