The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-11-27
WOMEN WHO THINK.
Profound Discussion Of Interest
Taking by the SorOsis-
SOME BRIGHT IDEAS STRUCK OUT
&C the Last Meeting OF the Club
Other socInI Ne1Fa or the CIty.

The NOvem Der meeting OF the w est
ern Sorosis fulfilled the promise Of in
teresr that had caused several members
to give up one of the most entertaining
thimbIe parties of the season, in order TO
be present
Mrs. III. w. Roby led the exercises by a
paper discussing the rightfulness and
wrOngfulness, from a theological and
economical standpoint, Of Interest Tax
ing She recited series Of Scripture
texts regarding the fate of the man that
lends money at interest, declaring that in
forty years church going, she had never
heard minister discuss those texts. 50
she would follow the Instincts of her
Quaker blood, and moved by the spirit
y Guild speak right out in meeting. Then
she skipped from Moses and the prophets
all the way to Charles Gleed. Senator
PETER, a. w. Bennett J. x. Hudson and
others, and said that those gentlemen as
well as Moses had asserted that interest
was the sorest burden under which this
unfortunate country has TO stsgger. She
proved cOnclusiveIy that compulsory pay
the misery and restitution aud associated
charities in the L nited States.
Mrs. Roby said. "A passage from
Nehemiah 5-5-.-10 reads like an e1-
tract from a modern political platform.
some also said we have mOrtgaged our
might buy corn. We have borrowed
money for the kings tribute upon our
lands and vineyards, and 10, we bring
into bondage our sons and our daughter
to be servants, neither is it in our power
to redeem them. for other men have our
lands and vineyards
Nehemiah bordering these things,
Observes And / was cry angry and re
buked the mobiles and rulers and said.
y e exact usury every one Of bis brother
Ought ye not 10 walk in the fear Of our
God, And then concludes some what
tamely' I pray you let US leave of this
usury.
Mrs. Roby continued: Interest today
IS the sOrest burden under which cur
country has to struggle, and the burden
which causes, according to some of these
writer's, the want Of confidence which lies
ring financial panics. we are ready to ex-
claim with che ancient sage There is
nothing new under the sun Let me
quote A ". Benefits succinct state
ment. The borrowed capital Of the
country claims more remuneration than
the country can produce. Every dollar
invested ia business claims return
called interest Every dollar represent
ing debts unpaid claims a like return.
This must be paid out of the production
Of each year and from each years pro
duct men must be fed and clothed and
sheltered There is not wealth enough
TO meet all these obligations and the
business of the world must go
into the hands of receiver
every now and then 50 that a new start
ia business may be made. On examina-
ton we fnd that we are paying interest
on about fifty billion dollars Of the ma
lions wealth, at an average rate Of SIX
per cent We have then an average
yearly interest Of three billion dollars. a
sum which more than absOrbs the entire
e 7sH.
United States This average yearly ia
crease for the last ten years has been a
little over TWO billion dollars leaving US
in ten years eight billion dollars in debt J
Fortunes go on pI1'ng up under the laws
Of interest and the couatry has a panic,
becomes bankrupt every twenty years.
Men realize that The business of the
world cannot pay its debts. and
therefore, lose confidence. The business
Of the country goes into the hands Of
receiver in order to straighten out
its accounts and begin anew. This is tn g
only way n which the great bulk of
business men can get new start Cred
itOrs are obliged TO take part of their
claims, as there IS not enough t. pay the
whole. Debts are Cancelled and a new
start j. made The wealth is lent out
az ain, interest is paid again. until the
burden gets too large and another crash
comes.
If then, as careful men have figured.
the annual interest charges are actually
greater than the annual increase of the
country's wealth. would we not be stupid
indeed and unworthy the right Of sdf-
frage. if we calmly looked upon the
financial ruin of our country every TWEEN
ty years without some attempt TO look a
little deeper and discern It's cuusey
-.Cncs knowing the cause the cure is
half effected
Thus at last, we turn as We did at
first, 10 the book which. while we pro
Tess to revere, we SO frequently ignore,
and realize that the profound contempt
with which we treat its injunctions IS
equalled by that which the mobiles and
rulers bestowed upon it in the times of
and that the same cause
which obliged the ancient Jews 70 sell
their children for bread and taxes Ellis
the cities and towns Of modern America J
with ragged, unshelsered aud starving
poor"
Then followed the discussion It is /
one of the rules of the Sorosis that every
member must particl pate in the discus
sion of the papers
The first member to pull herself to-
rether was Mrs. Whitcomb. the LAWYER
Of the club, who judicially announced
that the Scripture exts didn't count any
way. as in Scripture times people did not
lend money for others to speculate with.
and when it was question of money or
starvation, aud the body Of the debtor
could be holden for debt, the Bible
meant to teach that interest should not
be exacted. that the command forbid
ding usury lost its force sometime in tie
middle ages
Mrs. Roby protested that the man who
held the mirror up to nature somewhere 4
bout 1000 pictured Bassanio a borrow
ing money without interest to cut a dash
and secure pretty girl and her fortune.
f-F, 10rh~ ha cd ..-,1