The advocate and Topeka tribune., 1893-05-31
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE EDITOR
OF THE KANSAS CITY TIMES

Being unable to secure the privilege OF
space in the columns OF the Times thus ad-
dress the editor and such readers Of the Times
who may perchance, happen to see this letter.
GEO. G. WARD.
l have before me the Times Of May 20,
and note that you are kind enough to
devote column Of space to criticism
of gsrblod extract from an article Of
mine, such extract, thus disconnected
from its context, constituting the basis
for perversion and distortion of the
theories and ideas actually held and ad-
vRnCed by me.
In order to proper understanding Of
the theory really in issue, it may be best
to reproduce the paragraph you quote, in
connection with enough Of it's context to
clearly set forth the theory 1 was Rdvo-
eating. Ny language is as follows:
"Why should We not demonetize both
gold and silver and establish a monetary
system under the operation Of which the
money Of the United States would be abso-
lutte legal tender paper currency, based
upon the ideal imaginary unit of value, the
American dollar"
This much you quote, but ] further
said:
''Metallism is delusion and a fraud, and
the single gold standard is the acme of
Satanic deVilishness. Tbe basic fallaoy
upon which is built the temple Of the money
changers is the stupid sophism that "a
measure of value must possess value" Ss-
tanic ingenuity could not have devised
more devilish and sCOursed scheme, or one
so disbolically calculated TO perpstually en-
slave and impoverish the tolling masses,
than has been the inSistent inculcation of
the pernicious fallacy which teaches that
the money standard is Of value, rather than
quantitive, and has taught countless mil
lions Of otherwise sane individuals TO SUBJ
stitute the term standard Of value" for
the term ''unib of account"
/ am sorry to see that you see proper to
dub as socialistic the theories Of those
who twelve and fifteen years ago were
derisively termed "fiat money cranks,"
"rag baby lunatics" and absolute money
idiots;" especially when 1 remember
that, in those days, the Kansas City
Times was radical and fearless advo-
cate Of those very theories, while no
longer ago than during the last cam
psign, the Times was so socisistic as to
earnestly contend for the free coinage of
silver.
1t does not appear to me just what
bearing my being, or not beng IAN
avowed socialist" has upon the point in
issue, but il it will help your argument,
you are at liberty to consider me a social |
lst, Of which persuasion /, to a greater or |
less degree, certainly am, favor the
ownership and operation, of and by the |
people whose interests they subssrve, Of |
Bill public utilities, Of all kinds, in cities,
counties, states and nation, and would
ike to see all our cities and towns as
we'll governed as is Glasgow, Scotland,
where they have the best governed city
n the world and where the municipality
'wns and operates almost all utilities
rom the wash houses to the street rail
ways.
would like to sec "use and occu-
fancy" made q prerequisite to q valid
'lsim to the ownership Of land, and
peculative land monopoly, with con-
'omitsnt, monopollsGic rent, destroyed
rom the face Of the earth. / would like