THE ALLIANCE -INDEPENDENT.
MARCH 8, IH'4
THE
CnoUAuoa of t
xi to M Street, Lincoln, Neb.
gCBSCMPTIOM OH DOIJUUt PB YEA
If my r" most tall for m to rise,
Tken seek loot to climb. Another'! rl
I ekooe not (or my rood. A golden chain,
A iobo ol fconor. 1 too od prlM
T tempt mf kMty hud to do a wrong
Onto a feUow nun. Tkl nit balk woo
BaBclent, wrought fcy man saunlc fee;
And whotkat hatfc a heart would daw prolong
Or add ft sorrow to ft fttrlckra oul
That seek a healing bftlm to aaak It wboler
My bosom owns th brotherhood of nun.
N. LP. A.
Pwbluher Announcement.
Tnbcrtptlonprlcof tho AixiahoU
awsaroav la IM per rwn', in ad wm.
Acuur In solicits suoscrintion anonld b
rrearefnl that all nsmes are
veiled and proper postolnc irlren. Blank
ft? return eupUons. "It1"'
tie., can bo hftd on application t this .
Always sign yur nam. No matter bow
often yon write a do "otnegloctthta Import
ant natter. Hrerr week wa reclv letters
W4th Inoomplet addf esee wiuout eigne
tnrea and It la aometlmei difficult to local
CBAanor ADDUaa. Bubacrlbera wtabtag
to ebanca th.tr poatofflo addraaa moat al war
flTaUr(ornwellaatbelr preeent ad
are when change wUlbe promptly made.
People? Independent Party City
1 Convention,
t rtople'a Iadapeadont Party city eon ven
tlon la hereby called to meet March 16, IBM, at
7:80 o'clock p- m. (place of meeting to be made
known later through ward committeemen) (or
the purpoae of placing in nomination the fol
lowing named officer, to be voted lor at tba
next city election: .
City attorney, nolle indge, city engineer,
water comraiHBloner, cei. Very trustee, three
members of tbe school bat one councilman
from each ward, chairman he city central
committee and on commit! Jan from each
ward, and to transact such other buslne as
may com before the convention.
The basis of representation will be one dele
gat (or every ten Teles or major fraction
thereof cast for SUaa N. Holcomb (or supreme
judge at the last general election. .
Tbe aereral wards will b entitled to repre
sentation ft follow:
first ward 11 1 Fifth wrd. 1
Second ward 10 Sixift ward 13
Third ward 1!3 seventh ward 14
Fourth ward....... iS
CaucuMS for the selection of delegates will
be held March 13, 1894. the time and place to
be determined by tbe several ward committee
men. Hy order of the City Central Committee.
Eua bakkb, Chairman.
V, U Mabt, Secretary. '
Wb call especial attention to Mr. J.
V. Wolfe's letter (on page 5) to tbe
World-Herald In reply to Its fusion
proposal. It covers tbe whole question
in a most masterly and unanswerable
presentation.
Tberc is to be a great silver meeting
at rVna Mnlnna Tnwa. thn Slat, find 22nd.
n-The spirit of the Populist party is
atJ-moiopoly, anti-monarchy, the spirit
The PresUTt was off dock shooting
last week. Fltyhe couldn't be kept
permanently at thaMiuslnesj, or some-
thing equally harmless
From Charles H. Kerr & CoOhlcago
we have received for review "AJtfodern
Love Story Which Does Not Entt the
Altar.1' By HarrletE. Orcutt, 194ptroeJ
Tine Is the last of panics and periods
of tAisiness depression; for before
UtOther can arrive the Populists will
'have control of the government asd
through their tew financial system of
government banks for loans, deposits
and exebagge, the panlo-tnaklag Usur
ers will be driven out of business.
C0KCEEBI53 J
Five years ago,
1889 and '90 elgl
cent of tbe mont
nry throuf h tb
gold. In 1891 or
was paia in goi
torn receipts u
and 10 per cent
8 per cent. pal4
when Cleveland
gone to 4 per c
ers circular, w
weeks ago, "U
sent out, Jbe
loans be drawt
local pressure
business men!
peal the Shert
per cent, of g
tbe Treasury:
tbe time when
dictation caTi
entirely cut!
supply to tuf
one dollar of
house at Net
old
After tbe
The wave of popularity is now might
ily lifting and bearing onward tbe
I'opullst party. Between sow and 10
the Democratic parly will drop hope
lessly to pieces, and the great battle
wlUb swiftly fought out between tbe
Republican monopoly and the PopulUt
antl monopoly forces.
