XV
v
SJjc larmcra' Alliance,
THE HE8RASKA INDEPENDENT
rnfot.iiA?f o.
rVBUSBED KTSKT TllfKSDAr BT
Tax Alliance IYbushino Ca
Cor. UU and M 8t, Lineoln. Kab.
buakv or immoM.
0. 11 -v I-, ?T J. M Tuoiiroo,
K fed. Tnuwl, V.-F. 1. V. Mamao, Trran.
C. U. Fim.
K Eawiw ThukVtoh,. Manamnc Editor,
Oua. H. Piars.1, BimIiwm ManaKrr.
la the beauty of the lillies
Christ wu born across the sea,
With a glory in bis bosom
That transfigure you and me.
Aa he strove to make men holy
Let as strive to make them free,
Since God Ss marching on."
Julia Ward Howe.
"Laurel crowns cleave to deserts.
And power to him who power exerts.'
A ruddy drop of manly blood
The surging sea outweighs.
Emerson.
"He who cannot reason Is a fool.
He who will not reason is a coward.
Be who dare not reason Is a slave."
N. H. P. A.
TO CORRESPONDENTS.
Address all bullae communications to
UllanoaPublihln;Co.
Address matur for publication to Editor
rarmxra' Alllano. . ,
Article written on both sides of the paper
cannot be ued. Very lone communication!,
a a rule cannot be used.
People's Independent State Conventions.
The peoples Independent electors of the
State of Nebraska are requested to elect aad
end delevatea from their eevera counting n
meet In convention at the oily of Llnoaln,
Ttaurxiay.Juue ail. Vl, at 10 o'clock a. m , for
the purpoe of Selecting- elpht delegate at
larn toth People's National convention, to
b held in Omaha, Neb ,July,M. Andalso
to elect delegate to the state convention to
be held at Kearney, Nob, Wednoidtty.Auguit
a.JSW, at Bo'olock p. m., to nominate tfca
following state otHoera. vli; Governor,
lieutenant governor, secretary of state, treas
urer, attorney-general, audltor,rotnmlaloner
of publlo land and buildings and superin
tendent of public InMiuotlon. The bails of
representation will be the aania In both con
vention and the me delegate may act for
bath convention, or two sets of delegates
may be elected M oountltt may determine at
their county conventions.
The hasl of representation will be one
delegate for every one hundred vote or ma
jor fraction thereof out In IHM for Hon. J.
W. Bdgerton for Judge of the lupreme court.
wnicn gives to louuwin- vote y oounuec
Adams
Antelope
Banner
Blaine
Boone
Boyd
Box Butte
' Brown
Buffalo
Batler
Bait
Oat
Oedar
Chase
Cheyenne
Cherry
Clay
Calfax
Cumins;
Custer
Dakota
, Dawes
Dawson
Deuel
Dixon
Dodge
Douglas
Dundy
nilmore
Prankan.
Frontier
Furnas
Gage
Garfield
Go per
Grant
'. Greeley
Hall
Hamilton
Harlan
Hayes
Hitchcock
Hooker
Holt
Howard.
IS Jefferson
10 Johnson
I Kearney
I Key Paha
Keith
I Kimball
t Knox
8 Lancaster
16 Llnooln
11 Logan
9 Loup
18 Madlaon
Merrick
t MoPherson
4 Nance
6 Nemaba
It Nuckolls
7 Otoe
5 Pawnee
It Perkins
6 Pierce
8 Phelps
10 Platte
I Polk
6 Red Willow
10 Klchardson
67 Hock
8 Saline
H Sarpy
7 Saunders
8 Sootts Dfuff
8 Seward
18 Sheridan
I Sherman
4 Sioux
1 Stanton
5 Thayer
11 Thomas
11 Thursten
8 Valley
8 Washington
6 Wavne
1 Webster
11 Wheeler
8 York
1
1
10
7
1
6
9
e
14
7
4
6
8
11
7
13
9
14
6
SO
3
13
10
6
2
8
10
1
7
7
4
10
o
14
.733.
r Total
While the oommittee do not feel It best te
1st down any definite test as to who should
be allowed to ote at the primary election to
elect delegates to the various conventions,
as any test would not work equally well In all
localities, yet we would urge upon county
and precinct committeemen, and all having
the primaries in charge, to adopt such rules
. and tests aa will best aecure a fair expression
Of she independent voters of the state.
