The Oskaloosa herald., 1893-08-10
CATS AND co WS

The following translation from the
Welsh paper, Columbia" must be read
to be appreciated. It's rich in cats and
logic.
David Davis was a citizen of the
United States, and being possessed of
an inquiring mind had become fairly
well Versed in the politics of his adopted
country, while Evan Evans, who had
left his native hills but few months
prior, was yet novice in American
state craft.
Evans was one day scanning his Welsh
paper for news from his native land
when the words, Free Coinage" as
headlines, occurring frequently, at
tracted his attention. David" said he,
what does this free coinage mean? I
don't understand it," "Well," said
David, at something like this: Once
upon time there lived wealthy man.
His name and residence are immaterial.
Suffice it to know that he was king of
the country, and that wealth and all
other good things were fairly distributed
among his subjects. But the inhabi-
tants of mountainous region of his
kingdom were noted for the number of
cats they raised and possessed. They
beat the world on cats, and they were
besides brave and enterprising peo-
| pie. One day large number of them
obtained an audience with the king and
represented to him that if he would
arrange for the exchange of cats for
COWS and COWS for cats throughout his
entire dominions, head for head, that
cat would become worth as much as a
cow, for the reason that it could be ex-
changed for cow, and that the increase
in the wealth of the nation by reason
of this increase in the value of cats
would be enormous and add largely to
the prosperity and happiness of his
people. And the king (who owned one
hundred millions cows being impressed
with their reasoning at once issued his
proclamation declaring that cats shall
be received in exchange for cows
throughout his kingdonl, head for head,
and Immediately cat became worth as
much as cow, and all the merchants
throughout the kingdom received cats
in exchange for merchandise at the
value of COW, and all debts were paid
in cats in the same manner as if they
were cows, and everything was lovely
and satisfactory TO the people who
raised cats. But after commerce had
frightened and all were pleased with
the conditions, it was noticed that the
kings cat-field was becoming over
crowded while his cow-field was becom-
ing empty in the same proportion, and
he began complaining TO his people say
ing, You will soon have all my cows
and leave me nothing but common cats
In exchange for them But the people
from the mountains answered that a.
cat was worth as much as COW, and
that IL he could find people who wanted
cats he could get cows in exchange for
them. But the king decided to hang
on to his cows by paying his soldiers,
servants, pensioners and laborers with
cats valued as cows; but they com.
planned, and not without cause, for as
soon as the king began to refuse cats
every one else refused them, and they
could no longer exchange cat for q
COW, and the merchants, instead of Civ
ing goods of the value of a COW for d
cat as formerly. now only gave goods to
the value OF cat for s cat, and the
poor laborers received nothing for their
labor but cats, which made them fsri-
Gus, and when the men Of the noun-
tains told them that they could pag
their debts q It'll cats just tbs sanle as #
they we're COW they answered, sRafsF 2