Tut BrtttteeUc'loa la WH U In
Orrgon, and the moat encouraging r
ports come from that statu. The Out
loo'i, tbe great New Yoik wtekly, pub
lUbea the prediction of anil Cleveland
Oregon l)mocraU that two-third of
their party will support tbe lVjultiU
la the June election. Gov. lVaaijer
aauoaaoee that he sUoiU tiuarely on
the Omaha platform aud will take the
stump f jf our aoifilee. To uaber
of Caogrea are to b wlcwJ, aa4 It U
safe to prvllv-t that Iboy Ul He I'.a
Usta.
mi MU.i. n.'i i : ! j.j
Till lHpiUt party ha bn erjf-
taUUfd S'wund aa4 by tha wt ul
prlsclpW. tt I 114 together by
itllu's. Therefore tt raneot fa) er
trade ttllfe elievr parly fmia wkwh lu
sneiaUr wrr draa I'hi he
d!tr with na lafaaJaaaUl irlatUt
,.,. so who ar sw tm
ru)4 y eur rlalpl. and by ru-io
aotsf wa, wh wUh to trad vutvi h
wffloee SMiaot W llWa4 to ry Vv(
lUie o aaf prltp!e, W hat
poihlsf to fata a4 evsrythlsg U U
py trw4la riaeif4 fur tew.
YELLOW GOD
d during the year
-five to ninety per
paid into the Treas-
us torn houses was
40 to 45 per cent
In 1302 the gold cue-
fallen to 25. 20, 15
January 1893 saw but
in gold. In March,
as inaugurated; it had
(In March the bank
h we printed three
panic circular," was
cular directing that
credit refused and
rougbt to bear upon
d congressmen to re-
nlaw.) In April but 2
was allowed to reach
d for sixty days prior to
leveland at Wall street's
the extra tension to
tbe insufficient money
Inert asing needs, not
entered tbe custom
brk.
lted silver coinage bill
old came out of its hid-
o 30 per cent, of custom
n gold or gold certificates,
being the file of receipts down to
January off DIs year. But since Bland
bill to coin the seigniorage
d has again retired Into
lies (bank vaults). On tbe
ary not a dollar in gold cr
tes was received at the
Id from one sad seven-tenths
n to none at all is tbe
or paper which has since
been take tin,
om it is. The gold of the
he hands or subject to the
ankers, and all the business
try kept dependent on Hand
power. Tne great outcry
er which they made, the
hat tbe coinage of silver un-
erman act was destroying
e" (that the silver could bo
(!) In gold), was supported by
decision that the creditor
and gold when coin, silver or
promised him. It was sheer
n and contrary to law that
it bo redeemed with gold,
ard silver dollar needed no
n n 1 1 . i fsitt nrt MdfimAf find
nptlon pledge. It was legal
r all debts public and private.
amnablo decision of Foster and
endorsed by John Sherman,
law; and passing as law ltgavo
monopolists power to bring
pon tne countrj ana tney
t it. Tho gold was hoarded and
refused, and on tbo assumption
Id was the only real money, the
of final redemption, the silver
s repealed and the ruined csun
i left at the mercy of tbe gold
lyuBurerf!
hat's the morcy despots feci?"
the hungry, starving millions
r. Let the vast army of respect-
inemployed citizens made mendl
and tramps reply.
d what has followed a complete
Oder to and capture of the govern-
ft by the goldbugs? Any restora-
of confidence In the commercial
d? No. But more bonds for the
ers and for a prostrate suffering
le have been demanded and secur
The gold they have irUhpaper and
er been demanding out of She treasury,
y have loaned back to tbe govern-
nt, and have for $50,000,000 of geld
Ich they bought with tbe despised
ver or bsnk notes (both of whloh are
changeable at par for gold) they have
tained $65,000,000 of gold paper
bonds with Interest), and on this coin
can obtain 45,O0O,0OO of government
endorse bank notes which they can
either lean directly to the people, or
exchange for coin and draw back the
gold they have just lent the govern
trcnt and compel another Issue of bonds,
aid another, and another, each issue
plunging the people deeper and deeper
Into tbe debt and power of tbe bankers.
