The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1864-09-29
Are the Germs Wrong in Wanting our
Bonds


4 Bonds2
i Not bit of it! No shrewder, thrift
er people, in matters of money, exist on
earth. Our Jersey people and New Eng
land people are frugal, industrious peo-
, pie, but they can't save money like the
Germans All Germany is great sa-
wings bank. Ii is true that their work
ing men are not so rich on an aver
age, as our working men, because they
don't get more than one quarter of the
wages of our men. But German can
save money, and he knows when it is safe.
Now these shrewd, thrifty Germans want
our bonds. They want them by millions.
They turn aside from the great beggars
of the world in Europe, and come to us
Republicans. They treat the notes of
Napoleon and Joseph and Maximillian
with indifference, but want to discount all
the American notes they can get. The
London Times says this is all wrong
that the Republicans in America are all
bankrupt, and the Germans must be era
zy to slight British and French beggars,
and go begging, themselves, to America.
Are they crazy? We asked Poor Rchi-
ard what he thought about IT, "Why,"
said he, chow can they be cry, when
they are doing just what did little
more than year ago, when put my lit
tie savings into Government six per cents!
Now see what | got by it; just count up.
have received six per cent. in gold,
which averaged 100 per cent. in curren-
cy, making II per cent. income. Now,
to-day, my bond is salable in the New
York market at 10 per cent. premium
Put these together, and to-day l have %
per cent. for one years use of my money!
What do you think of that? You know,
as well as ! do, that there are thousands
of people who did this, and to-day they
have % per cent. on their investments.
Why, | saw Miss Jones, our school-mam,
go to the bank and buy $500 bond
How she got the money | don know but
these Yankee shoolmistresses are frstrate
hands at taking care of themselves. Well,
now, count up. If Miss Jones sells her
bonds to-day she gets her $500 back safe,
and she gets Sll0 clear gain. Can you
sharp fellows down there in William street
DO any better? You know | told Mr..
Smith, the banker, my ideas about that,
and he bought 5000 six per cent bonds,
and you see lie got 81, 100 for years
use of his money. | met him the other
day, aud he said, Poor Richard, you are
right; begin to think, the Government
can take care of itself, and us too. For
my part, | mean to buy some of the 1905
The rate of interest is high enough, and
in three years they will turn into six per
cent bonds again yes, Mr.. Smith, it is
right, on the money side; but It is right
on the coHRtry's side too. Help your
country, or it can't help you. Now, | say
the Germans are not only right, but they
would be right if they got half that inter
est. They cannot make quarter of it at
home" So thought Poor Richard, and
so think We. When we think of the
German opinion of our situation and our
financial strength, we must remember
that they are far better judges of our con-
dition than we are. They are lockers on
at great distance. They have none of
our enmitics or prejudiccs. They can
examine the facts disintercstedly. They
do; and the result is a verdict that the
American Government is stablc-its aJH-
hy aud htegrity IN meeting its financial
engagements UnGuestionGGte. This ver
dict, too, is founded on series OF facts
which are unimpeachable, and well known
to every intellige American. Take two
or three of the most important: l. The
United States doubles its population each
twenty five years. The population of the
country, which in 1850 was tpemty-three
millions, will in 1876 be torty-si.c millions.
But the rebellion says some one How
much has the rebellion diminished the
strength of the United States? Take
this astonishing fact, that if all the Reb-
ell States had been sunk in the Pacific O.
cean, the United States would in 1875
have a population equal to that Of the
rchoIc IL 1860 In other words, ffteeI,
years will supply the total loss of the E.
leven original Rebel States! What can
impede the progress of such country
2. The wealth of the country increased
l2T per cent in ten years Now let il
increase but 80 from 1860 to 1870, and
it will amount to ten times all the loan:
of the government. The German knows
what he is about. He will get the ldrg
est income from loans in the world on the
safest security No such opportunity has
occurred before for the investment Of
money, and in all probability will never
occur again If the American does no
know and take advantage of this, tn,
German and Frenchman will.-Er.