The question of selecting delegates to the
Rational convention to which the onngnw
atonal dlatrlots are entitled is left to the dis
tricts themselves, either to call oongresslonal
convention m their respective dlatricts or to
select them by districts st Lincoln at the
state convention, at the lame time the dele
gates are selected to represent the state at
large.
We would recommend that no proxies be
allowed at either convention, but that the
delegates present oast tbe full vote to whiok
the state or county la entitled.
We would alao recommend that the pri
maries for electing delegates to the County
oonveations be htld Thursday, June 3H, 1893,
and that tbe County conventions be held
Saturday, June 35, ltB. J, V. Woi,r.
C. H. Piktlb, Ohsirman.
Secretwv.
TO OUR EXCHANGES.
All papers which were exchanging
with both the Alliance and Indepen
dent before the consolidation will
please cut off one of the exchanges.
AT KEARNEY AUGUST 3RD.
When the call for the state conven
tion at Kearney was set up in this office
the date was made August 30th. by
mistake. We notice that a number of
our exchanges copied the error. The
correct date is August 3d.
BILLS AND SPEECHES.
We have a large number of copies
of Kern's Banking and Loan Bill for
free distribution, also a few copies of
McKeighan'a speech on silver. Any
person desiring a supply of the bills for
distribution or a copy of the speech can
get it by sending a request to this
office.
A LIBERAL OFFER.
The Alliance Independent will
give a copy of "Bread-winners and
Bond holders" to !any voter who will
send a good reason why he should vote
the demoeratic or rnpoblican ticket
next November. We hope Inde
pendents will bring this offer to
the attention of their old party
acquaintances, and encourage them to
write.
.. OUR CARTOON.
Our cartoon represents two scenes
that are true to life: the railroad kings
around their banquet table planning to
divide and defeat the people, and their
henohmen carrying out their plans.
These railway employees clubs are be
ing organized all over Nebraska, and a
state association has been organized.
These pictures should open the eyes
of tho men who are being arrayed
against their best friends, the united
producers of the country.
PRACTICAL POLITICS. f
As tbe time U organized political
acticn comes on, there are tarioua ques
tions of policy that deserve a larger
share of discussion in the reform papers
than they receive. We refer to such
matters as tbe holdiog of primaries and
conventions and the raising of cam
paign funds. The old party papers, it
is true, do not discuss such matters.
But that is no reason why the reform
papers should not. In fact it is a reason
why they should. The old party papers
serve the political bosses, not tbe
people. It is to tbe interest of political
bosses to keep the rank and file of their
party in the background until tbe work
of naming the ticket and making the
platform has been done. Hence they
never urge tbe people to turn out to
primaries, to elect good men to conven
tions, and to protect their rights and
interests. Ob, nc; that is just what tbe
bosses dont want. The greater lack of
interest in primaries there is among the
people, the surer the bosses are of hav
ing their own way.
If the members of the new party
would avoid the things that have cor
rupted and debased tbe old parties,
they snould study the methods of the
bosses and act to the contrary. Editors
of reform papers can safely follow a
similar rule.
It is tbe duty of reform papers to
urge the voters to perform their whole
political duty; to give warning against
impending dangers, and to freely sug
gest ways and means that may promote
the welfare of the party. Holding these
views, we will proceed forthwith to
give them a practical application.
An important question of policy that
must be settled by tbe independent
voters of each county is: How many
county conventions shall be held?
Shall there be one to elect delegates to
the state convention of June 30th, a
second to elect delegates to the state
convention of Aug. 3d, and a third to
nominate a county ticket? Also shall
one set of primaries elect delegates to
all these conventions, or shall there be
primaries held before each convention?
These are questions that must be
answered, and on the answers 'much
depends. As a rule it is a good plan to
avoid extremes and to take a middle
course Two county conventions and
two sets of primaries will be better
than one or three. The first should be
held in time to elect delegates to the
state convention and also to the con
gressional convention in case it is held
early. The second should be held just
before the stale convention of Ang. 3rd,
and should elect delegates to that con
vention and nominate a county ticket.
