Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-09-30
FROM JUDGE MCKAY.

to place himself upon a plane so high
that it would be impossible for anyone
TO set foot upon him.
suppose il is astonishing to republi-
can politicians to see judge enter the
Office OF newspaper like the INDEX,
which is engaged in discussing govern
mental affairs in a statesmanlike man
| ner; but. if were to be found crawling
into the back window of whisky Joint,
l suppose a republican senate would
find no grounds of impeachment IN that.
hold 1t to be the imperative duty of
every American citizen to study and
discuss governmental affairs, and he
who does not do so is a poor citizen of
his country, at best.
Mr.. McNeal seems greatly disturbed
over the term fux, and well he NAV be
if the attendant symptoms are as he
describes them, for any reputable ply
stefan will say that the death of the pa
tent is imminent.
trust shall not be held responsible
for the limited education or the pruri-
ent imagination of my opponent, and
for his benefit will refer him to the
definition of the term ''flux" in any
standard work.
The Peoples party follow the teach
ing OF the school of John Stuart Mill,
and ifMr. McNeal cares to read his work,
he will find the following principle laid
down: ''If the whole money in circula-
ton was doubled, prices would be doub-
led. If it was only increased one
fourth, prices would rise one-fourth.
The very same effect would be produced
on prices if we suppose the goods dimin-
ished instead of the money increased;
and the contrary effect If the goods
were increased or the money diminish
ed. So that the value of money-all
other things remaining the same-var-
les inversely as its quantity" And we
find that Crawford, Hunter, McCulloch,
Fauchet, Smith, Ricardo, Jevons and
all standard writers on political econo-
my, agree upon this proposition.
Statements made hastily in news
party, and yet if the quotation from the
INDEX of Sept. I'd is not correct, it is
much nearer the truth than newspaper
statements usually are. Anything
which the law compels creditor to re-
ceive from the debtor in payment of his
debt, is legal tender.
I had supposed that the burden of
proving proposition was resting upon
those affirming it, but it seems that Mr..
McNeal intends to reverse the process
and compel the negative to disprove his
assumptions.
The Liverpool market has been the
rallying cry Of the democratic party,
and it seems strange that lifelong re-
publican, like Mr.. McNeal, should at
tempt to use it in political argument;
however, suppose, since it is thought
to be the proper thing for the republi-
cans to form reciprocity clubs we may
trade arguments frequently. Before it
would be necessary for me to disprove
the proposition that the Liverpool mar
ket controlled the price of our surplus
product, 1t will be incumbent upon Mr..
McNeal to prove the proposition. l
have given no figures; simply quoted
those given by Mr.. McNeal, and it de-
wolves upon him to prove them to be
correct; then 1 will reply. If the gen.
tleman desires to examine the effects
of an irredeemable paper currency up
on laboring people, invite his care
full attention to the decision of Frank
lin upon this subject.
He says: ION the whole, no method
has hitherto been formed to establish
a medium of trade, in lieu of coin,
equal in all its advantages to bills of
credit, founded on sufficient taxes for
discharging it, or on land security of
double the value for repaying it at the
end of the term, and in the meantime
made general legal tender. The ex-
perience of now nearly hal1 century
in the middle colonies has convinced
them of it among themselves by the
great increase Of their settlements,
numbers, buildings, improvements,
agriculture, shipping and commerce;
and the same experience has satisfied
the British merchants who trade thith-
er, that it has been greatly useful to
them, and not in any single instance
prejudicial. If carrying out all the
gold and silver ruins country, every
colony was ruined before it made paper
money; but, far from being ruined by
it, the colonies that have made use of
paper money have been, and are still in
thriving condition"
This testimony ought to be enough
to satisfy even Mr.. McNeal, that gold
and silver are not necessary to the pros
perity of any nation.
II at any time strolled off, it was
owing to the fact that Mr.. McNeal led
in that direction.
The gentleman's explanation of why
our manufacturers sell goods in foreign
markets cheaper than the same class
of goods is sold on the home market,
reminds one of the German butchers
explanation to the farmer. The farm
er had some fat steers to sell, and the
German was trying to buy them. Tie
farmer told the German that his Offer
was too low, but the German declared
that his offer was already one-half
cent per pound too high. and that he
would lose just that much per pound
by the trade. Well, said the farmer.
If you are losing money on the trade |
DO not want you to take the cattle. !"
But" said the German, Il must have
those steers. for have bought another
farm this morning, and / must make
money to pay for It." To the COM
mon man it will always be mystery