How long will It take tbe people to
learn through suffering that gold Is not
a redeemer, but a des trover; that attrl
butiag redemption virtues to it was a
hellish device to plunder, bond aad en
slave forever the toocredulous ignorant
people? Why, think for a moment. It
U impossible to redeem more dollar
promises tuan there are dollars behind
them. Any Increase of tha currency
which agrees to pay more gold than
there Is goli Is a fraud. It Is worse;
for It not only ncrtat the revenue of
the gold monopolist. buta! p'v la
their power the entlr eommercln'
ttructor ef bulu.
was re peal
log places, I
receipts pa)
lntroduoed)
the yellow!
tbe holy of I
20th of Fell
gold certiif
Treasury ,i
per csniH
range of f i
You see
country f i f 1
call of tb(
of tbe con
under tbV
against M
assertio?
der the 11
"confidij
redeem i
Carlisle!
could d
goia, w
as8ump
silver;
Tbe st i
redeet.
ao re(
tendol
But tii
Carlii .
passti i
tbe g
ruin?
broifif
credjl
thatfj
moni
. ...! a
Dill
tryf
mofj
am
ay
car
sut
n
tj
Ik
t
r
"THE LOW PRtCEOr WHtAT."
Thotna A- loahi) of Hartorls,
Neb,, evedt u la a flipping from lh
Kana t"a fe'ar, aa KdltorUl, entllUd
"The Low pika t t Vha.B Th Star
man woojr if the prU') wl'.l go lower,
sal think another 10 cent fU i a
probable asj almoet a cal'y ptwelbU
a the tail 19 ivat JUu. TrUera
thoifUt wba h-at wa ln teat
attfhef that a fartfcue fil im ltiol'
bl.
Tk ri'ar editor I Uc'ia4 13 tdlak
lh prvwat prU' at lat ha c ta Ut
tty, UauM th 'ainter I4 hot d
rrva) to aay OistileraH ttat hrl
terra f f, whraU And UKM
from tt fa t thai thtre W at the 4r-
at, of at ImI fail prtol t lt, a g
arowt (rswsNlfvr la ralseMi-ai
ays if as much wheat Is sown ss utmal
this spring, "the conclusion will be al
most forced upon the trade that there
la a Drofit in wkeat raising at the pres
ent range of values, and that the low
prices of wheat will contlrfue," untU
crop calamities ehewhere increase the
demand for our surplus wheat
Then he goes on to assure tbe farmers
that they are better off now tbaa ihey
were with wheat at double tho price;
because, he says, dress goods cost now
but a fifth to a half what they cost
then (untrue), sugar was four times as
high (false), coffee 50 per cent, higher,
tea five times as high (widely false),
building material two to four times as
high (not tbe fact), and "farm machin
ery has been reduced fully one half."
He thus endeavors to Instil content
Into the minds of tne farmers, and get
them used to the thought and life of
raisin ir wheat for less than they have
often go, for their corn. lie states that
"In soma parts of Kaneas today these
twoceresls are selling for about the
same price."
But there are some very large, im
portant facts which this "Star," or
ignis fatuus, obscares. First he forgets
to state that debts calling for money
did not fall in value, that they are now
demanding two bushels of wheat In
stead of one, twice as much labor to
meet them. Tbls is an enormous in
justice to the farmers of Kansas who
owe 1235,000,000 secured by interest-eating
farm mortgages, and to the farmers
of Nebraska who owe 132,000,000 se
cured the same way. And the lent of
billiom of indebtedness of the producing
classes of the entire country, affected
in tbe same way by falling prices, this
Star throws no ray of comfort or pro
mise to. What is fun for the creditors
is death to the debtor.
Another thing. Have you noticed
that railroad freights have not taken
the tumblo that wheat has? and that
the price of coal isn't affected by the
business paralysis or tbe mild winter?
and that other necessities of life too
numerous to mention are as high or
nearly as high as ever, being in control of
trusts? And have you thought that when
what wo must buy keeps up and what
we have to sell goes down.falllng prices
are a great calamity even to those of
us who are out of debt? And have you
thought that the salaried and pensioned
class have become a double burden?
Tbe great drop of wheat indicates that
the back or support of the business
world, long strained by panic and idle
ness, Is brokerj; and every form of
wealth and capital not supported by
monopoly power, resting on the staff of
life, must go down with it. The em
ployer, still employing men must cut
down wages. Every man, except the
monopolist and usurer, must lower his
scale of living. The number of wage-
earners must ' be reduced still more.