It is a very unwise policy to have one
set of delegates act in both state conven
tions. It is also very bad policy to have
dolegates elected in June to attend a
convention to be held in August. Such
delegates are likely to have to endure a
good deal of vexatious electioneering,
and may have strong temptations
thrown in their way. The idea of
"keeping close to tho people" includes
time. The primaries should be held as
close as possible to the county conven
tion, and that should be held as close as
possible to the state convention.
July Is not too early to put a county
ticket in the field. Good men suffer
nothing by being before the people
three monthi or more. Hence it is un
wise to hold an additional convention
for the nomination of a county ticket.
Primaries should be thoroughly
advertised. Committeemen should do
their duty in this matter. Then every
true Independent should feel it to be his
duty to go, and to get his neighbors to
tarn out. The primary is the basis of
our political system. It is really more
important than the election. In the
primary the voter is an actual factor in
politics. Failure of the voter to act and
to act wisely in the primary, sends a
corrupting and debasing influence up
ward through the whole political
system of the country. On the other
hand wise action of voters in the
primary sends a preserving and purify
ing iutluence upward through the
whole system.
Independents of Nebraska, if you
would preserve the purity and efficiency
of your grand new party, attend your
primaries, and there do your duty.
Quit yourselves like men who realize
the duties of citizenship. 'Eternal
vigilance is the price of liberty."
lOSLEADING THE PEOPLE.
The following which appeared in a
late issue of the World-Herald will ex
plain itself:
Benedict, Neb., March 29. To the
Editor of the Wokld-Hebald. J Is it
presuming too much to ask you to an
swer a couple of questions through the
columns of the World-Herald :
First What amount at legal tender
notes or greenback's were issued by tne
government?
Second What the amount destroyed
or out of circulation?
The total amount of treasury notes out
standing JuueiAl. 1WT was tRI.7S8.687. Thin
amount waa reduced year by year till t"8
when it reached l;H8,!tl,ul where It ha re
mained ever tince, eicept for loaaecof which
there 1 no record. Kb. Would Hibald.
The editor of a great daily paper
would have within easy access the best
authorities on history and statistics. If
he has not, he should respect the confi
dence of his readers too mnch to give
them answers which he does not know to
be correct. Lastly he should have too
much respect for himsolf ana his paper
to knowingly mislead his readers. Has
the editor of the World Herald observed
these principles in the answers given
abova? Let us see.
In the first place he gives no direct
answer to the questions. He does not
say how many greenbacks were issnod,
but states that a certain quantity of le
gal tender notes was outstanding two
years after the war closed. Secretary
McCullougb gave the amount of green
backs or legal tender notes outstanding
Oct. 21. 1865 as $1,488,768,078. This of
course does not include such as may
have been retired before that timo. John
J. Knox late comptroller of the cur
rency saysthat in August 1803 there was
over 11,500,000,000 of legal tender notes
o t"tanling Now certainly the editor
of the WorH Herald could havt eai!y
secure! theee figures and given them in
anwer to bis queriest. Why did be not
do so?
In tbe second place the figures be
gives are incorrect. It seems alm-st
impossible to get absolutely correct
figures as to tee destruction of the
greenbacks. All authorities we have
been able to consult qualify their st te
nants as "according to tbe best date
attainable" or words to that effect B.
S. Heath in bis Finance Resolution says
the work of contraction began in 147,
but he gives co statement of the amount
retired that year. But he says that in
the next three years over one billion
dollars were destroyed. He also give
additional amounts destroyed each year
up to 1870- This is sufficient to show
tbe falsity t f the World Herald t answer.
It is evident that on October 31, 167,
there must have been at least one billion
and a quarter of greenbacks outstand
ing. Were these figures inaccessible to
tbe editor of the World Herald. Why did
he not give them?
An editor who makes such breaks
lays himself open to a suspicion of inex
cusable demagoguery, or gross igno
rance. THE SUPREME ISSUE
During the campaign of 188 the re
publicans repeatedly pointed to Ireland,
India, Italy and Spain as victims of
"English free trade." A cartoon
appea red in Puck representing England
as a giant sitting at the opening of a
cave (Free Trade) and around were
lying the bones of ruined nations. It is
certainly an undisputed fact that every
nation that has ever come more or less
under the controlling influence of Great
Britain has suffered grieviously thereby;
What is the cause? Is it "English
free trade" or the English money power?
