This poem (slightly revised to fit the times) was written at least 151 years ago, 
but its message is as important today as it was in 1849. James Cranny found the 
poem in a copy of the "Bradford Reporter" dated Oct. 8, 1849. 
The "Bradford Reporter" was published in Towanda, Pennsylvania. James Cranny 
of Romeo, Michigan is the author of "The Rise of Hidden Government".

THE SILVER AND GOLD DOLLAR

Ah, little silver dollar, little gold dollar, republican name,
Let peace be thy motto, and freedom they fame:
May all use thee kindly and not hide thy face
Like misers and bankers in some lonely place,
But gain thee by Labor or calling that's just,
And part with thee freely whenever thy must:
Let Laborers adore thee as both kind and civil,
Though bankers make usuary the root of all evil.
'Twas Labor that caus'd thee to leave the silver and gold mine
'Twas Labor that made thee in splendor to shine,
'Twas Labor that coin'd thee and fashioned the mold
To shape thee so nicely a dollar of silver and a dollar of gold.
Since dollars and Labor are nearly allied
In payment for Labor they should be applied:
And all who will labor six days out of seven
Silver dollars in payment should always be given.
And all nations that proclaim Christ, the King, as foretold
Should trade with each other in dollars of gold.
'Tis cheating of labor when misers do hold
And store up so useless those dollars of silver, those dollars of gold.
'Tis knavery that bankers should keep them in bags,
And substitute for them a vile trash of rags;
A bill made of paper, silver or gold "alloy"
Is fashioned to build up the rich and the poor to destroy.
Unknown to our fathers who fought for our freedom,
Forbid it ye younger who now doth succeed them.
Arise then ye freemen, use Liberty's hand
And drive this vile paper from Liberty's land,
And let the silver dollar be coin for the poor
And circulate freely to every man's door,
Awake up to freedom and be not controll'd,
Submit not to bankers to pocket your gold.
Put down the whole system of legalized knaving
And down with the brokers who now live by shaving.
Then freemen use wisdom, be free when you can,
Drive all the small paper from Liberty's land.
Send back to the bankers all notes under tens,
And draw back the specie to make your amends;
And henceforth refusing this paper disgrace,
Gold dollars and silver will soon take their place.
Our country will stand on a footing more peaceful and civil,
And freemen rejoice at the downfall of evil.

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Here's a refrain from "The Best of Woodie Guthrie": 
"Oh, the banks are made of marble, 
With a guard at every door, 
And the vaults are filled with silver, 
That the miners sweated for."