People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1893-09-08

eSS--break the money
free silver coinage"
some basis OF gold or silver held in re-
serve to secure its redemption, are
grossly ignorant, to say the least, OF
the : true nature and function OF
money. Money, in the function it per-
forms, is merely tool or implement
OF trade. 1t is laber-saving device
by which the labor and expense of a
barter exchange is avoided. In its
nature, it is a certificate OF credit, en-.
titling its holders to just as much of
any species of goods as he may elect
All that is necessary is a certainty
that the credit will be honored. That
certificate may be stamped uron a
piece of metal. 1t adds nothing 10 the
value OF the credit to make the certif-
cate itself expensive. A yard-stick is
a tool used in buying and selling cloth.
1t would be quite as rational for men
to make yard-sticks Of gold or silver,
when wood or tape-line would
serve the purpose as well or
better, as to- make their money
of the same. material But
for the government to decree
that adj obligations shall be paid in
gold or silver coin, is like decreesnp
that all yard-sticks shall be made of
these metals. The gold in the coin
would bear the same relation to the
things bought with it, as the gold in
the yard-stick would bear to the cloth
measured by it The fact is, that the
metal coin Is a relic Of more barbara
age. 1t is wholly unsuited to the pres
ent Notes Of hand, checks, bills of
exchange, and all other evidences OF
credit are simply money, and depend
wholly for their value upon the GER
tainty of their being honored AL.
most anything can serve as money.
Only a few years ago street-car tickets
passed current in Chicago as money
in small amounts, notwithstanding
there was a law expressly forbidding
such use of them. Now, if merchants
need yard-sticks, or any other line OF
business or trade needs tools, they will
provide those tools in such quantity
and kind as best suit their needs If
they are allowed TO do so. Any inter.
ference by outsiders must act as a
hindrance and not a help. And Just
SO, II the business interests OF the
country are in need OF a circulating
medium to carry on that business
they are the ones of all others best cal.
eulated to provide that medium. 1t is
only because they have not done So
but have left It to schemiug politi-
clans and bankers having interests
.antagonistic to their own, that they
now suffer.
Among the farmers there is 4 de.
mand for government loans at . per
cent interest on the security of their
farms and products. But what is
much better, let. them form associa.
tions of this kind, with such business
men OF their towns as they wish to,
and then establish exchange relations
with other associations in the cities.
SO that their certificates OF credit will
circulate generally and buy all that
they want, which will give them
money without any interest at all
and without waiting TO force these
concessions from unwilling politicians
and money mongers They do not
need to wait to get control of the gov.
eminent before they can get much
better, even than their subtreasury
scheme.
OF course the bankers will set IN
howl, because it will divert Just SO
much grist from their mill. But there
is no cause for alarm. The plan is
perfectly practical, as themse YES have
repeatedly demonstrated. We have
only to learn the lesson which they
have taught w. IL VAN ORyUM.
Chicago, Ill.