Let the condition of our own country
be the answer. We are hugging the
chains fastened upon us by the money
power of England, but we have no
"English free trade." On the contrary
we have the highest tariffs in the
vorld. Vet poverty of the masses and
great wealth of the few is the con
dition of our country to-day, and it is a
condition that rapidly grows worse as
tl e years pass. It is a deeply signifi
cant fact that the beginning uf this ten
dency dates from the period when the
English money power gained control of
our finances. That was during the
war. We had very few millionaires at
the beginning of the war. Wealth was
fairly distributed. All who desired to
work
were industrious and happy. Garfield
pronounced the years just preceding
the war as the'igolden ago" of our na
tion's history. During the war English
bankers gained control of our finances
and they have controlled them ever
since They helped to plan and exe
cute the "seven financial conspiracies,"
and they are now working on the
eighth. Now we have thousands of
millionaires, and millions who are una
ble to make a decent living. Now a
few thousanc men own more than half
the wealth of the nation. Debts have
increased until their appalling aggre
gate exceeds half the wealth of the na
tion. If the money power continues to
control the financial policy of our coun
try, time alone is required to bring
about the conditions that prevail in
India and Ireland. In fact. England
has conquered the Un'.ted States, has
made our country a tributary province,
by controlling its financial legislation.
Year after year there is a large balance
of trado in our favor; in other words,
we send out of the country more prod
ucts of labor than we bring in. What
do we get for the surplus? On this
question statistics are dumb. The only
inference that it ajoes to pay our tribute
of usury and rent to English money
kings and landlords.
No one will presume to say that free
trade has been tho means by which
England has subjugated America. The
era of low tariff in this country ends and
that of high tariff begins just at that
time when this subjugation began. The
fact is that while the republican politi
cians have been tools in the hands of
the English money power, they have
worked on the prejudices of the peoplo
by erying out against "English free
trade," and shouting "America for
Americans." Is it any wonder that a
republican senator a few days ago pro
nounced his party an "organized hy
pocrisy?" Shall English bankers and American
plutocrats who are in league with them
oontinue to control our .finances, or
shall we have an American policy of
finance? .This is the issue of all issues
before the people to-day. On this
issue the lines are being drawn. It will
bear down every other issue in spite
of the efforts of politicians to keep the
people divided on other lines. ,
It is reported that A. U Gale has got
his political character white-washed by
some alliance people in his county. It
is an old saying and a very true one
that "a man's character, like a rotten
fence, cannot be strengthened by white
wash." Every patriotio Nebraskan who
wants to advance the interests of his
own state and section, should quit vot
ing at the dictation of eastern manu
facturers, money loaners and railroad
kings.
At the democratic state convention
Congressman Bryan offered to take all
the "seventy cent dollars" his oppo
nents had at ninety-nine cents apiece,
but nobody took advantage of the offer.
Already the laboring men of Lin
coln have begtn talking up a grand
demonstration for Labor Day in Lin
coln. They say they are going to make
it political with a big P. That is cor
rect. If that had been done last year,
the celebration of labor day would have
been a success instead ofasigial failure.
THE ACRE PLAN.
If there Is one thing above anothi r
that hat hindered the progre cf the
reform movement in the past, it is the
want of funds lo prosecute tbo work.
Either of the last two campaign- could
havo been won by the distribution of a
few hundred dollars worth of literature.
A cent invested in campaign literature
in 1810 would have returned dollars to
the investor if an independent bad been
in the governor's office to affix his name
to the Newberry bill.
"There is no excellence without
great labor." There is no reform with
cmgrett sacrifice. Rt form thaf costs-
nothing is of too cheap a quality to be
of much value.
The people are beginning to realize
the importance of this nf&tter. They
are also beginning to see that it is their
high privilege as well as their duty to
give money for campaign purposes.
The people are not so much to blame
for tbe lack of funds in the past as the
leaders and press of the movement, elt
is all a matter of education. From
false ideas of policy, editors and speak
ers have failed to impress this matter on
tbe people. This has been a mistake.
A man who hesitates to speak plainly
on this subject simply under-sntimates
the intelligence and liberality of tbe
people. The writer has frequently
called attention to tbe fact that the peo
ple are both able and willing to give.
