The weekly intelligencer., 1892-04-02
MONEY AND THE TARIFF.
George Wilson'S Sensible Views on
the Two Great Questions.
To the Editor of the IntclIigcncer

To the Editor of the Intclligcncer
LEXINGTON, Mo, March 29.-Jeffer.
sou SAID ne wished that II sea OF nr,
rolled between this country and Eu,
rope. If we were cut off from Europe
we would still live and prosper. But
as long as nature has not cut us off
but rather connected us by the cheap.
est medium of connection known, it is
not well to try to thwart nature. We
manage to get along if we have money
enough, and as long rs we have money
enough, we will continue to do so,
whether the tariff be high, low or not
in existence. We will, of course, oct
along better with revenue tariff, and
there is the basic objection to Il s'pro-
tective" tariff, that it is cOmmunistic
it takes money from one and gives il
to another for no service rendered,
but under pretense of raising revenue.
But if we have not money enough,
prices will be low, whether we have a
protective tariff, n revenue tariff, or
no tariff at all The fewer dollars
there are the more bushels of wheat
and barrels of meat we must give for
them; the more gold and silver there
is for buying and selling and lending,
the more dollars must be given for a
carload of wheat or shIpload OF
meat. That scarce money makes low
prices OF other things, and THAT abun-
dant money makes high prices of COM
modities and real estate, is too well
known to need anything more than a
statement ofthe fact.
Furthermore if we had free trade,
even, with Europe, our farmers would
sell their products, raised by borrow
ing money ut an average of 10 per
cent, for goods produced by manu-
factures with capital borrowed at less
than half that, and the European
agriculturists also have that advantage.
If money were plenty here, our
manufacturers could better compete
with foreign factories, under any kind
of tariff; and their saving on interest
they could divide with the farmer, by
giving him more for produce; with
the laborer, by giving higher wages,
and still be ahead. Under n natural
state of affairs, that is, the using of
our own silver and gold, and n low
tariff, both our farmers and our fac
tories would get the advantage of their
nearness to each other, and Europe
would be at the natural disadvantage
of her distance.
The taking from us of our right to coin
our money metal and to trade rs we wish,
is rs unreasonable and unnatural as the
actions of an absolutist like Emper-
or William in q constitutional govern
ment.
The great mistake of Mr.. Bland's
life was in saying that the tariff ques-
tion is more important than the con-
stitutional coinage question. Senator
makes the mistake of saving
that we will go back to barbarism If we
go back to barter for lack of money.
We Will not 90 back to barter We
will have paper currency, sometimes
good, sometimes worthless, ALWAYS
and, as Webster said,
"the best plan ever invented for en-
abling the rich man to live by the
sweat of the poor man s face The
interest coupon will increase IN pnr-
chasing power from year to year, be-
cause il will call for gold, and gold
viii grow yearly scarcer. If an enor-
nous find of gold were made, the
coupon owners would at once want
law passed that no more should be
coined, or only small amount. This
was done in 1856 by reason of the
scare occasioned by the development
Of the California and Australian gold
mnes.-Editor INTELLJGENcER.
III we had u low tariff it would stimu-
late farming, for it would make prices
higher. But the loans that farmers
would get would come at last from Eu-
rope, for the purpose of the conspiracy
against constitutional coinage is TO
pluck the farmer and divide the feath-
ers between the members of the Inter-
Money Ring. So that Europe
will get out of the farmer as interest rs
much rs the home factory now does.
II every body raised his own meat
and bread, lhere would be no sale for
it. If large number go to mining sill
yer, they cease to raise food, the supply
of it decreases, and the price rises.
Money is best named ''the tool of com
IL is the corner stone of the
modern world of business. No perma-
nent structure of a business world can
exist without all the gold and all the
silver that natures generosity and
mans industry viii give. Saturate the
country with money, the money of the
otherwise reduction of
tariff duties.will be no gain to any one
now oppressed by inordinate tariff
duties. GEO. WILSON.