Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1880-01-10

and liabilities of the Government.
1t can confer no greater blessing
upon mankind than by banishing
1t from the family Of precious
metals, and declaring It no longer
legal tender. When this Is done,
the holders of our National securi-
ties may take their choice of paw
ment In such gold and silver as
NAV happen to be In the Treasury,
or In the best paper money which
civilization can vouch -safe to the
world TO be issued for payment
OF all future liabilities OF the Gov
eminent and people.
II is time that the fiscal though,
of civilization should take note of
the astounding fact that the an
nuat product Of the precious metals
,oiu not pay the annual interest of
the debs noe resting upon that ciuil-
izutiOn. Ii IL wsll known that the
burthens of government are not
borne by those who hold its
money, but by the labor that Is
swelling the incomes of the few,
to the Impoverished of the
many. Democrats and Republic
cans must give heed to the fact
that political motives will not
control the people when personal
necessities are pressing upon
them.' They are becoming aware
OF the fact mat property Is daily
losing its value, except thatwhich Is
the forih of Government bonds,
and that money, because of its
scarcity, IL now the sole object of
human pursuit. To this low and
degrading condition we have been
brought by monopolists and cor
ruptionists In American politics,
and by insane theorists as to what
constitutes "true money" But
let them take further note Of the
fact that the time Is near at hand
when the country will be no long
er scourged by fiscal idiots, In and
out of the Governmental positions,
1t Is far more important TO the
people of the United States to
know how much money IL In cir
culation among them than to as
certain the number of inhabitants,
and infinitely more important
than many other inquiries referred
10 the Superintendent Of the Cen.
sus. recently addressed letter
to this gentleman, calling his at
tention TO the importance Of this
enquiry, and suggesting practi-
cal mode OF ascertainlng light
upon this subject.
The records OF the Currency De-
partment exhibit the amount of
Treasury notes and National bank
notes which have been issued by
the Government during the last
eighteen years, but there Is no au-
thoritive expositionlof that which
has been destroyed. So as to the
gold and silver coinage, large
portion OF which has been divert
ed by the arts from their functions
as money, or exported or expend- 4
ed abroad. respectfully suggest
ed to the Superintendent of the
Census that he should fix a certain
day. and publish ample notice
thereof, requiring every adult citi-
zen and the officers Of every bank
and ofevery other institution deal
ing in or having the custody of
money, to note the sum and de-
scription of money on hand upon
that day. The inquisitorial feat
ure of the inquiry Is intirely obvi-
ated by fixing day which will be
passed when the census taker
makes his decennial visit. When
the results OF this inquiry are as
certained, IL will probably be de-
veloped that we have less than $l2
per capita, and that eight-tentfIs !.
OF it is in the hands of one tenth
Of our population.
If the Superintendent of the
Census Bureau thinks that the
aims of civilization can be better
achieved by combining his inqui- /,
ries to the enumeration of such
articles of property as hogs, cattle
and bee-hives, he will pay no at
tention to such suggestions, and
he will be supported In the views
by the craftsmanship of the pres
ent Congress.
In conclusion, let me inquire
why 1t Is that the little faithful
band of Greenbackers in Congress ],
have not introduced bill, as
measure OF partial reliefto the
country, for the payment, for the
next two years, of all Government
tai expenditures In full legal ten
der Treasury notes. While there
is little prospect of the success OF
such a measure at this time, 1t
would possess the merit of defin-
ing the statue upon the vital ques-
ton of fiscal reform of our mod
ern Democracy.
JAMES M. LAIDLEY,