For instance, in 18r0 there were two
great meetings, an Alliance conven
tion at Lincoln, and a people's conven
tion at Hastings. At the least calcula
tion these conventions cost the men
composing thorn $12,000, or to", 006 each.
Yet every dollar of this was pjid by the
men who are engaged in this reform
movement. Wasn't it freely and cheer
fully paid? Yet to run the state cam
paign of last year less than 11,000 was
raised. Now all that is necessary to
induce the people to give liberally and
cheerfully is to make plain the impor
tance, the necetsity of it. So far in the
history of the movement, a few men
have made great sacrifices of time, la
bor and means. This is not fair to the
rank and file. Tney should have a
chance to bear a full share of the bur
dens. It is a pleasure for patriotic
men to make sacrifices in a noble
cause.
The work of education on this line is
well advanced. The next thing of im
portance is a good plan for raising
funds. This question has also been
solved. We believe no plan has been
proposed that is equal to the "acre
plan " Whore is the farmer, who has
for years given half his crop to get the
other half to market, who will not give
one aero of his crop to the cause of re
form? Hundreds of men who are not
farmers will give an equivalent.
This plan should be discussed by in
dependents throughout tbe state. Now
is the time to act. The state committee
has prepared blanks for pledges of funds
on this plan. Persons interested should
write to the secretary of the committee
for a supply of these blanks. County and
precinct committees should have a sup
ply of them at every primary and con
vention. No doubt the enemies of our move
ment will ridicule this plen. No doubt
they will misrepresent the amounts col
lected and slander our leaders. Let
them ridicule and slandor. Shall we
cringe and hesitate on that account?
That is ju9t whatthey want us to do.
Let us go straight forward doing our
duty regardless of the schemes and at
tacks of enemies, and victory will crown
our efforts.
OUR M ATI0NAL TICKET-
i'Whom shall we nominate at
Omaha?" This question is on many
tongnes. It is a question of great im
portance, and consequently of great
interest. Tho question of who shall be
nominated on the old parties' tickets is
not one for the people to answer. The
"power bohind the throne" will attend
to that, All the rank and file in tho
old parties ha ve to do is to ratify with
their ballots the nominations made by
the plutocrats. Not so in the case of
the new party. The nominations are to
be made by the people. The individual
voter has an actual voice and influence
in deciding that question. Hence the
people are eager to exchange views on
the qualifications and availability of
candidates.
In order to facilitate and encourage a
more general exchange of views on this
question, we have decided to open a
column in The Allianck-Indei'endknt
for that purpose. In order to give as
many as possible a chance to be heard
communications must be brief ; hence
we establish the following rules:
1. Send your communication of a
postal card.
3, Name your first choice for presi
dent and vice-president.
3. Give reasons if you desire.
5. Give your name and post-oflice
address.
5. Not more than one column will
be devoted to this subject.
The first installment will be published
next week. We hope a great many
will respond so that some idea of popu
lar sentiment can be gained.
DEMOCRACY INDICTED
If the democrats cf Nebraska had set
out to make a shameful and ridiculous
spectacle of their party, they could
hardly have succeeded any better than
they have within the past month. Let
us glance at a few of the salient points
in the record made:
In many counties they packed the
conventions for the election of railroad
and bank tools as delegates.
In others, central committees appoint"
ed delegates without consulting the
people.
In Douglas county they got into a dis
graceful factional squabble, carried it
from the primaries to tho county con
vention and from there to the state con
vention. In this squabble the leaders of each
faction in public speeches accused their
opponents of the very tricks and crime
which tbe Independent charged on
Boyd and hi henchmen two year ago;
and they showed proof of ibeir charges
too.
The squabble was ended by seating in
the convention a delegation beaded by
Boyd, And containing in its ranks 18
railroad men, 17 saloon keepers, 12 law
yers and 11 bankers out of a total of
103. This delegation was the ruling
factor in tbe convention.
A ring, consisting of tools of the
money power and railroads, organized
the convention and controlled it.
James E. Boyd, the grand mogul of
the ring, was elected by almost a unani
mous vote to head the delegation x
Chicago.
