The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-05-31
- SATLDChS.v
From the Post and Tribune

OF loaning money is considered almost
disreputable. If one were to trust tc
the terms in which bankers and lenders
are spoken of, they are destitute of all
humane and generous virtues. A mar
may sell his wheat or his corn al
the highest price he can get for it, and
not be called hard names. A man may
take advantage of the supply and de.
mand of the market and charge the high
est figures for cloth, or shovels, or axes,
or hats, or shoes, and be spoken of re-
spectfully. But a man who sells the
use of his own or others capital at such
prices as people are willing to pay for
it, is invested with all the petty vices
that are associated with mean spirit
and degraded conscience. A money
dealer may be generous, hospitable, cul
tivated, fond of all the graces and ec-
gancies of life, morally and socially un
impeachable but the popular imagina-
ton is by strange contradiction in
clined either to figure him as sordid
miser who, like the man with muck
rake in " Pilgrims Progress" seldom
raises his eyes from his " filthy lucre," :"
and spends his time contriving how to
ensnare his unfortunate debtors in a
desperate bargain or to picture him as
a dissolute spendthrift exhausting in
riotous living the hard earnd money
which be extorts from his victims That
dishonest bankers should be exposed to
such conceptions is quite natural, but why
honest money dealers should be swept
into vortex this Of contempt, any more
than honest farmers, or honest merchants,
is curious phenomenon in human ex-
perience If a man by Inheritance of
economy is enabled to command CAPT.
tai, why should he be looked upon as
benefactor when he invests it in farm,
or mandatory, and obtains a per-
centage of profit thereupon ; but as an
enemy of his kind when he gets per.
centage from it by loaning it to those
who lack capital. i'll order that they may
invest it q? he is good man himself if
ne himself buys iron or wool and ma.
chinery and makes money; but he is a
bad man when hs makes it by lending
it to somebody else, who buys iron or
wool and machinery. 1t is true, if he
should manufacture on his own account
he might fail because of his want of
judgment and experience aud talent for
that busint IS; whereas his talent, his
judgment, and education all constitute
him the proper person to make a profit
by bringing lender and borrower togeth.
er. If his profits are large, it proves
that such talent is rare, such shrewdness
exceptional and, like ali talent or gen.
ius, commands its own prices But iu
popular phrase, if not in popular estima-
tion. this talent is akin to mean, if not
a criminal, predisposition.
Why are such men called "Shylocks?"
Does not the very phrase largely explain
the whole matter ? Is it not a mere
prejudice which would be dissipated by
a more accurate perception of the right
relations of money dealers,-a percep.
ton that they deal in money on exactly
the same principles that other people
deal in other commodities ? The word
" Shylock " itself is associated with
character made odious in Difference to a
prejudice and the epithet has brought
the prejudice along with it.
The prejudice against making money
by loaniDg is traced back to the Mosaic
law against interest or usury. 1t is
maintained by some authorities that this
is a mistaken Interpretation Of the Mo.
sale law; however this may be, the pre-
judice rests upon that view of the law
But, singularly enough, the Jews them
selves were the chief instruments in ex.
citing this prejudice on account of their
disregard of this real or alleged Mosaic
enactment. They were despised and ha.
ted, and prosecuted both by Mohamme-
dams ond Christians. They were for.
hidden to enter the ordinary occupations
of life. They were driven by their per.
secutors to the loaning of money as the
only means of livelihood. They were
compelled to hoard money, because any
ostcn tatious spending of it would excite
suspicious of their wealth and lead to
its confscation. AS is always the case
when the weak are prosecuted, cunning
took the place of strength, and they
made good use of their opportunities to
drive the hardest possible bargains with
the necessities of their prosecutors and
enemies. This was indeed, as Shylock
their only method of reveng.
ing themselves, and it was perfectly
tor them to take it. This, quite
as naturally, brought money lending in.
to disrepute among Christians, and they
abused and insulted the Jews, even
while avaiIing themselves of their servi.
ces.
Shakespeare's representation of the
old story of the Merchant cf Venice,
who, in order to crafty his revenge, in.
sisted upon pound of flesh when the
money was not forthcoming, has done
It's share in stamping and fixing this
mark of disgrace upon money.lendine. |
The noet's 0enius has furn;sbo al go.