Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-01-14
Government Can Only Hake It's Issues
Redeemabk In Value.
WE-BLOOD OF TRADE AND COMMERCE.
Power In Busipess Point Of View and III.
iecs ON = hose who Control It--A
Tyrant and "a Friend.
written for the DIspatch)


fact is plain iu the physical. moral and
intellectual world. and effects The cohesion
81 the human family. He has made as all
traders 10y nature 10 give a2d take
and commerce is the very condition OF
our existence. Free trade is the first law
CT civilization. tho true meaning OF Che
ScripturM idea OF having all things in
common. Exchange or interchange covers
Tbs business o. social llfe ST. commodities
in IDEAS. ia affections. Souls make their
Exchanges b. q thousand manifestations.
Of which language 10 perhaps the most
common Mud AN this human currency
has a value Of its own that fits St for It's
Office and bcspeaks the character Of IT'S
source. By thy words thou shalt be just!-
ned. and by Thy words thou shalt be con-
demned
In the world OF matter money. tie ne
eessary medium OF exchange was pro-
viled for nj the creation. Purity, sound
ness beauty. and limit in supply were
tho requisites OF money. And sold as the
standard. with silver as subordinate.
was wisely adapted for commercial man.
Gold tried IN the fire Is the type the origi-
nal ~ ideal money beautiful. valuable
receiving and holding its stamp. and bear
Ing on Ns face It's credentials, 10 IS ac-
cep'cI as the most honorable figure Of
he highest ana traest manhood.
CAN'T MAKE MONEY.
Government cannot make money. Its
ii.hcst duty IS 10 imprint its acknoT-
l..iIu.nt md stamp Of the hneness and
weight % fits coinage. Government can
10 more make money than 1t can make
wisdom ana character. II can confer Il
name and title; but 1t cannot make an
honest man or g. statesman. The best
rnat q government can do H. to make
issues redeemable I'm value, as It backs
.lh an .ts powers the acts and contracts
Of its officials. Tor money it may
mobilize is powers and wealth and credit
but It's issues must be like the words of
Cd true man. backed by truth and re-
de,mable IA unQusstioned facts and
values. IN actual ana real money. 70
use the power ~ government. TO give
currency TO what is essentially worthless
neither rele.mabie in coin nor valuable
1r Itself and compel its reception either
in exchange FOR good things or In dis
charge II an honorable obligation, is the
highest OK rcise Of tyranny burlesqIe
4 law. In q republic il would be- tho
dircst travcsty Of freedom, mere desIo-
tism IN the name OF liberty. IL would
te 10 proclaim vice I'm the place Of viz
tue and lying and cheating In the place
OF trust and honesty up, vanity; down,
royal Srter The issue would be as
chan; tho effort Idle and disgracefuL
HARD TO ESTIMATE
II is hard 70 estimate the extent of the
Cvil OF dcbascd and unreliable cur
rency il is Ike poisoned blood in our
bodies: Il IS like lying and deceit I'm gene
81 INT candy and
shifting foundation TO a building OF bad
mortar ia a house: an unsafe vessel;
broken tooth: or a foot oIt of joint Tn
certainty under all circumstances, hCgcts
fear and bcwildcrment and confusion and
weakness. No man can walk with amy
satisfaction on waVeriug support or
chew on a broken tooth. Bad mortar
means a collapse; insure foundations
cause n fall; want OF character leads 10
failure ahl strife and dcpravity; and
poisoned or diluted blood results in vast
ing and weakness and death. And a de-
based currency is fruitful of distrust and
fraud. OF general degradation, and com
mon ruin. on the other hand a sound
currency IS the lfc-blood Of trade. COM
mcrce. and business prosperity. The
mOney OF a community Is largely the Index
or manifestation Of the character, prin-
ciple. and tone Of its social lfc Sound
reliable and equitahl'. and wcil-rcEulatei
Il means good faith and justice among
men. II is embodied or realized faith. 10
il in the business world. the substance
OF things hoped for and the evidence Of
things unseen. II Is. like faith, aa4accu-
tate measure. a representative Of good
and valuable things, and a valuable thing
itself
IT Is POWER.
IT answers all things. II is n storage of
purchasing power. II Is generalized
Value. 1t is ike good. healthy blood in
the physical system; firm foundation 20
u building, good morter in a structure;
pure air ana wholesome water. Fine gold
s. the acceptable type Of unquestioned
and enduring value and true riches. An
the offices that such figures represent IN
the general worll. a sounl, sure currency
1Clhils In the world Of trade commerce,
and general business. 1t il their best and
sCrCst foundation; their Cicuent In which
hey I've and move and have their being.
Tainted. n H. an asphyXiating atmos-
pktre II kills. Faithful and true, its work
IS peace; ITS effect quietness and ASST
alec.
Mercy. as generalizcd value. "a measure.
n representative, a vehicle Of value, and
itself enduring value, Is POWER m
dustry. skill. intelligence. self-reliance,
every merit and active virtue, invests its
exercises and labors In sound money rs
the representative vehicle, measure, and
rcpo STORY Of their worth. their fruit.
their ASSURANCE. In money. the value and
power OF their labors and exercises and
business are stored, accumulated. and
made available.
ITS MYSTERIOUS FORM.
And yet there Is strange mystery
about this thing money. Wealth assumes
many shapes. and is embodied In many
forms of property but the larger part
OF what is known as money Is an imagin-
tiOn--an abstraction. 1t never takes II own
form or body For the larger part OF Il.
AZ never takes the form Of actual cur
rsncy. OF either gold. silver. or notes.
Its existence Is confined to debts and
credits and records, and II passes from
pne 10 another by word OF mouth by
rhecks and evidences. and signs, OF one
sort or another. IL is suggestive Of
Electricity. that makes its exchanges over
D comparatively small quantity OF wires.
The good faith of the community, the
supremacy of law. the eternity OF justice,
The endurance OF truth. the prevalence
" character. and the stability Of govern
ment and true religion are the founda-
tons OF social life. the guarantees or
necessary conditions Of the safety OF the
Individual, the permauence 81 wealth; the
Assurance OF property, and the value OF
efficiency OF money In ali its forms
and, still farther. this abstraction Ohat
goes for the most real ai1i practical thing
Ing the world takes 1t character ahd
power TO bless or curse from the cha
racter OF its getting. The substance Of
the diNgent Is precious; the grains q
villany are a curse and help 10 consume
their owners. handing down the sins OF
the father TO the third and fourth genera
Sion. Indeed, money IS very dignhed
thing. and, in every point Of view,
most Interesting ana almost endless study.
A. a storage OF value. reward aud repre-
sentative OF service rendered, vehicle
NJ good. valuable and readily con-
vertible thing standing for every good
thing thar Is purchasable IL Is desirable.
in some respects. from a business point
vf view, II Is almighty
WILL NOT TEACH.