The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1874-01-22
FACTS AGAINST THEORIES.

1t IS not difficult for tho practical mind,
that has met in the struggle of life and ov-
ercome distractions, to realize that we are
last becoming utilitarian people, and that
abstract theories are giving way to the force
Of every day facts. Wc attempted to run
this government on hair splitting theories
until we plunged the country into desolat-
Ing, bloody war. whose food of woe swept
over every portion of our domain, until
black pail hung in almost every household
1t is time our law makers were understand
ing that finely drawn lines Of political econ
omy, inculoated in our colleges and schools,
do not answer the vigorous and masculine
realities Of business life, aud that the SOON
er the tangible wants Of the people take pre-.
cedence over intellectual specuations, the
better. Just at this time the legislature of
the nation is being afflicted with tho disser-
tavions Of these speculative theorists on the
finance question, and hair-splltting arguments
are advanced to encourage the belief that
specie payments constitute the true basis of
commerce for progressive people. We can
tuIn to 40 nation on the globe where such a
system is praoticed, and if the wants Of the
circumscribed enterprise and growth Of the
older countries, practically discard the spe.
Gle theories, how much more forcibly is the
inutility Of such system applicable to the
rapid development and marvellous expansion
Of the material capacities of the American
people. What we want is larger volume OF
the circulating medium. What does the
threatening commotion among the working
men Of the east and west argue, but that
there is not enough money to keep in active
operation the industries of the country
The gradual and fatal contraction Of the
currency, after the business cf the country
had been extended upon an enlarged basis
of currency, is paraizing the physical ener-
gies of the nation, closing the workshops,
shutting up the furnaces, stagnating the
mines, and driving the laboring element Of
the nation to desperation. While these thee
rists are specializing as to the particular Pc
Rod when the government can return to
specie payments, grim Want is spreading its
CHASTITY pail over the hearthstones Of the
working people, and terminating and nour-
ishing the spirit Of Communism throughout
the centres of trade. 1t is idle and criminal
to suppose that such revulson in all the
departments Of industry, as has been expe-
rienced within the last six months, can be
corrected by continuance in the application
of the hair-splitting theories of political
economists. It is a national wrong to seek
to contract the industries by withholding the
circulating medium that feeds them. Capt..
talists may bear it for season, but the la
borers cannot. Their daily labor feeds their
ofspringy and where there is no demand for
that, suffering is the consequence. 1t is not
rational, nor should it be expected, that the
toilers of the country should remain passive
and idle, each succeeding day rendering their
condition more helpless, while their paid
servants are triang with their dearest in
terests.
There is but one solution to the distresses
of the country and the sufferngs Of the Ia
boring classes, and that is, larger volume
of currency. to give life aud impetus to ma
terial development and the consequent EN-
pigment of labor. Anything that falls
short of this, is the merest abstraction, and
must of necessity accumulate and intensity
the sutferings Of the peop'e.
Let Congress look at this question in q
practical light, and leave off speculative the
cries. The labor of the country demands
empoyment-the interests of the country
demand the development of our materia
resources and these demands can only BE-
met by corresponding circulating me-
dunn.