The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-04-20

and Hard MOney-"We are Ont OF
Bread''- when the Gold is DfStrib-
uIed-BOb IngersOIPs hOuse-BoOth
and Shskespeare's BirIhdnJ-Ths
TiITOn.Beecher Fungus.
Correspondence Of the Register.
BALTIMORE, April l9.
The two principal topics which seem
now to exercise the minds of the commu.
nifty are finances and religion. Bob
Ingersoll has stirred up the one and the
hard times the other, Money and relig-
ion have always been important factors
in human affairs. Money, especially,
would always "mako the mare CO. Who
ever has q six-penCe, says Carlyle Tor
somebody else), Is sovereign over all men
to the extent OF that sIx-pence; commands
cooks to feed him; tailors TO clothe him;
philosophers to teach him; kings to
mount guard over kim-t0 the extent OF
that six-pence.
But men never appreciated the value
of money more than now, 1t the gen.
ersl dearth of business and lack of busi-
ness spirit which now pervsde business
circles, had not been reached by grad.
ual process, the effect of the present de-
pressed condition would be very dis
tressing and disastrous. But the harden
ing process has been going on long
enough to extract the ''panlcky" element
from the business community, and to
convert the timid and choleric into
steady veterans disposed to maintain
their ground. There are no more sur
prises Day by day for the last year or
two the prophecy has gone forth that
"bo.tom is reached" "we are down to
dead rock" "we may now expect re-
vIval, &c, =" bat the hope has only en-
bittered the subsequent disappointment,
and men have learned step by step 10
take up their business on lower stage
of expectation and be content with what
seemed to be without remedy.
The most deplorsble effect Of this let
ting down process is written in the
short and simple annals of the poor:
ave are out of bread" What appeal Is
more expressive2 what argument more
unanswerab)e? Only the poor know
how the poor live. The rich complain
when they are compelled to cut Oft the
luxuries, but they don't know the mean
ing of that oft repeated appeal 1--WE are
out of bread" Poverty is an unenvisble
portion at best, but poverty on an empty
stomach is the climax of human misery.
There are, it is said ten thousand men
out of employment in this city, and
many Of them, slao, out of bread. They
are knocking at the door of the city
government asking for employment.
Private enterprise has ceased, and unless
the city will agree TO undertake some
public improvements, it ia difficult TO see
lust what shift these men can make.
But 1t is not the poor alone that the
hard times have reached. Every class
of property has suffered Real estate,
always regarded as the most substantial,
is taking rank with the most treacherous
securities. Rents have declined from 20
10 80 per cent. Sales are out of the ques-
ton, except at n ruinous discount on
even fair valuation. In articles of
trade in every branch Of merchandise
there Is q perfect crash in prices. 1t the
pressure of the times can be said TO have
brought about any good, it is in this di-
rection, In dry goods, clothing, and in
the markets, there Is scarcely an article
that has been able TO withstand the pres
sure. The show windows where prices
are pacarded attract crowds, who gaze
with wonder and astonishment at the
figures attached TO the various articles,
There are two apparent causes contri-
butlng to this condition of things. The
one is oyer production in agricultural
and manufactured commodities un-
precedented fruitful season in the one
hand, and crowded population in the
manufacturing centers ready to work
cheerfully on the other. The second
cause is found in the fact that money has
been the only value not liable TO be at-
fected in the process Of depreciation. 1t
has been boarded up by capitalists who
were content to take q small rate OF in
terest rather than invest it permanently
in any kind OF enterprise. Money has
been worth more than any other pro-
perty, not excepting real estate, and it
is not strange, therefore, that all enter
prises have ceased, and thousands of the
isboring population have been left in
idleness.
The evident solution of the difficulty
then is to cheaper money. If it does not
pay in the hands OF the capitalist as
money, 1t will not be long finding IN.
vestment in enterprises that will make
business. The nobles., pluckiest fight
that mas ever been made on question of
finance was made by the advocates OF the
silver bill, now law, and now working
out It's mission 10 bringing down the pre-
MUM in gold, and making al the cur
rency IN the country available for busl-
ness purposes. When the many millions
Of gold that have So long been used only
AS an article of merchandise have been
distributed through the different avenues
Of trade, and used as money, we will
have enough TO bring relief TO the coun-
try. and "hard tines will vanish as g
mist before tho sun. Yet this was a
measure that was fought by al the inhG-
entisl business firms, by all the capital
ls!s by all the great ne eTspapers, and by
all the Administration, from the Presl-
dent down, and finally vetoed by the
lhLLtI. DLl Llt shL4lN ALIh4 l-AaE RAF'4 SLAN
brought US the news Of tho veto brought
US also the news that the bill had been
passed by both houses over the veto. It
as the p,op.es f yht, sId verify It was
gallant one, and the people are now
respIrg the reward.
No. much less eager than the scrabble
after money is the appetite Of the people
after something new in religion. There
was s seeming impression abroad that
Bob Ingersoll had some new revelation
70 make that would revolItionize the
religious doctrines of the dsy. Bob hiss
now had three chances 10 tell what be
knows about religion, sDd eager expects
tlon hss 81 las: settled down 70 the con-
ciusion that il i; the old story sgsin Of
the "mountain in labor B0b's labor
was prodigious and promising, but MS