The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-01-15
and the Government
Debt.

Fron 1885 until 1888, inclusive, the
volume of the currency reached its
highss, point, and the Government debt
Was reduced over four hundred millions.
During the wear just ended, the volume
OF currency in circulation, has reached
the lowest point since the war, and the
Government debt was only rsdseed Q
little over feur hundred thousand, hav-
ing been increased during the month Of
December, over three and one half nil.
lions. Fron 1866 to 1855, the average
price Of gold was about thirty cents
preniun, while during the past year
the average price was but ten cents
premium. New what becomes Of the
theories Of the hard-mopey menf They
tell us the country will never prosper
until We get back to specie payuent,
and yet the facts show that the nearer
We get to specie, the less able We are to
pay oar debts. On an inflated currency
with gold at premium OF from IS to
%, the government WAS paying its dsbts
81 the rate Of five per cent per snnum.
On far less volume Of currency, with
gold At from nine to eleven cents prem.
iun, the government is increasing ito
debt n the rate of aearly four millions
per month. From 1865 to 1868 bank
ruptcy was scarcely heard Of; to-day it
10 estimated that fully twenty per cent.
Of Our business men are in the hands OF
the Registers In bankruptcy. These are
facts and ali the theories which hard
money fanatics can present vanish -
the mists are dispelled before the rays
Of the sun-when confronted with facts.
En Urn Ao n< haa Seof f<
that we believe the volume Of the cnr-
rency in circulation during the period
we have named rs Witnessing the liqui-
dation Of 6se per cent of the Govern
ment debt annually, ought 70 be restored.
What ifgold does go to forty or Afty
cents premium? Ifthe Government, ~
we'll as individuals are enabled to pay
their oebts and people generally are
prospsroas, what is 1t to the masses
whether gold Is fifty or seventy five
cents Premiuml The great MAS Of our
population are working men-pi c1u-
GERS, who have no use fer gold. What
they want il employment ct good wages.
Set every maa TO work who 10 willing
aud anxisus 10 labor for his living, and
the production Of wealth will be 50 gen.
eral and rapid that, lot gold advance -
fast ~ 1t may, 1t can not keep pace with
the Development of eur resources, which
the muscls and brain Of the producing
classes will make. De you want cheap
clothing1 Furnish sufficient medium
OF exchange TO enable every journeyman
tailor to work at his trade. DO you
want cheap food? Make money abund-
ant enough to let the farmer keep his
sons employed ct home. DO yo1
want the land TO overflow with plentyr
Then do not turn skillsd labor int the
streets when, il money were easy, the
manufacturer wouh enlarge his shops,
aud the furnace and the anvil, and the
lsthe would furnish grand acconpani-
ment to the happy songs Of the work
men, We want expansion in every
thing, begin pning with ideas. The fancy
that this country can never b prosper
ous until the promises to pay Of bank
corporations and individuals 10 based
upon N adequate gold supply, 10 one
Of the foIlies which should have been
issipsted longsgo. ltis net contraction
Of the currency, bat expansion Of the
avenues of trade and the opportunities
for employ msnt that the country needs.
Contraction works benefit to the rieh
alone. Expansion ssts al the people to
work, ard poverty and discontent leave
Us forever Both have been tried, for
tunstely for the people, within . gener-
altos. aud the room for doubt which n
often lsa open by traditional Or historic
chresicIing of events, does net exist il
this case. We lived when the currency
was inflated, and were prosperous and
happy we live now that il has been con-
trscted. and our work shops are empty,
and distress aud poverty meet % st
every turs.-Evansville Courier.