Tbe farmer must quit hiring help and
work harder, though he die, and more
people must come to the city and bo
supported by the charity (?) of the rich.
All this the two old parties, legislat
ing for the Shylocks and capitalist!,
have brought us to. And the conscience
less dally press by suppressing the
truth and using Its utmost power to de
ceive and misload, Is and has long been
the principal agent of the plundering
and enslaving power. How long will
the people support such papers and be
deceived by them?
SHOWN UP BY CONGRESSMAN PENCE
Hon. Lafe Pence, the elcquent Popu
list representative from Colorado, in
his speech on the Bland seigniorage
bill, put tho matter very plainly regard
ing the motives and objects of the oppo
sition. He said:
Mr. Chairman, why is it that gentle
men here from New York and else
where, some ranking as Republican?
and some as Democrats, should desire
that this protit to the government upon
its purchase of silver bullion should bo
postponed, as to the use of It, for three
or four years, lnntead of being used at
once?
Tbe reason, sir. Is perfectly plain to
some of us, at we conceive it. We know
that in tnts Uouh there are manr
members who desire that there shall be
an addltiontl Issue of government bonds
Tlieee gentlemen are found on both
d of th Chamber, but you will p r
m t mo to say mat you do not nod aty
of them In the band of Populist. .
Laugttter. Moreover and mote par
ticularly, l win say we Una a line of
men who, a high protection WU, want
the government left short on finauee
always, la ordr that that condition
msy m umh! a an etcueo for raising
the schedule of tariff duties.
Moreover, and mure par.lcularly y,
there are thoao here, and an Inoumei
aM band bohtad them ouWtJt) la s
bJ, who want the prvseal condition ol
atUir to b continued so that the only
powr that can protida for aa aJJi-
Imal Uu of mouvy for th um of the
hoU thai! bt tbe aaUoaal baud.
lur Kit were statomxaW r
s'eruleg Implication In aa open lottor
f Mr, IHv's adJifewd to Prvt Cm'
K'.lbtt Hoa.d, prlakd la our Uu
Ut week, which sway wnt a very
rf twpteetUin r?gntlf lVvt,
Uor4 Ui tHtr rtre la th I rat
p? a ha be a a iy aardtstetf
aludtat. aad has a4 oaly lb help
h' a his w taWt aad labor ot
maM! la the eeeond n'ac. to fif
we know, ha I foUowieg hi mJi
e nl,,tU'i and vok'uUj bsMef. e4 li
welottmlng all truth watch 4 io era
Wt dUI not ha th plaut tf lUt
lag to his addr, bitl frvHt o
prvwlaa of hi rviortad ha sppvar to
tw twlif the sua rUlag
THE EAILE0AD3 GREATER THAN
THE LA.W.
An Important judicial decision was
delivered February 26, by Judge Gross
cup of the United States District Court,
in session in Chicago, holding that wit
nesses cannot bs compelled to testify in
cases where their testimony would in
criminate themselves. It was a case of
the Inter State Commerce Commission
against the railroad company represent
ed by General Freight Agent James
(Lake Shore Railroad) and Gordon Mc
Leod, agent of the Merchants' Despatch
Line The witnesses refused to answer
questions whose intent was to draw out
information as to illegal cuts In rates by
the companies which they represent.
Tbe prosecution asked for a rule to
commit them for contempt if they did
not testify. It will be remembered that
Congress amended the Inter State Com
merce act February 11, 1893, with the in
tention of remedying tbe constitutional
defest pointed out by tbe Supreme Court
in the Counselman case (like the above),
the change in the law being that wit
nesses should be exempt from prosecu
tion for anything tbey might disclose.
Judge Grosscup, however, holds that
this later act amending the Inter State
Commerce Law so as to protect wit
nesses from liability to prosecution and
punishment on the strength of their
own testlmony.ls still a violation of the
Fifth Amendment of the Constitution.
The language of his finding is in part
at follows:
Wbat, then, was tbe Intention of the
makers of tbe Fifth Ameadent? This
can only be ascertained by transferring
ourselves a nearly as possible to the
time in whic'i tbey lived, and to the In
fluence and conceptions that were then
in vogue.. Tbe oppression of crowns
and principalities ia unquestionably
over, but the more frightful oppression
of selfishness, of ruthless and merciless
majoritles.mav yet constitute one of tbe
chapters of future history. In my opin
ion, the privilege of silence against a
criminal accusation guaranteed by the
Fifth Amendment was meant to extend
to all the consequences of disclosure.
