The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1894-10-19
How Can Wealth Be rIore Evenly
Distributed ?

i'll all countries of the christian world.
The socialists contend the only way this
can be accomplished is by placing all the
machinery of production in the hands of
the government Those who are infat-
uated with Henry Georges theory main
tain that by turning over for public use
the unearned increment of land the
object would be attained. While the
vast majority of the population are unac-
quainted with either of these proposed
systems, and the people who fear they
would suffer by such change are found
i'll opposition to either or both, there is
no immediate prospect of a trial of these
systems, while the universal distress of
the producing classes calls for speedy
relief by such means as all are familiar
with. The only means familiar to all is
an increase in the volume of money by
which all business is conducted in our
advanced state of civilization or what is
claimed advanced civilization, though
many doubt the claim of our present con-
ditions as an advanced state, but rather
that of an abnormal development.
We have many evidences in history
that full volume of money is the surest
way to the most equitable distribution of
property that man has yet devised. When
there has been all abundant volume of
money in circulation prices have always
advanced. Those who make a business
of cornering money and specializing i'll it
are rendered powerless to extort large
amount of property from labor by the
offer of a little money, which they have
always had the power to do when money
is scarce. When the volume of money is
large everybody has a much better op-
portunity to get some of it than when the
supply is small and the demand great.
With full volume of money prices of
produce are high, the wages of labor are
high, money is generally distributed
among the people in sufficient amount to
enable cash payments for all labor and
the products of labor. There being little
necessity for creating debts people keep
clear of debt, and its harrassing results,
| together with its consuming interest, are
not felt. Labor is generally employed in
productive industry, more wealth is Gre
ated and more of the comforts of life are
attainable and are enjoyed. All that is
created intended for the comfort of the
people is consumed, because a competent
supply of money has enabled cash pay
ments to be the established rule of bus
mess, and the creators of the wealth are
enabled to keep the greater part of it in
their own hands by holding large
portion of its representative, money in
their hands, till they desire to exchange
it for articles of personal use or con-
sumption.
1t is the small volume of money in cir
culation which is the cause of debt
People who desire to enjoy a reasonable
share of the comforts and necessaries of
civilized society are tempted i'll time of
money famine, to borrow and pledge
whatever property they may have stored
up for rainy day. A continuation of
the same conditions makes it impossible
ever to get release from this debt which
steadily consumes with interest all they
can make and all they may have pre-
viously acquired, while the recipients of
the interest can purchase increasing
quantities of labor's products as the life
and substance of the producers are stead
lily eaten up by debts and interest. The
employers Of labor when money is plenty
cease to employ it when money is scarce.
The ranks of the idle are steadily swelled
and their inability to procure the comforts
and necessities of life soon begins to tell
upon the market by surplus of goods,
and steady fall in prices.
A full supply of money in country
prevents this stagnated condition, and
new enterprises are entered into, which
demand the employment of more 1aborers
and idleness among the working class
disappears. When wages are good and
frugal members of society accumulate
property, without practicing a niggardly
economy, and a greater degree of conf
fort, contentment and happiness is seen
among the people. The human family
advances in times when the volume of
circulating money is sufficient to make
cash payments for all the necessities and
comforts of life in moderation. There is
no danger of a surplus of products-inis
takenly called cover production'-wh
money is plenty, and there is always a
surplus of the necessities of life when
money is scarce. People then starve and
freeze i'll the midst of abundance which is
going to waste for want of consumers.
The reason is plain. A large volume of
money distributes the products of indus
try more widely and more rapidly
among the people who hold this
representative of wealth. The specu-
lators in money cannot control it when
the volume in circulation is large.
They invariably control it when the vol
ume is small. Through their control of
the money, the bulk of the property,
which is the real wealth of the country,
soon finds its way into their hands, while
the multitude have nothing and go hum
CRY and i'll rags. These are precisely the