Tobe Castor, the greatest railroad
capper in the party, was elected a dele
gate. From the home of Bryan, N. S. Har
wood, a renegade republican, anti-silver
man and railroad capper, was
chosen to go to Chicago.
A solid delegation against free coin
age was chosen to represent the stite at
Chicago.
The members of tbe ring used every
effort to prevent Mr. Bryan from bring
ing up the silver question, and when he
did bring it up, fought him with the
choicest weapons of Wall jtreet.
They defeated free coinage by fair
means or foul, no one will ever know
which.
Tfcey made every effort to humiliate
and repudiate the only democrat in the
state who has any national reputation,
or has ever done anything to deserve
one
The whole convention was controlled
in the interest of men who wanted to be
chosen delegates to the national con
vention in order that they might bar
ter the vote of the state to a Wall street
candidate in retnru for the control of
federal patronage.
Theso are the main counts in the !in-
dictmont against democracy. These
are the plain facts in the case. On
these charges the party must be tried in
the court of public opinion. The hon
est, loyal citizens of Nebraska are the
jury. On this jury are three-fourths of
the rank and file of democracy. Tbe
trial has already begun. The verdict
will be given next November.
A SILVER ANNIVERSARY.
The citizens of Lincoln are makintr
great preparations for the silver anni
versary of Nebraska's admission into
the Union. The date of the celebra
tion is set for May 25th and 26th. It is
expected to be the greatest day in the
history ot Lincoln. It is to be hoped
that citizens in all parts of the state
will co operate to make the celebra
tion one of which the state mav be
proud. Half rates will be granted on
all railroads.
MR. GEORGE H- GIBSON.
Mr. George II. Gibson has been doing
a large part of the editorial writing on
Ihe Alliance during the past two
months. As a thinker and writer he
takes high rank among western journal
ists. As a writer on economic ques
tions he is especially strong. His con
nection with this paper ceased with
last week's issue. Ho has our best
wishes in whatever future work he may
undertake.
IN THE FIFTH DISTRICT.
An Independent congressional con
vention ha been called to meet in the
Fifth (McKeighan's) district at Hold-
redge, May 6th. The committee recom
mended that county conventions be held
April 30ih.
This seems to us like carrying the ear
ly convention idea to extremes. But per
haps it is just as well. Inasmuch as the
time is short, committeemen should act
promptly in calling primaries and con
ventions, and all good Independents
should help advertisejthem, ana secure
a good turn out of voters.
ARBOR DAY.
We commend to our readers the fol
lowing, clipped from the Aebraska
Farmer:
Arbor day was first originated in Ne
braska and now nearly every state in
the Union has adopted it, but none of
them have planted as many trees as
this state. Last year the number of
trees planted in Nebraska numbered up
into the millions, and the season was a
good one for the growth of trees and
they did well. The number of trees
planted in this state has been steadily
increasing each year, aud we trust the
year 1892 will show a greater increase
iu the number planted than in any pre
vious year. Arbor Day is fixed by
statury enactmont in Nebraska as
April 22d. This year it comes on Fri
day aud us tlie season is later than
usual and trees not started much, the
22d of April will not be too late. Let
every school district in the state have
trees planted on the school grounds,
and then properly protect the trees
after planting. Our cemeteries need
attention and should be protected with
a good fence and numerous trees set
out, so that they will not look so neg
lected. ORGANISE CLUBS.
There should be an independent club
organized in every village and in every
precinct in Nebraska. Our political
enemies are organizing wherever thoy
can. Let us profit by their example. If
the independents will put forth the
proper effort, they cau form an organi
zation throughout the state, beside of
which anything the republicans can or
ganize will be puny and insignificant.
The state committee has prepared
constitutions, and all necessary papers
and blanks for organizing these clubs.
These can be secured by addressing
C. H. Pirtle, Lincoln.
If it is not done sooner, a good time
to organize these clubs all over the
state will be on the day of the
primaries. When the voters are as
sembled in their primary, aud have
voiced their wishes, let them organize
the machinery which will mako their
voice heard in the laud. Organisation
is the key to the situation. Organise,
organize, organize!
THE SILVER QUESTION.
The increasing discussion of tbe ai.vcr
question renders it very Important that
the people should be in posseseton of
the historical facts which bear upon or
underlie the discussion. Hence we
give tbe following historical facts
gathered from the best official
sources.
