The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1894-12-05
SOUND
Money Is What Prof. Shacklett
Wants As a Circulating
Medium.
A Money Which Will Supply the
Human Wants, Whether It Has
The Fiat Of the Govern
ment or Not.
He Calls J. n. A. Down to Business
And Wants a Bill of Particulars.
Generalities Don't Go, Especially
With The GoId-B Bugs.
NOW WE BEGIN TO LEARN SOMETHING.

Mr.. EDITOR My friend j. H. A. pre-
tends that he can not understand my
proposition, yet he is SO full Of talk that
he goes on to make a number of state
ments which 1 suppose he calls argu-
ments, without scintilla OF evidence to
prove their truth. 1t seems to me that
before we enter upon a discussion it
would be well to agree upon some one,
two or three points on which we differ,
and then we can intelligently arrive at
conclusion. But If we go on in a ram
bling and incoherent way, with nothing
in particular and everything in general
before us, we can never hope to arrive at
a conclusion, and we both would claim
the victory and no one would be con-
WINGED.
If my friend, 81. II. A., is honest in
his purposes, and really desires that the
truth come out he will agree to some
point of difference and then discuss it.
We ought to find the points on which
we disagree, and discuss these, and not
take up time and space in discussing
points on which there is no disagree
ment.
My friend says that all money is fat
and that any article with the govern
ment stamp upon it has money value.
Now desire him to affirm that any arti-
Gle without value and without any con-
dition of redemption in anything Of value,
is, when stamped by the government as
legal tender, good money, and will do
the money work in this government I'M
der all conditions. Is 81. II. A." ready
to affirm that the fiat of the government
is all that is necessary to make any arti-
Gle good money, regardless Of its intrinsic
or commercial value? II so the govern
ment by its sovereign fiat can confer
value upon worthless piece of paper,
for he says in former article that: 'Thus
Government may put its royal or sover-
eign stamp upon paper affixing its mon
ey value"
II the government by its stamp can
confer value upon a worthless piece OF
paper, it can give ten billions OF such
pieces value, and as it is only the work
of moment, to stamp many millions OF
this paper, it would be great and be-
Inefficient act of our government to stamp
a few million for each man, women, and
child and distribute it among the calam-
ity howlers OF this country and thus per-
NIT them to pass their days in luxurious
ease and respondent show. 81. H. A."
desires to discuss the respective merits
OF the Democratic and Peoples parties.
l should think that this would be
difficult matter; for no man, living or
dead, can tell what political party be-
lieves or teaches. The politicians will
meet and declare in favor OF "Tarif for
Revenue Only" and in favor OF obi
metalism" and the Congress elected by
this party will give the country protect
ion and single gold standard
How then could we discuss the prin-
ciples OF such partyP
1t may be that we could discuss the
principles Of the Peoples party for there
was not enough Of that party lett after
Nov. 9th, TO disagree among themselves.
Let us take some great principle on
which we disagree and discuss that.
My friend holds that thing has value
because IL is stamped by the govern
ment as legal tender. Nothing could
be farther from the truth.
Let us see what gives thing value
and what law governs the amount OF that
value.
First thing has value because 1t sup
plies human want or has power in ex-
change. Whatever fails to do this is
without value.
Tobacco at one time in this country
was valueless, because men did not want
1t, but when they learned to use IL in
coloring, smoking, chewing and the like,
value was then conferred upon it. Now
ii is one OF the great staples OF this coun-
try and brings annually TO the farmer
vast sums.
Tomatoes in the memory Of people
now living were without value, but acres
OF these are now annually produced, can
ned and sent TO all parts OF the country
for consumption. Why this ? because
men have learned that these supply a
want, and have power in exchange and
hence have value. Why are men not
now engaged in digging. shipping and
marketing the roots of blackjack trees 2
Simply because these do not supply
human want and hence. have no value.
So money stamped by the government
~ legal tender has value whenever u