NATIONAL BANKS. 49! 



time principle. In 1878 several States passed resolutions 

 in their platforms, condemning the National banking 

 system and demanding its abolition. The Democratic 

 party of Missouri said: 



"We regard the national banking system as being 

 oppressive and burdensome, and demand the abolition and 

 retirement from circulation of all national bank notes and 

 the issue of legal tender notes in lieu thereof, and in quan- 

 tities from time to time sufficient to supply the wholesome 

 and necessary business demands of the entire country, and 

 that all greenbacks so issued shall be used in the purchase 

 and retirement of the bonds of the United States, so that 

 the interest bearing debt of the country may be lessened to 

 the extent of the greenbacks thus put in circulation." 

 Missouri Democratic State platform, 1878. 



The New York Day-book, a Democratic paper of the 

 East, greeted the above declaration with the following 

 unique and complimentary article: 



4 * The Missouri Democrats are a set of poor ignorant 

 fools to say that they are in favor of greenbacks. They 

 ought to have sense enough to know that any honest man 

 opposes a fraud, and all Greenbackers are frauds. How- 

 ever, we will allow them to amuse themselves with that 

 childish idea during the campaign, as this election is of no 

 importance but in 1880 they will be compelled to fall in 

 line with us. The Missouri. Democratic platform is desti- 

 tute of principle, and amounts to nothing more than a 

 jumble of unmeaning and senseless words. We Eastern 

 Democrats treat all such with kindness, because of their 

 ignorance. ' ' 



That party lashing was sufficient The Missouri 

 Democrats never made another protest against national 

 banks. The next national Democratic platform, in 1880, 

 contained the following plank: 



