The Louisiana populist., 1895-06-28

Notwithstanding more complete
monopolization of land and Oppor-
tunities than exists in this country.
If the government were to print
money and pay it out to labor III
producing wealth, as it paid it ont
to the soldier, the degree of prosper
ity would be infinitely greater than
with free coinage of silver, because
money in its first uses would then
be distributed among the masses.
In the same way the free coinage
of silver, to far less extent, will
have the same effect. Ultimately,
however, with either kind of issue,
greenbacks or free silver, the conf
petitive system would in time con-
centrate its control in the hands OF
the few and labor IN the next gene
ration or two ahead of us would
be suffering the same conditions
that we are to-day, even though
the amount of currency per capita
were one thousand dollars.
Some radical reformers believe
that temporary relief granted to
the working classes by the free
coinage of silver, saving from
bankruptcy hundreds of thousands
of merchants and mOrtgaged home
owners, would satisfy the people
with their condition and thus pre-
vent the ultimate result of a cor
rect system. | am one of those
who believe that the stage of edu-
cation of the masses in the ethics
of society or socialism has been
developed to such an extent that
it is not going backwards, and that
if money were to become more
plentiful that thousands and per-
haps millions of people in the
United States, who have studied
these problems during the period
of depression, would simply have
and use more money in their pro-
pagation. Men in want are more
ready to listen to what is termed
calamity howlers," and there will
be plenty of want and plenty of
howlers, whether we have free
silver or not. Education is going
forward and the cooperative COM
monwealth in which the govern
ment will not only issue all money
for value received, but will also
guarantee employment to all peo-
pie who wish it, is coming rapidly.
There never can he equitable
money other than that which is
paid out for wealth created, so
when man shall have produced
800 of wealth, he parts with the
wealth for O certificate of 300
called money, which passes into
circulation. So long as that mon
ey was in circulation it is evidence
that wealth is stored somewhere to
redeem it, and when the wealth
shall have passed out of collective
ownership, is stored in the hands
of the consumer, the 800 certifi-
cate or money passes out of circu-
lation into the hands of the collec-
tive ownership or government and
! is no longer a disturbing factor in
increasing or decreasing the value
of money. In this way the larger
units of any nation would be eter-
nally of the same purchasing pow
er.
Under the present system if there
is million dollars of property
stored and only $500, 900 of money,
then it stands to reason that if
wealth is represented by money
that each dollar has to its credit 81
worth of products, but if only 81
worth of products is given for a
dollar then there is $500, 900 worth
of products for which there is no
medium of exchange and to put it
on the market incurs debt. Under
the cooperative commonwealth
debt, as at present understood,
would be impossible. There would
be no occasion or incentive for
debt and the laws for collection of
debt would thus fall into disuse.
Referring back to the free coinage
of silver, / think it a most excel
lent thing to get people, who 9th
erwisc take no interest in political
questions, to study this phase of
the money problem. 1t is not
solution but palliative, but eve-
ry Investigator Of truth must have
some starting point, and l am sat
isfied that more people have start
ed to learn something about the
money problem from the discus
sion of this silver question and
have gone on to learn the truth