New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1842-07-04
Polly OF some Political Reforms.

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which our descriptions % the Economies Of As'o-
cia,ioa will enable th4 Reader to understand. We
think, very clearly.
| The Country has been engaged. for ten years
past in almost uninterrupted controversies AID
/ party strife abou; the Currency, ard our Staie.-
men asd Politicians have NO, discovered. after al
their discussions that the Currency j. a secondary
md subordinate quc-,ion and thar the really i'm
poranr AID primary question j. that Of Production.
or an increase Of the product, Of Industry.
To show The secondary character Of the Currency
question, we must explain very brciy;o the Reader
tie n.,tre cf Money, and in what real Wealth con
.isis The opinion general prevails that Money
in the form of either gold silver or bank notes-is
real Wealth. This j.. superficial error; Money
= merely ~ rcpresepia'ire OF real Weath--is 4
.ga which has been adopted By Nations 10 repre-
sent the Products of Labor, and j. in Itself yaiueless
" IN what, then" it Will be asked, do real
Riches consist They consist, VIC answer, in all
objects necessary to our wants and comforts
which objects are produced by human Labor
such a. good dwellings,. furniture, food, clothing,
carriages, SC. man upon all uninhabicd
island could not with tons OF gold and bushels OF
bank notes, procure meal Of victsals or place
of shelter; but if the island were inhabited ard
men were engaged at work in producing. he
could then obtain with his money ever, thing
necessary to his comfort and happiness. We
see. conservative that real Riches the Pro-
duct. of Industry, aud that Money j. merely the
representative Of them, and perfectly valaclc's
Ynlc-. il can he cxchance ell for them
4. Gold and Silver are metals, they have,
by general consent, become the repre- sentative Of the
products Of Labor If they were as common lead
oriron they would not the purpose of Money,
and some other metal or substance would have be
substituted in their place.
\ Circulating Medium, or a sign or measure OF
the value of the Products of Industry is absolutely
necessary: 1t would be very awkward process to
exchange bushel Of whoa, for piece Of calico,
or bale of cotton for piece Of silk. 4 repre-
sentative of these various products which every
body will take, prevents the immense troublc and
complication which would be attendant upon di-
rect trade and barter. He who pos,c.se, Money,
OF the representative of the products OF Labor can
supply himself with every thing necessary to his
want. and comforts, AMI hence people strive to
accumulate Money, which they look upon rs real
and absolute Wealth.
VIVA, is the main controversy in which the two
great Political Parties that divide the attention of
the Country, have been engaged for .orpe years
sas,l 1t is the Currency. Ore Party has wished
10 extend the Credit system and augment (in
iudiciou, and proper manner, a. they dcclarc) the
Circulating Medium, believing that II would give
activity business and prosperity 10 the Count!
the other Party seeing that tins extension OF artificial
Capital ard Credit would be under the control OF
few chartered corporation, rnOnopolss, have at-
lacked it violently and advocated return 10 SPc-
Gle Currency.
This whole strife about the Currency is about
secondary question. Both Parties declare that
they are laboring for the welfare of the People.
If such be the case is il not evident thai they
could effect a vast deal more for the prosperity
and happiness of the People in dev,sng means 10
increase Production or real Wealth, than by striving
to increase or decrease the Currency, Il il, most
certainly If they were 10 increase ies-iod the
Circulating Medium or the quantity of Money
N the Country they would not increase the Pro-
duct. Of Labor VI real Riches thereby; every
thing would BE- dcarcr. and the people would be no
better of than before. IT, on the other hand, they
were +. decrease the Circulating Medium the FRO
duct. Of Labor would be cheaper, ard the condition
Of the Mass would not be heitercd. regularly
high or a regularly low Currency does not increase
or decrease the real Wealth Of Il Country, but lluc
tuations between the two are very pr,JusiciaL
If We view the question of tic Currency by it.eh
ths aim Of an enlightened policy should be to sup
ply Agriculture and Manufactures with sufficient
amour, Of Capital and Credit, sud not suffer them
10 be absorbed Us Commerce Stock lolbing ard ~
nancal .cheming.as they are. Ii, however, We
look only the prosperity Of the Country, the pri-
mary and really important object Is to increase great
Is Production or the fruit. Of Iadus,ry which the
only real Riches Money being the representative
Of the Prod.cls Of Labor, il j. superficial erFor
to strive to increase the mere representation In
! stead Of the realty; and til. error has led the
Country and its Political Leaders a.ray FOR the as,
ten wears. and ruined one-hsl Of people by business
/ rcruisions.
! We have proved in our last articles that f'ro-
/ thirds Of me Population produce nothing, and
that bat one-thiId is engaged in producing. It
VIC take into consideration in addition that the
Labor Of the producing third is, on account OF an
ignorant system of Agriculture, poor workshops
manufactures and other obstacles, very badly ap-
piled i, is very evident that nothing like enough
tor the wants OF the Peopis i, produced, and that
the great majority nust suffer poverty and dcsiiiu-
,ion. There i. but ols remedy. aud il Is TO IL
crease Production BY encouraging Industry, (Agri-
culture, Manufactures and Mechanic',) and D!
inducing the immense number Of Non-PFodacer'
to take par, in productive Labor. How can this
be done" it will be asked The simplest means