The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1893-11-02
Honest Money.

posed great men on the floors of con
gress We hear great deal now a-days
aboat "honest money" These stereo
typed sentences and sentiments are
taken up and echoed and re.echoed
from every cross roads, and by the
country press. Did you every stop
to think what is honest money? Not
honest money in the term generally
accepted by the politicians, but in its
true and only sense. Webster defin-
es "honest" to mean fair dealing with
others; free from trickishncss and
fraud; acting. and having the disposi-
ton to act, at all times according to
justice or correct moral principles; up
right: just.
| Accepting this definition of the
term, would 1t not be fair and just to
both the creditor and the debtor for
the later to liquiiate his debt in mon
ey Of the latter same purchasing
power that it possessed ut the time
the debt was contracted. This, es-
pecially in view of the fact tha: the
debtor has paid rent GntercsU for the
use OF the money. That would be in
reality Honest Mone;." But in the
sense rs used by the politician and
OUT congressman and president,
Honest Money" is snare and de-
luslon used for the sole purpose OF
misleading and deceivinS the people
as to the functions and purposes OF
money. They mean by ''honest mon.
ey" that the material used for money
must, as commodity, possess one
hundred cents worth of value to the
collar Now go back aud see how
much OF the Indebtedness of this
country was contracted with 4 money
that was worth comparatively moth,
ing as commodity, but rs money,
possessed legal worth Of 100 cents
on the dollar. II then, rs is an east
~ demonstrated fact, our debts were
contracted with II currency possess
ing little or no commodity or intrinsic
value is it not robbery to contract our
currency by eliminating silver from
the category of metals that may be
used AS money, thus limiting our sup
ply OF money t. the single metal of
gold or that which might rest upon a
basis.
| This is the most dagrantly dlshon-
est money that could possibly be con-
ceived by the mind of man, in as
much as it creates \ money constant
" approaching in the purchasing
power, to the oppression of the deb.
tor and depression of the business OF
all kinds.
The men who talked loudest and
longest about "honcst money and
demanded that our money shall be
"honest' according to their subsidiz.
cd ideas OF honesty, are in reality the
very men who are advocating dishon.
est money. Dishonest to the debtor
because it causes him to pay in return
more real value than he received
Dishonest to the merchant because ii
reduces the ability of his customers
to purchase his goods and thus cur.
tails and limits his sales, Dishonest
to the manufacturer because It cuts
down the price OF the products OF
those who would buy his wares. and
, in this manner curtails, hampers, and
felters bis trade And il is most in
humanity and ,ntolerab!y dishones,
for the labcring man because it re-
quires him to do two. three, four and
often FIVE times the amount OF labo,
he ought to be required to do to ge,
one Of those Sherman-Clevela I'D
idolized ''honest dollars
No. tue gold dollar alone is not an
honest dollar, nor are the men who
advocate it honest in doing 50. They
vel: know that it will double, treble
aye even quadruple their mortgages
I and other interest bearing securities
while at the same time that it in
creascs the value OF their securities
, it prcpertionately reduces the ability
. Of the debtor to pay his debts.
: Yes. We all want honest money