Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-10-02
THE POOR MANS DOLLAR.

The greenback dollar-thanks to the Repub-
licau party-is to-day worth within fraction
as much as the gold dollar. What Is the conse-
auencel Every article, with perhaps half a
dozen exceptions, that enters into general con-
sumption, is cheap as il was before the
war-many, in fact, are lower than they have
ever been. How does this state OF things affect
the poor msnl His wages about the same
as in 1860, and with them he eau purchase as
much as he ever could. These are iDGisPutable
facts which he ought TO ponder over before he
asks for the repeal OF the resumption aet-an
act intended to wipe out the lingering fraction
of difference between gold and paper money.
Times we're never more prosperous In this
country than Immediately prior to the rebellion.
At that time the amount of money in circula-
ton was hardly more than half the sum we now
have. Why, then, is an unlimited amount of
money now needed to make times goods The
cry of the GTeenbackers is that the more money
we have the more prosperous we will be. Ask
the farmer when he raises an immense crop OF
potatoes and throws them on the market whe,h-
er he gets as much for them as when the crop
is smaller. How was il last year with that cropi
IL was immense, and the price per bushel was
fifty cents. This year the yield is comparatively
a short one, and the price is nearly doubled.
Last year his wheat crop was ouly average
one and he got 81 40 per bushe for H.; this year
the crop unusually large, and he gets Onlv
a dollar. This is not only the ease with potatoes
and wheat, but with every commodity used
among men. IL is an unvary1ng, VI Lchangeable
law that the more abundant YOU make a
thing the less valuable il becomes. Money
is no exception to this rule. As you increase
its volume, You decrease its purchasing power.
An eXpans ion Of currency means a cor
responding expansion of prices. All men admit
this. We saw it during the rebellion. Wnen calf
Goes jumped up from eight cents in 1860 10
thirty-hve in 1864, the wOrkingman found ont
very unmistakably that an xpansion, or rather
a reduudance of currency. meant higher prices;
it was the came with everything else with
calico.
Does any man doubt that a like result would
follow an enormous issue OF greenbacksl We
think not What good, therefore, would all
this paper money do hint Does he think he
could borrow it more cheaply then than nowf
There is plenty OF money in the National banks
now, which he can get II his securities are salts
factory: if they afe not satisfactory he could not
borrow II though IL were thousand times plen-
tier than at present. Even as q borrower his
condition would not be improved under the
proposed new greenback dispensatiOn.
Who are the men that are urging and heading
this poor mans movement for cheap money!
Are they not almost without exception men VINO
are bankrupt in principle as well as in pocket.
Men. who having lost Standing with their for
mer associates, have now pushed their way to
the head OF this new movement, rot TO retrieve
their regulations, for they are hopelessly lost,
but to put morey into their pockets oy this con-
templated money revolution.
or all men, be who earns hand TO mouth
living for himself and his little ones is the least
able to bear any unnecessary tampering with
the money in which he is paid. He needs the
best dollar that can be made; he ought 70 have
q dollar that is always worth the same amount:
Lot one worth one hundred cents to-day and
fifty or seventy-ive cents next week. He has
greenback dollar to-day worth practically as
much a gold one. and which resumption will
put on a level with the best coin money In the
world. Yet evil men, for their own base pur-
poses, ask him TO vote against Tesumption; ask
MIN TO take step that seeks 10 dishOuur the
money in which his weeks services are paid.
No one pretends that II the resumption act Is
set aside the paper dollar will be worth more
than gold. If there ia any change whatever it
must be in the other direction; his money must
go down instead of up, and to bring about that
consummstion is what the greenback leaders
now irving to persuade him. In fact,
sumption has already come 10 the poor man;
he can purchase all he needs for his present
paper dollar as he can with a silver or . gold
one. Prices are at a specie level to him. Is
he ready TO change this state Of ;hinGsi He
cannot improve them do what he will, hut his
vote against resumption may lead to the inf.a-
ton OF war times. Reason and common sense
say, leave well enough alone.-Lail eastsr .yel1
Era.