The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1893-07-25
THE MONEY QUESTION.

IL might DC BOOu ScHelhS lOi "OiiS
conservative member Of congress, at
the coming special session, to have
John Ruskin's admirable and philosoph
ical work on Political Economy, "Mu
nera Pulveis," Incorporated In speech
on the currency, and published in the
Congressional Record as Bellamy's clev
er but chimeracal book was last year.
It would serve as public educator,
IL nothing else; and, when one comes
to think of It the educated mass Of
the American people is the court of
last resort on this and every other
question Of public policy and projections
AS a fountain can never rise higher
than It's source, so the enactments Of
congress are, in the long run, simply
reflections of the popular will.
The work Of Rusldn's here referred
to is q mine of polltico economic mug
gets, and The Astorlan Is only Sorry
that II cannot absolutely reproduce the
work; but the following brief excerpts
will be comprehensive; and, mayhap
serve as so much food for reflection as
will get more than one reader into
right thinking ON the most perplexing
problem of modern government,
1t is well to start right. Speaking of
John Stuart MILL and his theories, Mr.
Ruskin quotes that supposedly unas
sailable writer as follows:
Mill says that every one has a no
tlon sufficiently correct for common
purposes, Of what Is meant by wealth."
There Is not one person In ten thous
and who has u notion sufficiently cor
rect. even for the commonest purposes,
of what is meant by wealth." still
less OF what wealth everlastngly Is,
whether we mean It or not; which Is
the business Of every student of econ
omy to ascertain.
But" Mr.. Ruskin retaliates, "IIe
knew better; he knew that some kinds
Of wealth consisted in the possession or
power of obtaining Luxurious food and
handsome clothes; but having, in the
studies OF his life, no clue to the
principles of essential value he was
compelled to take public opinion as the
ground of his science; and the public,
of course. willingly accepted the notion
Of a science founded on their opinions.
The modern political economists
have been, without exception, Incapable
Of apprehendlng the nature of intrinsic
value of ALL
That way Hes the remedy. Erroneous
speculatlons and faulty theories put
into practice can never lead to right
results. Political Economy is in reality
nothing more than the Investigation of
some accidental phenomena of modern
commercial operations nor has 1t been
true IN It's investigation even OF these,
The only thing to do Is to point Political
Economy the direction In which II
should properly go; In other words, lay
down correct foundation for the
structure of popular education and
will; and, then, 1t must follow that
actions consequent on correct conclu
slons win be salutary and beneficial
The essential thing, according to RuslSin
lies In appreciation of the subject and
in logical definitions being used. The
elementary propositions OF reasoning
being wrong, only wrong conceptions
may result. so, he Is careful in laying
down his premises He points out, ir
the beginning. that wealth." money
ana "r4ches" are not synonymous. For
says he;
wealth consists Of things in them
selves valuable; money Of documentary
claims to the possession OF such things
and riches is relative term. expressing
the magnitude of the possessions Of
one person or society as compared with
those Of other persons or societies.
This topic. not only interesting but
vital, cannot be discussed. or com
pressed in column or two; therefore