The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-02-22


part or all Of the interest the money
shark will take his chances. But If you /
enable the borrower TO avoid the whole I
contract by pleading usury, the most
greedy man will hesitate 10 put out his /
money on such terms. If it is worth
while to cure the diease is it not worth
while to make the medicine strong
nough'
eMoreover: this IS the precise renaed y
prescribed ia New York, Deyascare, Ftr-
qipaia and other stztes-THEY ALL FOR
FELT THE CONTRACT. Is the law which
prevails in the greatest COM
mercial state Of the Union, New York,
too severe for Minnesota In New York
money can be had for three per cent a
wear; in Minnesota it is loaned at three
per cent per month!
In some Of the states the usurer is
liable to six months imprisonment, in
others TO $500 fine, n others TO 500
fine etc, Is not this more severe than
the forfeiture Of the contract?
But say some, il you regulate the
price OF money why should you not reg
ulate the price OF beef or wheat or labor?
The answer is plain money IS the
creature OF government 1T has no junction
save as government gives it to it. 1t IS
the governmental stamp on the gold
piece that makes it legaI tender, not the
amount OF gold in it. If government
creates money has it not the right to pres
scribe rules for its use?
Again; beet, wheat and labor are reg
ulated by the law OF supply and de-
mand. II beef is scarce and the price
lAfgh the remedy is to produce larger
quantities of beef and so bring down the
price. The amount of money on the
other hand, is limited, it depends 50 far
as paper money is concerned, on the
will of the government. while the sup
ply or gold and silver iscontingent upon
the yield OF the mines. II these mines
give out the supply ceases The supply
of beef, wheat or labor cannot give out.
But it is said, you should not pass
usury laws because they will rot prevent
usury in every case the law will be
violated. Is not every law more Or less
violated? Are not the laws against theft,
arson, rape. murder, etc., all violated?
Would you therefore repeal those laws
and throw open the PRISONS
But, says another, sou will drive money
out of the state. We ask, where viii
it 90 to when it will draw
more than y per cent? Nowhere
save in such remote, unsettled region!
as Arizona or New Mexico; or to tht
t tax-ridden impoverished southern state:
+ And we say moreover that it were
5 better It should 90 and at once, If it viii
| only consent to stay in Minnesota on con
/ dition that it may impoyerish and de-
S stroY the people by charging them q, Sc
: or 30 per cent. per annum. None,
: loaned az suchrates is n curse not bles
e sing. Il breeds universal poverty
The man who is not satisfied with /:
9 per cent. per annum. playable in al
vance. in land where the average ear
nings OF property is, by the United State
. census, less than , per cent. per annum
1 should be gently carried out OF the stat
on q rail; and IN case the weather
i cold he should be comfortably clad in
covering of swans down adherin!
: through the instrumentality of pine
Q tree extract.
1.-THE grasshopper aEhict any great ex
9 tent of the state this year, the money
sharks will take what the grasshopper
can not eat, aud it will be amusing t
: hear members of the House explainin
to their excited constituents, the reason
why the Usury Bill was defeated in til
:. House. 1t will be our pleasure then
. mock when their fear coneth - but "
; shall do it more II sorrow than in anger
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