New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-16

led to suppose that there is quite long distance
between the powers of an ordinary legislature and
the Supreme Being. can conceive that Supreme
Being may possess creative power" ana that
the same power may have been denied 10 'he
highest order Of human beings, even though they
he Members of Congress or Members OF the LeSis-
lature.
THE DICTIONARY Is ALL RIGHT.
Mr.. Sherman also goes far as TO intimate
that the author of "Webster's international
Dictionary" must have been tempered with, De-
cause he gives in that late edition definition Oh
the term fiat money" which comedies with my
views OF that kind of money. and which is not
in the older editions. He even states that the
word interest" has taken the place OF the word
usury" by some sinister effort on the part OF
designing men. Very likely the word usury
may at one time, have had a different meaning
from that it now has IL even may have meant
originally exactly what the word interest now
means 1t came. however. in time to DE USED
only in cases where men charged exorbitant ana
unjust amounts for the use of money AS soon
as the word came to mean that, then there came
n necessity for a word which could be used in
cases where men loaned money at fair ana
honest rate. So the word interest" came into
our language as a matter of necessity, and Just as
honestly as any other word and without the
slightest
The word idiot -,ery many years ago, was
used simply to designate people who were not In
office from those who held public positions 1t
came afterward to be used as a term to designate
the uneducated from the educated people 1t Is
now used to designate unfortunate persons who
are nearly devoid of intellectual powers. Would
Mr. Sherman think that the term private citi
zen is now wrongfully used in place OF the term
" IDIOT when desires to designate people who
are not public officials? / know he would hardly
claim that.
can tell him how it happens that in this later
edition of Webster" this new definition Of
" fiat-money, is given. 1t is because there has
recently sprung up in this country set OF men
(of whom Mr.. Sherman seems to me TO be clear
cut specimen) who themselves gave this denni-
ton to flat-money." After carefully examining
the definition of "fatmoney" given by Mr..
Sherman, I cannot myself possibly see how the
definition given in the " International Dictionary
can be improved. To strike out the word paper
as our correspondent suggests, would leave the
definition incomplete. Mr.. Sherman himself
says he would stop the use Of gold and silver as
money, and of everything else as money which
has any value commodity. After that should
be done, will be be kind enough TO tell me what
kind of money would be possible other than paper
money made of some other article on which the
Government could write, print or engrave this
" new stock which he calls money would be a
necessity. Is not his objection TO the word
paper sort of shrinking from the necessities of
the case, or an effort to get rid of a word which
has come to be somewhat dstasteful TO some peo-
pie in this country? / have no such feelings in
speaking of " gold money or " silver money! and
if | believed in his kind of paper money
thoroughly as he seems to, / would stand right up
TO the rack and rejoice in what would be 10 me
a glorious currency. The Declaration Of indie
pendence' was written first on paper; but that
in no way detracts iota from the beauty or
truthfulness of that immortal document.
IF NOT NATIONAL" THEN WHY MOTT
am surprised that man who seems to me to
possess the power Of thought and observation.
which | am willing 20 accord TO Mr.. Sherman.
could possibly have penned this sentence: Il
cannot that it is any more natural to use
gold and silver as money than it is to use hides,
skins, shells, ivory, cattle, etc.
Pray then, how does it happen that these two
metals have come TO be used as money in every
civilized nation in the world Why arc not hides
and cattle SO used To me. it would he just as
sensible for a man TO say that he did not see why
wheat is used as bread where people can obtain
clothing, in preference to muslin or cheesecloth.
There is such a thing as adaptability in this
world and such adaptability is always in con-
formity with natural laws There are many
things in this world which are as they simply
because, naturally, they cannot we'll be otherwise
FEW PHILosoPHIC REFLECTIONS.
In closing this article, Mr.. Sherman will pardon
me if l again call his attention to the important
point of letting the world know, under his idea
of money, of what he would have the unit of
value" consist. Do not let the matter rest
simply by saying that it should consist of a
dollar The real question that | desire
answered is, OF what would we have the dollar
consist?' To me his answer TO that question
seems vital. With his kind of money how would
Mr. Sherman have the nations settle their balances
with each other? II this " fat money is such
proof of the highest civilization. then all
nations should enjoy its blessings. Would not the
whole business end in return to something
tangible, something which would be agreed upon
as measure of value. and of necessity such value
would depend upon the amount of the substance
in each piece used which could then be mathemati-
cally adjusted exchanged from the unit OF value
in one country 70 the unit Of value in any other
If an account can possibly be adjusted between
any two nations any other plan, VIII MI
Sherman give US the details Of the plan? 1t
is quite possible that | may lack comprehension:
but unless do this whole scheme is an effort 10
do business with the thinrest kind Of moonshlne
for the basis Of operations.
Nor am / TO be driven from my belief because
some one may insist that the use Of gold and
silver as money is )" a relic of barbarism. met
a man the other day who informed me that 10
eat meat is relic Of barbarsm He seemed
honest and very much in earnest. But / expect
to improve every opportunity TO enjoy roast
of beef good steak. or even TO pick the bones
Of a chicken. fried or fricassecd. Notwithstanding
his admonition. For people TO eat each other
does seem to me barbarous; but when one confines
himself 10 beef and pork and mutton, 10 fowl
or fish, or even to oysters on the half she'll there
is 10 me no feeling OF barbarism connected with