The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1881-05-12
LIME SPRINGS, MAY 9th.

Through the columns OF your paper,
l would like with your permission to
inform the people Of Howard county
that still survive the crushing de-
feat OF last fall and continue to he
the same aggressive irrepressiblc,
noisy old Greenbackcr, always po-
litically with 4 chip OH my shoulder.
/ will cndeavor to circumscribc my
self and not try the patience OF your
self and readers with Il long article.
but would like to have u bit or 4
chat with them on the subject OF
values. As reflect on this subject,
it appears to me that there Is vast
amount OF error and false reasoning
on the question. The majority Of the
people appear to entertain the i'm
preston that gold is the central flg-
ure and base Of all calculations OF
values. It is made the standard and
measure Of oil values for other things
for the reason as claimed, that 1t con-
tains real absolute intrinsic value.
equal to its nominal or legal value,
and people cling tcnaciously to this
idea, Notwithstanding tho fact that
the amount Of gold in the legal dol
lar or pound has been repeatedly
changed. In support Of this theory,
VIC are pointed to the long ages OF
the past in which 1t has been used
and regarded as such standard and
measure, and the millions Of people
who SO regarded and used It. We
are told that this long and almost
universal use has sanctiiled It for
this purpose and established Its
supremacy beyond all controversy.
That it is cnthroncd, and is monarch
OF allin practice that it is Gods or
as the Rev. Col. Ingersoll puts It,
"Natur's money" and VIC must keep
our sacrilcgious hands off it. Now
it requires no very profound thought
or study to sec how this idea, the
twin OF the idea OF the divine right OF
Kings, was planted in the human
mind, and has been watched and
guarded by its high Priests ever
since. And Iclaim that its growth
has been watcrcd and nourishcd by
the sweat, tears AMI blood OF the
toiling millions in all the ages, past
and present. And I further claim
that this idea Of making gold the
standard and measure Of all values
on account Of its alleged intrinsic
value although a fine theory for a
few is erroneous and has really little
or no foundation in fact. Now Sir,
submit the following as proposition
that cannot be successfully contro.
vcrtcd; that the real absolute intrin.
sic value OF any substance or thing
whatever depends on its ability by
reason Of its own substance ano
qualities OF ministering to the pleas
urcs, and supplying the wants O
man, and any substance or thing an
! innate or inananate, that will not il
some degree meet these require.
mcnts, possesses no intrinsic value Il
all. Testing gold in this cruciblc
we find it shrinking largely in value
True it ministers to some extent Il
/ the pleasures Of mankind in tho WI,
Of ornamcntation is to limited OK
tent useful in the arts and sciences
can perhaps be drawn into fine
wire or beaten into a thinner shce
than any othr substance, but it ncsc
has and never can by virtue OF it
own qualities supply any ono actua
want Of the human family. Under
stand l am not speaking Of its lega
or fiat value, as money but Of rea
value. Our advocates OF Gold rs til
only money will assert that the ref
value Of thing depends on the cos
OF its production and that tho %,
grains OF gold in the dollar is actual
~ worth a dollar for the reason thu
) it takes q dollars worth OF labor I
!, procure it. Well this may be true III
commercial sense but then the GO:
OF production is not the true mcasul
Of the value Of a thing. It is usefu
ness that tests actual values. Man
times large amount OF labor is c,
g pended in the production Of IN art
: Gle that is Of no value, 50 far rs III
? is concerned. Now / do rot assc
! that gold is not good money, for il !
5 but do cmphatically assert that 4
J money, whether gold, silver, cope
: nickle or paper is simply and pure
! a creation Of lnc and depends Il
!, its value rs Il medium OF exchane
: (and it is nothing elsc) on legal q
:. actments. But right hero I mu
Q remember my promise to not wri
y long article. / will continue Il
u subject ut some future time.
I'll Respectfully
2 w. +. DANIELS.