The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-04-22
WHAT IS MONEY9-No. l.
BY WIN II. sYLVIS.

What is money is a question 50 fire.
quently asked, especially by working
men, and so many different answers
have been given all based upon the
idea that gold is the only material out
of which money can be made, that l
have determined to add one more
answer to the long list
In taking up this question, l do not
expect to present any new idea, or to
say anything new. My o..y object j.
to present the matter in plain common
sense light, and in doing so shall Use
such arguments and illustrations as viii
be easily understood by every one who
reads. What | have TO say will be che
plain words of a workingman address
ed to workingmen.
Money made of gold is a monarchic-
al and aristocratic institution. Kings
..,.51Pp "a Il = :. sure means on keeping
the people in Subsection, by taking from
them all power to control, or IN any
way interfere with the currency.
Princes and mobiles were created-spec-
Ial privileges were bestowed upon a
few these few were rich and were OF
course interested in maintaining the
kings money. Thus the king, with bis
well fed few, succeeded in robbing the
masses, keeping them poor, ignorant
and wholly dependent.
When our ancestors ran away from
Europe to escape religious persecution,
they came here and sat up for their
selves; unfortunately for us they DID
not leave behind them their prejudic+s
and false notions on many Of the moot
vital points in the science of govern
ment
Reared amid the hardships and dan
gers Of new continent-separated
from the parent government" by a
great ocean-thrown upon their own
resources, they learned lessons of self
reliance and ideas of self government,
that served them we'll when the strug-
gle for independence came, and for the
change in civil government about to
take place 1t was left for them TO IRE.
sent to the world, for the first time, a
selt-formed government, whose basis
was the equal rights Of man, civil equal
ity, and common privileges, and whose
end was to be the general prosperity,
virtue and happiness of the people. In
dependence gained, it was natural that
Joy and satisfaction should be inspired,
upon having escaped some of the OPP
pressions OF European systems, without
feeling much curiosity to ascertain,
whether the new government was actu-
ally so 70 nded as to secure the hdppi
ness Of the many, instead Of ministeSing
to the benefit of the fe,o This could on
" be learned after considerable expe-
rience, and after that class, out OF
which came bankers, brokers, bOndhold
ers, usurers and other plunderers ola
Dor, had time to find out, and take ad.
vantage of the weak places in our sys-
tenn of government.
This point was soon reached, and
then began that scramble for wealth
and power that has resultedin creating
among US a monied alistocracy that j.
fast sapping the foundation of our gov
eminent, and destroying the liberties Of
the people.
1t IS true that compared with the
Wretched population of despotic EuEope
and Asia, the people Of this courtry.
even under existing unjust relations OF
man to man, enjoy many things not
common to the people Of other coun-
tries. But comparative superiority nav
still be condition fraught with much
misery TO the human family, and not
less repugnant to benevolence, then re-
voting to justice. Even in Europe and
Asia, this superiority forms the hoas
of one nation over another, through
out the long continued chain of com
parative wrelchedness, among the grea
mass Of the population.