Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-08-16

people hundreds of dollars for as many
cents. All this comes from the laws OF
the, old parties, by which the people are
enslaved.
"A. Of class legislotion:-In that the
old parties, by their laws, have divided
the people into three classes, the retired
competence; the active producer, pay
consumer, and active exchange, these
three forming one class; and the retired
tramp.
IS. Of cemtralizing 1over::-In that
every one is not permitted to do as he
pleases; as, for instance, when a man
wants money, by the laws of the old
parties, he must give some equivalent
for it, steal it, or want still.
"6. OfrObbang the Treasury:-In that
when the people place money in the
public treasury of the government, by
the laws of the old parties, it must be
paid out on the account of public
When the Secretary had concluded
the reading, the Assembly proceeded to
dispose Of the specifications by counts.
The first was passed to a vote. Two
objected to it in its present shape, on
technical grounds. This brought on a
discussion. AS did not learn the names
of the Gods, must designate them by
number. Magnus Greenback called up
on God No. to state his objections.
No. stood up and proceeded to make
his objections:
Property is material; it occupies
space, and has weight. This being the
case, we strongly object to the word
annihilate, as material, in essence, is
inestimable"
Is all material, property" asked
Magnus Greenback.
No. l answered: Material is that of
which property is composed. In the
original arrangement of the particles, as
nature arranged them, some substances
may become valuable property; but in a q
substances must be changed, and thus
be adapted to use, before the property
quality attaches. The property quality
may be annihilated. But, as neither Of
the old parties changed the form of ma
terial substance in the possession of the
people, we again object to the word an
initiated. Let the truth be stated in
exact language. Many of our dear fol-
lowers on earth are rendered very un-
happy by not understanding their re-
lations. Many of them have often been
led into the most vile heresy by ambig-
uous terms"
"We admit that forms have not been
changed, neither have the relations of
means to ends been changed by the old
parties, hence, in that sense of the term
property has not been 'annihilated;' but
the people have not so much of it, do
not receive so much in exchange for 1t
as they used to, and the laborer has but
little" interposed No. ID.
No. / continued: "The remarks of
No. IA involve several points, and points
not so Intimately connected that one
may be readily inferred from the other.
That people desire to possess certain
things is no evidence that those things
are not in existence; that people do not
possess as much Of certain kinds as they
formerly did, is no evidence that the
seeming deficiency is not more than
counterbalanced by something else. If
the actual possessions of certain indi-
vidual are less than they were formerly,
it is evidence of one of two things:
either he has disposed of part of his
possessions, and strengthened his title
to the remainder, or he has made bad
use of his time and talents. This latter
is not within the province of the Gods
to remedy, since man is free agent
When former possessions are compared
with present possessions, few things
are to be considered in the connection.
Were the former possessions absolute?
To the extent for which they were not
paid, they were but the prospect of pos
sessions; as far as paid for they were
real, Many are rendered miserable by
comparing present real possessions with
former possessions which were then
quite prospective. That the exchange
value is not so great as formerly, may
be more imaginary than real. Suppose
man to build house 40x40 feet,
measured by the present standard, each
floor will contain 1000 square feet. He
is satisfied, To meet some contingency,
suppose the law to reduce the standard,
and call six inches foot; his house is
now 8Ox8O feet, and each floor contain
ing G, 400 50. feet. By this new unit, sup
pose a second person to build house
4Ox4O feet. Each floor of this house
contains 1000 square feet, new measure.
In the process of time the unit is re-
stored to its former length. The first
man is reduced to his original 800 feet,
while the second one is reduced to 400
square feet. Yet through all these
changes of units, the dimensions have
remained the same"
But what about their value?" asked
No. Z. Suppose the first house to have
cost at the rate of 81 per 50. it., $1,000;
at the same rate, under the new unit,
the house would have been worth sc, 400.
At the rate Of 81 per square foot, the
second house cost 81 900. At the same
rates, when the original unit is again
reached, the first house is still worth
81 1900. and the second $780,"
"What of the effect?" asked No. II.
The effect, if both houses were paid
for when they were built, is but in name.
They have the same property; change
of unit changes but the name. If the
second house was not paid for when it
was built, but must be paid for now, un-
der the old unit, the owner has lost
81 200, as he agreed to pay 81 per foot,
calling one-half linear foot, a foot;
that IS, he agreed to pay 81 600, when
e-fourth of dollar was considered
one dollar. Now, when dollar is
dollar, he must pay four-fourths of a
dollar, as the contract called for so ma
ny dollars without regard to the unit.
What is the cause of this ruin? If the
first man paid for his house when he
built it, and held it through all the
changes, he lost nothing. True, at one
time his house was worth Sc, 400, when
quarter of dollar was called dollar.
If, upon looking back upon former
times, he become little insane, or Of
fce-struck, he might reason thus: my
house cost me 81 900; at one time it was
worth $1,000. and now it is worth the
original 81, 800. Contraction has caused
me to lose $4,8OO. In his insanity he
compares number without regard to the
kind of unit by which these numbers
are measured; as if a man possessing
81 900 should exchange it for 6,400
quarter dollars, and then exchange again
for dollar pieces, giving him 81 900, and
then reason: I am now worth 81 800; |
was worth 64OO quar-no-d -do-dol
-dollars-dollars' This kind of rea-
soning has financially ruined Ben But
Ter, and nothing short of the highest
Office within the gift of the people can
ever bring him prOsDeritv The second