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From the organization of the govern
ment till 1834 our money was on a bi
metallic basis consisting of tilverand
gold coined at a ratio of 15 i to 1. The
mints were equally open to both
metals. -
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This ratio seemed to have worked to
the detriment of gold as a circulating
medium. Silver staid in the hands of
the people while gold inclined to go
abroad. This led American financiers
to advocate the adoption of a new raiio.
Finally in 1834. the ratio was changed
to 16 to 1. In order to make this change
it was necessary of course either to in
crease the amount of metal in the silver
dollar or decrease the amount of metal
in the gold dollar. If gold were so
superior, both by nature and in public
esteem, as a money metal, one would
naturally suppose that tbe chnnge
would be made in the silver dollar. But
it was not. The amount of standard
gold in the gold dollar was actually re
duced from 27 grains to 25.8 grains.
Yet all debts contracted before the pas
sage of the law were payable in the coin
of reduced weight after the change.
From 1834 till 1873 the mints of the
United States were equally open to gold
and silver. The coinage of each was
unlimited, that is, any person
having any amount of silver or gold
bullion could take it to the mint and
have it transformed into standard coins.
carry them away and put them into cir
culation as full legal tender money.
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Between the years of 1850 and 1800,
there was much taik of the complete
demonetization of gold. This resulted
from the immense increase in the out
put of gold resulting from the discoverv
of the gold mines in Australia and Cali
fornia. The creditor class of thU nH
other countries feared that the currency
would be greatly increased and the
money thereby cheapened. They look
ed upon silver as the scarcer metal, and
hence desired to Use it as a mono-metal
lic basis. But the idea was never
carried into eff ect.
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In 1873, and for some time previous.
silver bullion was actually at a pre
mium, at one time as high as three and
one-half per cent; in other words the
bullion in a silver dollar was worth
three and one half cents more than the
dollar. The gold standard men used
this as one of their pretexts for advocat
ing the demonetization of sliver. It is
more than likely however that they
foresaw the great increase of the silver
product just then beginning as a result
of the great silver discoveries in the
Rocky Mountain territories.
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At any rate in 1873, they succeeded in
securing the demonetization of silver.
The bill by which this was accomplish
ed was entitled "a bill for the regula
tion of the mints," or words to that
effect. It has since been fully demon
strated that very few of the members
who voted for this bill knew that it
demonetized silver, and that President
Grant signed it' without knowing it.
They accepted it as it came from the
hands of a committee believing it simply
"regulated the mints."
When the true nature of tho act was
discovered some months later, there
was a good deal of popular indignation.
and an agitation was at once begun for
the remonetization of the white metal.
This agitation was a prominent feature
in congress during 1876 and '77. The
senate appointed a silver commission
with Senator Jones of Nevada as chair
man which made an exhaustive report,
and strongly recommended the remon
etization of silver.
This agitation resulted in the passage
of the first Bland silver law on Feb. 28,
1878, by a two-thirds vote of both
houses of congress over the veto of
President Hayes. This law required
the secretary of the treasury to pur
chase silver bullion to an amount not
less than two million dollars per month
and not greater than four million dol
lars per month, and to coin it into
standard silver dollars. The secretaries
of the treasury, being unfriendly to sil
ver, kept very close to the minimum.
This law was not satisfactory to
either the friends or the enemies of sil
ver. The former continued the agita
tion for full remonetization. The latter
urged the repeal of the law. The popu
lar agitation for an increase in the cur
rency grew stronger and stronger until
in 1890 the question was again forced to
the front in congress. A free coinage
bill passed the senate and very nearly
passed the house.
For the purpose of shelving the ques
tion. Senator Sherman then brought
forward a measure providing for the
purchn.se of four and a half million
ounces of silver bullion per month.
This act provided for the issue of new
treasury notes with which to pay for
the silver bullion. It wis Dasspd .Inlv
14, 1890.
,
Under the Bland law of 1878, the sil
ver bullion was purchased by the treas
urer with ordinary treasury funds.
When coined into silver dollars it was
paid out into circulation through the
ordinary channels of expenditure. But
under tho Sherman law it is different.
The silver bullion is now paid for with
new treasury notes issued especially for
that purpose, and the bullion and coins
made irom it are held in the treasury.
