Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-05-06
For the Kennebcc Journal.
Paper NOnty-"GO0d Times" Gre.
ated by the War.

| In previous communication proposed to
have word to ,ay in regard to the greenbackers'
theory Of a paper circulation issued by the gov
eminent as money, and also in regard to the good
times p they camored about during the war.
From the time money was used, whether un
| coined or coined it was based upon an utrins c
value, made OF some metallic sub,tince. Many
hundred ye4rs ago, before the Christian era. we
| find accounts of money of various metals and in
different shapes anI forms. Lycurgus al one
ZINE binshed gold aud silver money and made
iron the medium, hut II you rccoliect the account,
even he must have based that rpon the gold and
silver stan ard siGce the historian tell u it re-
qnred "a cart and pair of oxen to haul ten mirt
equal to a little less than one hundred dollars.
lycur!u,'- idea wa, not TO initiate the clrculat
NJ Medium but exactly the opposite to make
money cumbersome, unattractive, and so but little
would be used. The history Of paper money is too
well ventilated at this time TO need that alludo
thereto. Ii man purchases farm aud gives hi,
note, for it, he then to the payment Of said
notes, generally gives mortgage OF the farm
Why3 Because il is not payment until he re-
leem, his notes IN something better that Is, il
whatever currency may be :. legal tender, unless
otherwise specified. SO all paper money issued by
the United States is in the shape of promises to
pay In WHAT Why, something better, TO wit:
gold and silver, the recognized money of the
world. The individual does not live who is
sue bis notes and circulate them, any length OF
time, unless there is value behind them; value to
pay such notes at maturity, already stated, in
something that the people recognize as better than
such notes.
This being the case with individuals, where the
sense in granting to a great aud prosperous nation
| a privilege you Withhold from its citizens When
an individual requires money legal tender, he
must purchase it with a valuable cons liberation !;
aud 50 should a government have to obtain its
money by rendering to It's citizens value received,
in order that it shall posses, pscunisry alvan-
tage its people, and that by the process of 50
! getting its money business interests may be slim
ulaed. In the long run no theory ever advan ced,
had or can have such a tendency to miure the in
terests OF the producer aud lab lring man. as the
nonsense advocated by these iutlationists. Let the
working men and women, and the farmers and
mechanics, investigate this question fairy, and we
have fear of the result.
| On bat say the Greenbackers, did not we have
good times during the war; Wen, large num-
Der Of funerals in any community Will make good
business for the undertaken collins will be in de-
mand, and work for the makers will be plenty.
| The fourth Of July is regarded a. good time.
aud the fire works consumed that day give
employment to a large number of haGds but
suppose we had Fourth of July the year round
wouldn't it be a little too much of good thing !;
| The war took out Of the usual vocations of life
more than three millions Of people, North and
south, farmers, mechanics, clerks, &C. 50 that for
the time being their work was done by those left
| behind. AT that time, 1861, We had about twelve
millions employed in all occupations in the coun.
try, that quarter Of the laborers were taken
out of the field of employment, leaving all the
work for the other three-quarters. Again, the
| armies were creating demand for the products
Of the soil and for mechanical labor so that while
they produced nothing themselves they were con-
| suming aud destroying what was produced and
manufactured by those at home. The immense
quantities Of hay and grain consumed by the
| armies made those commodities high, and the far
| mer dad make money out Of It, Every horse de-
| stroyed, (and in the one action OF Getty sburg il
Is said ten thousand were Killed., made a market
fol- another, the same with mules 10 that horses
| aud mules paid the raiscrs Of such animals i'm
mcnse profits. SO with beef, pork, bread. Now,
to be Brief and to bring this to a close, to say
nothing Of the ordnance and ordnance stores, used
and destroyed by the war, all of which made good
times for the mechanics who manufactured them,
does any one mean to say that it would be a good
thing for the people generally keep up that kind
Of good times
DO they not see that all the activity during the
war was anything but good times for we the
people running ia debt, when YOU speak
Of the Government you simply NEAR all the people
thereof for which we are now in trouble and for
which We are now buidened by heavy taxation to
meoti
hundred men may get together and deci lie TO
issue their notes to cause the manufacture of an
immense quantity Of balloons, and if they can get
laborers to accept these notes in payment for the
work while making them, AMI if the grocer, the
shoemaker, and the dry goods dealer, will take
said notes in payment for their merchandise what
| lively business might be created. To make this
analogous, these workmen should agree at the
commencement of the enterprise that they would
all be taxed in the end to help pay the notes of the
one hundled. While the factory was in operation
we can imagine how extrayagantly these workmen
and their iame. could live; but by and by,
the balloons, being inflated ascend heavenward
and explode. There is nothing left Of them, they
| have done nobody any good, save to create the
hailuclnat on Of these deceived work ngmen who
made them, who now find that it all has to be
paid for; the notes which they liour he'd upon for
time must now be met, and they simply have to
sulier the penalty Of past waste and extravagance
Tins country needs rest and quiet from the
dreams aud idle fancies upon money. The soon
er That rest is reached by settling down upon "a
h1ed financial basis, the better for all, and
especially for the working men. II.
81 Inc estate left by George Grant the Envli.h