Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-10-26
MONEY.

MONEY.
Originally this term included within
lts n,raning netting but coin, and was
then synonymous with the word cash,
Subsequently it was given = broader sig
MITIGATION, and at present it means curren.
cy, without the use vt any prctlxes to dis.
tinguisl it a. "hard" or "soft''-as COIN
or paper money. In early times money
was regarded merely as necessity Of
bnsiness-a medium Of cxchange-noth.
ing more. Actual wealth consisted ut
! lsnds, franchises, products, resources, etc
The extent Of II mans ownership of these
! things was the measure OF lis wealth
For any Of them, labor and skill were os
they arc Low, natural equivalents, but
since 1t WAS no:4n!,Says psnsible FIR the
employer to compensate the working men
BY furnishing them with the precise ar.
| ticl's which they needed, money was
adopted, and special fictitious value
given IL It by general consent. This
! money served IA Il means Of distribution
| --enabling all clsss:'s to effect exchange
Of products without actually disposing Of
one commodity in order to gain posses.
sion Of another. The Introduction Of this
new feature rcvolu'ionize&l the entire bus.
iness Of the civilized world. From the
old system Of ''Gartrr anal exchange" to
the modern one Of universal commerce,
inc transition Was sudden and complete.
1t was this new feature Of exchange that
gave rise IL al extended commerce be-
tween different natinns "a commerce
which would hc wholly Impossible were
It not for III: mcdia,inC power Of money
Never since The circulation Of currency
WAS authorized by law. has money been
regarded as valuable in proportion to the
worth If the commodity Of which 1t IS
made. It's only value rs money is that
with which it is characterized hy law.
That Money, rs such: WAS not Il CON-
moditv ori sinallv, is evident from the fact
that n"hiug bu: an excess If commcdi-
ties III given locality, and tho ,mpns,i.
bility # distributing them S, as to meet
the cxigenci.s of society, gave rise to the
invention IF money. Men never invented
lands, nor their productions, kors:s nor
cattle. These are natural FL: mcnts whlcl,
contribute to the support Of life, and to
the supr!ys OF human wants, and money
IS Ell elcnlcnt-a factor in the process ot
exchange and assimilation; but it con
tributes no warmth and appeases no hun
ger. From this it is evident that money
is nothing bu. tool-au implement
which commerce employs in distributing
tie products Of universal industry. Such
is money-properly the SLAVE OF labor.
1t IS to trade, what the shovel is to the
canal and the ra,lroad-an implement in
the hand Of the luborcr WHO cxcaya,ts
and grades; what the water is to the
wheel OF the Touring mil! that grn.ls,
anu TO the machinery Of the loom thu,
"eaves; What steam is to l:como:ion, and
electricity Is 10 The notwithstanding
without value in itself, and Of couseo uvncc
Only as it is employed in aid OF some
branch OF industry. II then money is
only ,ool-but u tool which every CHI
zen needs 10 use-it is the duty of the
government to manufacture and iuu1;s:.
It, with proper safeguards and restrictions,
iii such quantity that every citizen may
USE what Le needs IL the extent Of his ca
pac!tj' 10 secure the return OF the same To
the government according 10 the terms of
any Contract watch lie may make. 1t will
then devoive upon the government to mall
ulacturc what currency the business of
It's citizens may require, and IL supply
them 1T the actual cost Of production.
THIS will meet every exigency, and re
licve labor from tue burden which it
must now bear when compelled to go into
the market and effect loans. There is 40
between capital - actual
labor The fight is between
MONEY and !ab"r--!nuncy employed as i
as Il thing which is worth all
that can be realized for it. Between that
productive energy, manual labor, and
this money, which Is held 10 be worth all
that lis owners MAY realize by its use, no
matter how used, there is a Constant war
fare, and one that will not cease until the
cause far it is removed, and it is the ms.
sion o. the republican party to remove
that c;ill3e.