Under the old law the treasurer was re
quired to have all tbe silver coined.
Under the Sherman law be was requir
ed lo coin two million ounces per
month until July 1st, 1891. After that
he was permitted to stop coining if he
saw fit. Hence the coinage of silver
dollars has almost if not entirely
ceased. Another difference between the
Bland law of 1878 and the Sherman law
is this: Under the former the govern
ment gained tbe difference between the
cost of the silver bullion and the money
value of the coins. This gain is called
seigniorage and was turned into the
treasury. But under the Sherman law,
the silver bullion is paid for with
treasury notes, and stored away. Hence
there is no seigniorage.
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There is some confusion of thought
concerning silver certificates. The fol
lowing are the facts: The act of 1878
authorized the secretary of the treasury
to issue silver certificates in denomina
tions of not less than $10. This law was
amended Mar. 3, 1887, so as to provide
for one, two and five dollar certificates.
This law is still in force. These certifi
cates are not issued, as many suppose,
to pay for the silver bullion bought.
They are simply given to persons who
desire to deposit silver dollars in the
treasury. They are intended merely as
a convenience. They are not a legal
tender, but are receivable for public
dues. They are redeemable in silver
dollars.
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The new treasury notes issued to pay
for silver bullion under the Sherman
law are very different. They are legal
tenders with an exception clause. They
are redetmable in coin, either silver or
gold, at the optionof the treasurer, but
it is the avowed policy of the present
treasurer to redeem them in gold.
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Silver coins were a full legal tender
until 1873. From that till ists thon
were legal tender in amounts of 15 or
less. The Bland silver law made them
full legal tender for all debts public and
private "except where otherwise ex
pressly stipulated in the contract."
This is the same exception that was
placed in the new treasury notes. It
was placed there in the interest of
money lenders who desire to make con
tracts payable in gold.
What the people are demanding to
day is simply the restoration of silver to
the place it occupied as a money metal
previous to 1873. They demand for it
the some treatment which gold receives,
i. e.: free and unlimited coinage.
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The above is a very brief outline of
the history of silver legislation from the
foundation of the government. These
facts given without coloring or discus
sion will prove valuable for reference
in the coming campaign.
Organize an Independent club.
Only 50 cents pays for The Alliance-Independent
until after the
election.
Senator Wolcott of Colorado savs
each old party is an "organized hy
pocrisy."
"Seventy cent" dollars received on
subscription at this office at their face
value.
The Custer Beacon predicts that Hon.
O. M. Kem will be renominated for
congress by acclamation.
Our correspondence this week con
tains some most excellent .letters.
Don't fail to read them.
Senator Keiper of Pierce county is
a democratic candidate for congress in
the new Third district.
Boyd should now appoint Collins a
member of the Columbian commission.
He will be good company for Gale
two of a kind.
The Progressive Farmer refers to
the
democrats in ihe lower house as a
"cowardly majority." Quite correet,
and disgusting as it is correct.
This week we establish a "program
department" which will be regularly
maintained, and we believe will prove
of great value to alliance workers
Some of the Independents who staid
at home from election last fall should
get out and do some missionary work
to repair the evils wrought by defeat.
. Last week tne Nebraska Farmer
got out an Arbor Day edition devoting
almost its entire space to trees and tree
culture, a very commendable thing
to do.
The Genoa Banner come out last week
eight pages instead of four. This is an
evidence that the Banner is in a good
field, and that it is filling its place
worthily.
As "evidences of prosperity" the Ord
Blhzard prints "a list of decrees of fore
closure in Valley county during the
present term of cosrt." The list con
tains thirty -six foreclosures,
i i
The farmers of Nebraska may not be
talking politics as much as they did
year ago, bnt they are reading
and
thinking more; and these are what
count.
The republican convention of Buffalo
county endorsed J. L. Kec for dele
gate to Minneapolis. We don't wonder
editor Brown of the Hub has a "surfeit
of politics."
Although Ignatius Donnelly can
command from tlOO to t300 a night as a
lecturer, he has agreed to make sixty-
five speeches in Minnesota free
of
charge,
The demand for reform books has
been greater during the past few weeks
than ever before in Nebraska. Several
bundled volumes have gone out
from this office within a month.
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