It Is astonishing that men of the 18th
century, our onco respected but greatly
deluded forefathers, could have rebell
ei against the princes born to rule and
then committed the reins of govern
ment to the people, to their "more
frightful oppression of selfishness," to
"ruthless and merciless majorities" But
before the ruthless majorities with
frightful selfishness brought the minor
ity to ruin, the Fifth Amendment was
added to the Constitution, and behind
this the oppressed railroads can plunder
partially or impartially and be safe. '
Commenting on tbe decision of Judge
Grosscup District Attorney Milchrist
"id:
The decision applies to every case in
this district, but it does not necessarily
govern in any other district. That it
will carry weight In all tbe other dis
tricts is certain. Tbe only hope for the
Interstate Commission now is to raise
tb same question in another district
and obtain a contrary decision, thu
compelling tbe railroads to appeal 'to
tbe Supreme Court.
A G. Safford, who represents the
Interstate Commission, acknowledged
that tbe decision cripples tbe Commis
sion in so far as prosecutions are con
cerned. There is just one way to eettle the
railroad question. It is a waste of time
and effort to try to control the gigantic
corporations and let them keep their
own books as private concerns. No law
can intelligently reach them and be
operative. They must bo owned and
operated by the government. We
should then have transportation at cost,
aad we should eliminate from present
transportation charges and revenues
not Eimply the net profits paid to rail
road stock and bondholders. We should
save the cost of railroad lobbies in Con
gress and every one of tbe state legisla
tures, the expense of which corruption
gangs tbe people are now forced to
meet. We should save also 8200,000,000
present waste a year by consolidating
all under one system. These are the
figures of a railroad president.
THE WI8D0M OF THE WISE.
Think of the absurdities which thoe
who uphold the present order of things
fall Into.
For example. The people are thrown
out of work because there Is no market
for their goods. Is It because they have
mido themselves to rich they have need
of nothing? It would seem If things
are right as they are, tbey are com
pelled to go hungry because too much
wheat, corn, potatoes and meat are
raised; and to shiver and f reese b-cau
tM mach clothing and fuel are market
ed; and million live In hovel and are
eroatded Into sickening tenement bo
eut there not enough work for
carpenter, bricklayer and the who
ansa budding material
The econoanto writer of tho profes
sional variety Wavh that W. W, A tor
ouht to be paid 'J.IWU.W0 yearly a th
rardof "abitlsenc. Hut th poor
wMch who abstain t.MUX) or inur
a year botWr thaa Aelr, I paid olh
tag at ail for hie ahttlaeaoe, It It th
Usurious "ah.tlaeaiH uf tboeo only
who Jo aot bate to abe'aia, wbloh d
wrres to draw aa lxat?
AB4wrloM that there it irr
tay la clreulallatt thaa th ooot!
sxfd, the ft.Un brief that It U aef
la irvuUtU, lut ki4 up t the
batk and fw are aittB fer It. Aad
that taora Wad saould b ImiJ, aid
latorwst W arlag dvbU laoae4 to ar
M aad th fctatre lrm th curs of
too Httea woy, That stabta aad
mortgaf am Mvvaearl t Ufa aad
measure our prosperity, so that the
more we barrow and the more interest
we pay with our own labor, the more
prosperous we are. And the only way
out of the present evil of high tariff or
fear of a low tariff "lack of confidence,"
is to eonfidtitly borrow tbe money out
of the bank and cut wages still more,
we are told.
It seems to us we have heard of a
world of men who "professing them'
selves to be wise, became fools."
THE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION
AGAIN.
We have received by mail the past
week two requests to make clear the
wrong or injustice of taking interest or
rent. Before entering into the discus
sion of it we wish to say, an evil Is not
nnder all circumstances a wrong. War
Is an evil, but sometimes it is a neces
sary evil. Tbe takfng of interest, rent
and dividends Is an evil, but as(war
measures they are for the present as
justifiable as war Is not more so. They
are In fact industrial war measures.
Bovel says truly: "In former times war
was a business; now business Is war."
In our February 22nd issue we dis
cussed interest, rent and dividends or
net profits from an economic standpoint,
and showed that accumulations thus
gathered are the cause of our panics
and reeurrlng periods of business de
pression, our great inequalities of for
tune (so-called), and the principal evils,
the temptations and sufferings, that
s 111 let human society.
