The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1878-05-07
posez Hawks, Financial Reform.

No better illustration OF the fallacy
Of the doctrines advocated at present
py the National party-the issuing by
the Government Of paper bearing upon
its face, not a promise TO pay real mon
ey, but "A declaration that the paper it.
self Is cash-can be found than in the
story OF Moses Hawkes. currency. IL
il peculiarly pertinent here, for this
vicinity was the scene Of the action,
aud the eccentric Moses 10 still remem-
bered by majority of our people. IL
has been going the rounds of the press,
aud some errors OF detail have crept in,
which we have corrected, and the story
is not at all new to some OF our read
ers.
Hawks at one time was engaged in
publishing paper at Otsego, and later
IN the same business at Allegan, out he
was not an editor OF the Journal. az
some papers have recently stated. This
was in early years, before the last war
aud after the "Wild-cat," "blue-pup"
times. Nose was queer old chip,
aud loved his bitters in the morning,
and all other times Of the day; aud
that some token got him into no end
Of ridiculous scrapes. both editorially
aud personally. When the printing
business did not pay Nose put in time
in a shingle shanty OF his own in our
neighboring town Of Otsego, and in
flush times would turn again to the
types. Hawk. was prominent man
in Otsego, and at one time. when cur
rency was scarce, because nobody had
anything 10 buy it with, a bright idea
struck him, and he determined TO issue
a quantity adequate TO the require
ments OF business. He went into the
Office one morning aud printed large
batch OF promises to pay-qurters,
halves, and dollars and occupied sew
sral days in fixing the autograph of
Moses Hawks to every one Of them
Hawks, that il, Moses, was now q
wealthy man possessed OF unlimited
resources. He bought everything Of
ferod for sale, and paid his new curren-
CIV, aud also loaned il to his neighbors.
The thing worked like n charm until
tax time, when something better was
required. Everybody had sold their
truck" and taken Hawks currency in
payment. The people focked 10
Hawks aud demanded redemption. he
redeemed by issuing new batch OF
scrip more of 10. Prior TO this the
scrip passed currently among the peo-
pie, bat the issue had so inflated the
''currency" that the people refused TO
receive il longer, il having become so
plentiful as 10 be worthless. Mer-
chants and dealers had sold their goods
for the stuff, hut could not buy any
more with it.-Hawks was bankrupt
and could not redeem, and the people
we're in a bad plight.
One morning a stranger presented
60 Hawks, at Pine Greek, near OtseRo,
and demanded that he should redeem
some that he (the rtranger) had receiv.
ed al Saugatuck, where he had been to
look after some business matters
Hawks declined the accommodation
The stranger then asked, This is good
is il not, Mr.. HawksY"
"Good thunderl" replied Hawks; Ill
ought 20 be, for every man, woman
and child within fifty miles OF thi'
place has from o peck to a half bushel
OF H..
"But Mr.. Hawks, you redeem. dom
you2'
"Redeem h-lr" exclaimed Moses
ut wasn't TO redeem; il was made &c
circulated"
And at this day there are men goine
about Allegan county advocating whai
would be only a reputation Of old
Moses experiment on a grander scale
Allcgan Journal.