Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1863-01-03
The Shave on Government Paper.

The Shave on Government Paper.
Attempts are being made by certain bust
ness men in this place to dcpreciate Govern
ment paper, which has heretofore passed
readily at its par valuation. We cannot but
view this movement as injurious alone to the
onsumcrs-the laboring classes who are CON-
PEELED to receive this currency for their Ser
vices-and to them in particular We address
this article.
We hold, in the outstart, that the merchants
are making large profits on their wares; that
the advance in prices Of many staple articles
of which they had full stock at the time OF
the rise, enables them to make an enormous
profit upon all such goods sold. This profit
should, at least, satisfy all honest business
men, without an additional gain to be found
cd on the systematic attempt to shave green
Lacks."
We believe that tile oncrous duties and
misfortuncs caused by the present war should
be borne by all classes Of citizens alike, and
that each should be willing to bear his share
of the burden for the common veal, and sac.
rifce property, and even life, in the struggle
for call that we hold most dear" How insig-
niicant tho performance Of the duty to which
We here allude when compared with that Of
the patriotic thousands who are swept into
eternity from every battlefield! Their
hearts thrill with true patriotism as they
march to the deadly fray, while We, remote
from the scene of carnage, aid, directly and
indirectly, in destroying tho very sinews upon
which our cause depends.
Aside from motives Of patriotism, we have
other objections to urge against this deprccia-
ton, which, seemingly affect more directly
our farmers, our mechanics and the laboring
classes generally. DO they ever consider
that they are the only losers by this "stock-
jobbing" arrangement! That their interests
are jeopardized by this combination, formed
for the purpose of saddling all loss upon them
If the merchant here takes Treasury notes at
heavy discount and passes them in San
Francisco at the same rate, it is very evident
that he loses nothing by the operation. Tho
San Francisco merchant is enabled to negoti-
ate the same drafts in New York ut the same
rate Of discount, and consequently he is not
tho the loser. We must 20 back to the start
ing point. and we find that the laborer-the
consumer-is the man out Of whose dear
bought earnings the loss is to come. This is
not right. Every branch Of industry should
aid in sustaining the credit Of the Government.
If we aro to have discount on our currency.
not the laborer alone, but the merchants and
business men generally, should bear an equal
proportion of the loss accrning therefrom.
The discount would be scarcely missed from
their large profits, while it falls upon the poor
er classes as onerous indeed.
Let some firm, then, take the lead and an-
nounce it as their determination to take the
currency of the land at its legal value, aud
the remainder will soon have to do likewise
Or Shut up shop. Suppose that we average
the net profits made upon merchandise Mt fifty
per cent; is there an intelligent business
man but would prefer to take greenbacks,
even it he did lose ten Or fifteen per cent,
thereby, if he could by that means dispose Of
twice tho amount of merchandize2 Let
some firm adopt this suggestion aud test its
efficacy.