The People's party has a specific
remedy for this evil in the government
banking system, which it proposes, a
financial system which will provide
money at labor cost, money without
interest, for the people. But the friends
who have written us seem to think it
will be necessary, or advantageous and
right, for the government to charge a
per cent abave the cost for its money.
Before considering this we wish to
treat the question of usury historically,
and we believe not a few of our readers
will be interested to follow us, though
it lead us to a length of article longer
than we think It wise often to write.
Whether one believes the Bible in
spired or not, it certainly contains truth
which all men who have reason must
ascent to; and we find the earliest state
ment ef the law of justice in it. It reads:
In the sweat of thy face shall thou eat
bread, till thou return unto the ground.
Any method of procuring wealth by
otberst' oil is manifestly unjust. Justice
requires, does It not, that when a man
stops work he must consume what be
with previous toll produced? If he
does not, he is eating the bread which
others earn, and therefore is either an
object of charity, a thief, a robber or
a monopolist. And this requires us to
say again that a monopolist in practice
may be an antl-monopollstin principle,
even as a man engaged in war may be a
man of peace. ,
The interest, rent and net profit ques
tions are one and the same, different
names only for usury. And usury In the
broad original sense means the money
or property taken from a borrower in
excess of what was lent him. The
earliest record referring to the practice
is found in the Bible, the 22nd chapter
of Exodus, 25th verse, which reads:
If thou lend money to any of my peo
ple that is poor by thee thou shalt not
be to blm as an usurer, neither shalt
thou lay upon him usury.
Tbe full text of the Hebrew land laws,
which provided that every fifty years
all lands should be restored to the par
ties who were forced to sell it for a
period, is found in the succeeding por
tion of the chapter. And In the 35th,
36th, 37 th and 38 verses we read:
And If thy brother be waxen poor,
and fallen In decay with thee, then thou
thalt relieve him; yea, though he be a
stranger and sojourner; that he may live
with thee.
Take thou no usury of him. or '
crease; but fear thy God; that y
brother may live with thee.
Thou ahait not give him thy roony
upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals
for Increase.
I am the Lord your God, which
brought you out of the land of Kgypt,
to give you the land of Cauaan, and to
be your God.
Again, lb spcclfio and universal
terms, the law against usury wa re
peated la Deut. 23; 10, 20, which reads:
Tbou shalt not lend upon usury to tby
brother; usury of money, usury of vic
tual, usury of anything that Is lent up
on usury: unto a stranger foreigner
thou oiayest lend upon usury; but unto
thy brother thou snail not tend upon
usury, that tbe Lord tby God may bles
ttu la all that tbou avttest tby hand
unto la th land whither thou guest to
poeaea tt.
Ihe exception regarding foreigner
wa,tlJently, to v a grrater evil, to
prevent so much demand lor loan for
rnuuey or good to outsiders, who wuld
wlh to save paying latere t, a would
leave no surplus capital to lend to their
brvthrea who nreded Ik
t"l hundred yrs later, In th 11 m
of 14vUI, putting out money upon utury
wa recc'gfiUed at ala that could not b
tadulisd in by th poeilof tied (Pialnt
IS; l And thre hundred year aft r
David's time th prophet ijatl e!a
e usury with robbery, murder, ad ti
lery, th things worthy of d. ath. Kn .
tnrmtiag Ihe cause uf Ihe subuga' twa
aad captivity ff th taraeU'va, ! iUl
later says;
la tre jiu!a hat they UUa
gift to eiwd bUonli thou hast ua
usury aad ter, aud thou !
grwedily gained of thy aelghbur by
tortla, and hatt tofgoue . ealth
th U4 Cii.
Heboid, therefor, I ialtt
mine hand at thy dishonest gain which
thou hsst made, and at thy blood which,
hath been in the midst of thee.
Can thine heart endure, or can thine
hands be strong in the days that 1 shall
deal with thee? I the Lord have spoken
it and T will do it.
And I will scatter thee amoBg the
heathen, and disperse thee in all coun
tries and will consume tby filthiness out
of thee.
A hundred and fifty years later still,,
just after tho Hebrew captives were
allowed to return to their land and were
nnder Nehemiah rebuilding Jerusalem,
they again began the practice of taking
usury. And the complaint was made:
We have mortgaged our land, vine
yards, and houses that we might buy
corn because of tbe dearth.
