The Wizard of oz

"We're off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz. We know he is the wiz of wizes, if ever a Wiz there was. If ever, oh ever, a Wiz there was, the Wizard of Oz is one, because: Because, because, because, because: Because of the wonderful things he does." We've all seen the movie with Judy Garland, who is miraculously transported from the dreary, parched, fields of Kansas, house and all, to the wonderful land of Oz. Along her way, she meets several interesting people, such as the rusty Tin Woodman, the Cowardly Lion, Scarecrow, the Munchkins, and various witches. It is a wonderful story and film. Written by Frank Baum, before the Presidential candidacy of William Jennings Bryan, it has several hidden meanings, all pertinent to the time, and actually, today as well.

Baum, was born to a wealthy family near Syracuse New York, in 1856. He married, fathered two sons, and moved to Aberdeen South Dakota in 1887. He edited the local paper, and moved to Chicago, in 1891. In 1893, America was wracked by a severe depression, in all probability caused in part, by what has come to be known as "The Crime of '93," when President Grover Cleveland repealed the Sherman Silver Purchase Act. The federal government refused to honor its commitment to fix the price of the dollar at .77 ounce of silver, and purchase 4,000 tons of silver per month, to make into silver dollars (cartwheels), dimes, and quarters. To make it brief, the Western silver mines closed, mining towns became "ghost towns" overnight, and thousands of miners were out of work. Eastern bankers wanted gold as the money of the realm, rather than a bi-metallic system of both silver and gold. William Jennings Bryan was actually a populist, although he was registered and usually voted, as a Democrat. The election of 1896, pitted the fire breathing, 36 year old, Nebraskan, William Jennings Bryan, against William McKinley. Bryan, who brilliantly defended, in the famous "Scopes Monkey Trial," gave rousing speeches, defending the bi-metallic system, and demonizing Wall Street and the Eastern bankers, saying, "You shall not crucify mankind on a cross of gold." Bryan raised only $300,000, while McKinley conned the bankers and stock brokers out of $3.5 million. McKinley sat on his front porch, in Canton Ohio, and spoke warmly to his admirers and reporters, while his campaign manager, Mark Hanna, did most of the campaigning. Bryan got the entire country, except the northeast, where the population was concentrated, and he still lost. He still received a million more popular votes than any previous winner.

Frank Baum loved William Jennings Bryan, and the Populist Platform. Even though he was much older than Bryan, Baum marched in many of his torchlite parades, and supported him in every way. He also wrote "The Wizard of Oz," which many think represents Bryan's Populist ideas and efforts. Consider: The name "Oz" actually is the abbreviation of "ounce." The "Yellow Brick Road," is the gold road the Eastern bankers and Wall Street used to defeat silver. In the film, Dorothy has red slippers, but in Baum's novel, Dorothy had silver slippers, which were all powerful. When Dorothy's house was plunked down in Oz, it killed the "Wicked Witch of the East," which undoubtedly had reference to the Eastern bankers and power elite, which had kept the Munchkins, "in bondage for many years, making them slaves for her night and day." The Munchkins, could have pictured beleaguered factory workers. Bryan tried to get their votes, but failed. The Tin Woodman had been put under a spell by the Witch of the East, became rusty, and couldn't move. While he worked feverishly, he got nowhere, which was the Populist view of the Eastern union labor situation. He thought he would never get anywhere, so Dorothy oiled him, and they set off to see the Wizard, to get him a heart.

The Witch of the East, gives Dorothy a pair of magic silver slippers, with which to walk the Yellow Brick Road (of gold), to the Emerald City. Glinda, the Witch of the South, tells Dorothy her silver slippers were all powerful, and would carry her wherever she wished to go. The Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Cowardly Lion, all fit different classes. The Lion, may have been Bryan himself, who seemed powerful, but lost the election. Dorothy, undoubtedly pictured the common man, who looked to the Emerald City for deliverance. The Emerald City was Washington DC, where the powerful politicians, and the Wizard lived. In The Emerald City, everyone had to wear green glasses, which signified greenbacks, or paper money, and upon wearing them, everything turned into a bland white. The Wizard dwelt behind a screen of paper mache and loud noises, signifying the fraud and pomp of DC. As each entered the Wizard's Throne Room, he took on different shapes, a perfect parody of politicians everywhere, but especially in Washington. "I thought Oz was a great head," said Dorothy…" And I thought Oz was a terrible beast," said the Tin Woodman. "And I thought Oz was a ball of fire," exclaimed the Lion. "No, you are all wrong," said the little man meekly, "I (Oz) have been making believe."

The Wizard asks the group to kill the Witch of the West, who sends bees, wolves, and monkeys against them. The head monkey says, "Once, we were a free people, living happily in the great forest, flying from tree to tree, eating nuts and fruit, and doing just as we pleased, without calling anyone master. This was many years ago, long before Oz came out of the clouds to rule over this land." The Witch sees a mark on Dorothy's forehead, looks at her all powerful silver slippers, and becomes afraid. She realizes that Dorothy isn't even aware of the power of her shoes, but like most people, only wants peace, and to be in the quiet of her home, and with her family. Baum, undoubtedly meant that if the common people knew of their power, they could overthrow the mob that rules them. They remain unknowing. The humbug Wizard had all his subjects completely fooled. He says, "It was a great mistake my ever letting you into the Throne Room. Usually, I will not even see my subjects, and so they believe I am something terrible."

If there is a hidden message, it is that people from all over, come to the "Wizards," in the "Emerald City," to seek help, and all they get is a charade, miserable government, taxes, and a lot of noise. The politicos are shams, don't care about their constituents, and have everyone fooled. If the backbone of America would stop and think, they could overthrow the entire mess. They never will, of course, because very few have enough intellect to get into the "Throne Room," to see how evil, and worthless the whole DC crowd really is. The silver slippers are all powerful, and silver will prove to be a life-saver to those who own it. The Wizard cannot help Dorothy, because she is true, humble, without blemish, and only wants to return home to dreary Kansas, and to get away from that horrible Emerald City. It looks glamorous, but it is mere people, who get puffed heads when elected, and act like the Wizard. Baum didn't make the Wizard be elected, have hundreds of thousands of mole bureaucrats carrying out his dastardly deeds, and passing laws like there is no tomorrow. The degradation to which the Emerald City has progressed, wasn't even imagined in Baum's day. Baum didn't have worthless paper currency in his novel, to further fool the idiots who follow the Wizard, and consider him to be omnipotent. He also hadn't reckoned with the IRS, or the Federal Reserve, which hadn't been created in 1900, nor World Wars I & II, Korea, Viet Nam, et al, with the carnage and monetary debasement. Can you imagine how Baum would write, if he could see what is going on in the Emerald City today?

Sometimes it strains the intellect, to see just how far we have degenerated, by placing our trust in the Wizard, and his accomplices in the Emerald City of Washington DC. Since Baum wrote the Wizard of Oz, the buck has lost 98% of its value. Isn't that enough reason to close those savings accounts, sell the stocks, cash in those T-bills, and stock up on gold and silver? Most, of course, will wait till the market crashes again, and gold and silver go "way up," in dollars. Then, the masses will realize how accurate us Gold Eagle columnists have been! Protect yourself, and don't be fooled by the Wizards in Emerald City. The head Wizard, Dubya, and his co-hort, Greenspan, plus their henchmen in Congress, aren't interested in anything but themselves, their prestige, re-election and adulation by Dorothy and her gang. They are frauds, and are destroying America, and the world along with us. For god's sake get out of dollars, francs, pounds, and pesos, and get into gold and silver, as Platinum is too expensive now.