The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-03-15
Farmer Ssmuel and Farmer Jeaathaa.

Is >lO0.
F.s.-Here are ten bills Of mine for &io
each, payable on demand, which will be
just as good as gold to you, or in fact better,
for they are not so heavy to carry about.
F. J.-But when will you pay them?
F. S.-Whenever you please. will give
you hundred dollar bond for them any
day, and that will be still better, for it is to
bear interest at the rate Of one cent day.
Only think how fast you will make rich at
that rate, neighbor Jonathan
F. S.-But how is this interest to be
paid?
F. S.-Quite promptly. / will give you
ten due.bill of ten dollars each for it when
ever you wish.
F. but where am l to get anything
for these pieces of paper, Uncle Samuel,
either the due-bills or the bonds?
F. S.-What else do you want, JonathanP
You can pass these to your neighbors for
what you want, and get similar ones from
them when you sell anything. Don't you
see, this is the best currency in the
world?
F. J.-But am never to get anything but
pieces of paper for what sell.
F. SIS not that paper perfectly secure
Am I not good for all l promise? Have 1
not magnificent farm that would pay for
all the paper issue hundred times over?
F. .J.-But if should want to get gold
for these notes, could sue you and sell
enough of your farm to pay me?
F.S.-Oh, no; my farm is held under
the Homestead law, and cannot be sold.
You can never get gold that way; but the
paper is far better than the gold. If you
must have gold, however, you can go to the
fellows in Wall street, and pay them any
where from thirteen to thirty or fifty per
cent. for it, as the rspscious and bloated
bullionists may choose to demand.
F. AFTER all, then, am only to get
somewhere from so to $50 for my colt.
F. S.--You need never make any such
loss just be content with the bits of paper,
and never mind the gold.
F. J.-But if want to buy some lumber
in Canada, or sugar from the West Indies,
or broad-cloth from England, will they take
your due billsS
F. SIN that case you will have to get
gold to pay with, whatever it may cost.
F. j., Figuring up)-Then if, when you
have issued great many bills, gold should
rise to SO per cent. premium, your paper dol
lar would only bring 66 2.s cents worth in
those countries, and so my lumber, or sugar,
or cloth, would cost me half as much again
as it should.
F. S.-But you need not buy away from
home Get your lumber in Minnesota, your
sugar in Louisiana, and your cloth in New
England.
F. J.-But would get any more for my
paper dollar from them than from people
abroad?
f. 81 cannot say you would.
F. J.--Then these articles at home are
just made as dear by being paid for in pa.
per as it would cost to buy the gold TO pay
for them abroad. In other words, where
ever buy can only get the SS or &c 2-S
cents worth for my paper dollar, according
to the premium on gold.
Now honestly, Uncle Samuel, would il
not be better seeing you are 80 rich and
have such magnificent farm, to raise the
hundred dollars in gold upon it at once ant
pay for my colt in honest money that will
pass anywhere at its full face value? Thi
proposal to twist round and pretend to pay
when you don't really pay one cent, eithe
of principal or interest, could never come t.
good. Believe me, this lodging might dt
for while, but by and by your irredeema
BILE paper bills would take their place besid
the old Continental bills, of which a bushe
would not buy loaf Of bread.
F. S.-Hush, Jonathan, don't you think
know that. lido not mean to hurt you, bu
only to pay off those foreigners with thi
never to-be paid paper, who lent me tn
money that enabled me to keep my farr
, whole when the half it was like to b
taken from me.
F. J.-But why cheat then?
i F.S.-oh, you see they are not cheated
they lent me fifty cents on the dollar, and
y should only pay them the same.
0 +. J.-But at the time they lent was nc
!, your credit bad?
F.S.-Why as to that, some thought it n
: better than that Of my enemy. Those wh
e lent to him lost all, but If he had gained tl
s battle, it might have been those who lent
e me that would have lost all.
l. F. Now, uncle Samuel, was not tn,
: loan, even at fifty cents on the dollar, II
best bargain you ever made, seeing it en-,
y bled you to preserve all your farm: Yo
absolutely needed the money then, and yo
could not get it on any better terms. How
9 then, can you think, after you have obtain,
the benefit of going back on the promis
: you made in your time of extreme danger
!. F. S.-Say no more. I'll raise the 20
q honestly on the income OF my farm, aud p
'' every ene in real and not sham dollars. !
IS more bills that carry lies on the face of the
'r for me!