There were also that said. We have
borrowed money for the kings' tribute,
and that upon our lands and vineyards.
Yet now our flesh is ss the flesh of our
brethren, our child res as their children :
and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons
and daughters to be servants, and some
of our daughters are brought into bond
age already; neither is it in our power
to redeem them; forother men nave our
lands and vineyards.
Nehemiah was very angry when he-
heard the cry of the poor, and he re
buked the nobles and rulers and said
unto them:
Ye exact usury, everyone of bia
brother.
And he set a great assembly
against them and charged them to fear
God and regard his law. He showed
them what it was bringing on the poor,
that It wat taking away their freedom,
that it was an evil thing. And he said:
Let us leave off this usurv. Restore.
I pray you, to them, even this day,
their lands, their vineyards, their olive-
yards and their houses, a1 so the hund
red tn part of the money aad ef the corn
the wine and the oil, that ye exaet of
them.
Then said they, we will restore them
and will require nothing no usury tri
bute of them: so will we do as thou
sayest. Then I called the priests says
menemianj, and took aa oatn of tnem
that they should do according to this
promise. Also I shook my lap, and said.
do uod snake out every man from his
house, and from his labor, that per
formed not this promise, even thus be
he shaken out aud emptied. And all
tne congregation said. Amen, and prais
ed the Lord. And the people did
according to this promise.
The above quoted record shows that
the usurers of those days were charging
on.y one per cent, "the hundredth part"1
of the money, corn, wine, oil, &c. Our
friend In Creighton, who thinks inter- -est
and usury two different words would
not call one per cent, a year usury. But
this leads us to say that usury, or in
crease, any net profit charge for money
or capital, was preached against by the
early Christian fatherj and throughout
all Christendom through all the cen
turies down to the time of the Reforma
tion and beyond. Luther thundered
against it. But Calvin wrote a shallow,
sophistical argument defending it. Tho
church leaders following Calvin Instead
of the Bible teaching, began to either
justify it, negatively or by silence at
least, and political and other defenders
of It began to multiply. Henry the
Eighth, who made himself the head of
the English church as well as a despotic
lawmaker, made a new law allowing-
usury (interest) to bo' taken. And with
the church silenced, tho word usury in
its original meaning ia the course of a
century or more became entirely obso
lete.
The political economists of the old
and prevailing school have endeavered
to justify interest by calling it the re
ward of "abstinence." But nothing in
creases without labor. And he who
labors should have the increase which
his labor makes. He who abstains from
consumption perishes. He who con
sumes without reducing his wealth,
must either have Divine power to work
a miracle, or he lives by the sweat of
others.
But now, to ans nrer a point raised by
one of our correspondents. If tbe gov
ernment should do the banking business
providing loans, deposits and exchange,
it could only charge such a percent, on
loans as would meet the expenses of the
general government. And why should
the entire expense of the government
be borne by a part of the people, the
part needing to borrow capital?
Our correspondent thinks It would
take away his means of family supitort
If at 00 year of ago he could not rent
his farm or sell It and put hU money
at Interest with the government. If it
la the ca that he has no children ta
work the farm and share present
crops for a share in past crops
and labor, which ho hat put iota im
provemuats. others wjuld ha glal to do
tt. That I only just. That Is not
monopoly rent, or uury. Another
thing. Tho who are now paying
usury would by deputing thl sum
with the govt.rmneut have much
more to fall bk on la old ago, I'ajtir
the Populist regtm lawhabm r form
aealth I a cumulated It can tm ld
and the money deposit with tho gov
ernment la thn prfslly a1o ptaJ
snvlng haahs, and the fund tran on
as nnd rulr.
Tla PpultsU ec gv.ulag the crWlt
uf try thing !4 aad don I t'ongrve
aad out of Cua't whh h in! la
the kast th hay lock rlt and k.U
4Urt of th ye'.Ui gttil, Tt.U1r4.llt la
Intended a !Uty; but what they
the"W frlh shame reach the Just
a fn. Th Pvultt r d ieg thl
4 th pvpulUtt ar Mrg that, aad
svrv Um It t awuiethlnt th usurer
do a! tike, Th vkr and Souther
IVtikHwraVt ha l.ato o 4 ay ivai
aad tatay ballots wh!h la aay way
A
.-Hats"i-,1'
