The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-12
SEATTLE, FRIDAY. JULY Ie.
sHRISKAGE IN VALUES.

few days ago the Observation-Disclosures
ciiblished very remarkable interview
with Paul Mohr II dealt with the present
hard times. but in a manner entirely diff
fering from that OF most observers.
Wealth, said Mr.. Mohr. must be created:
all wealth is but concealed labor-an ac-
eumulation of that surplus part OF the
collective labor Of the community which is
not expended in dts own maintenance and
renewal II is irite enough. but II lays
the foundation for his argument. I'VE.
and I among the rest. thought we had
discovered a short cut to fortune by capt.
talixing the labor OF the hundreds OF thou
sands not yet hereby clothing ourselves
in the skin OF a bear not yet killed. Until
tho class which liz engaged In the creation
of true use Values such as farmers.
miners, etc. increases ats collective ca
pacity for the production OF wealth. It is
difficult to SEQ how we are going TO have
what Is called better times"
This interview should be read in con-
junction with one had with Fl. c. Mcneil.
aIe says he came 20 Seattle In ISIS with
a very indefinite idea OF values. He pro-
posed 20 sell piece OF land on Pike and
Front streets. and would have taken 5000.
but he was offered and took $4,000. lie
sought apprasemont of other land and
WAS amazed. He asked how land could
be appraised at such high figures and was
told. at doesn't matter why; Il is worth
that amount because somebody was will
sng 10 give that for tt
Now" he adds. things are different"
Those who bought land at such prices did
81 because they thought they could make
more by selling again. Some sold at an
advance and made money; others held
on and stili have the land.
Throughout the world gold may have
advanced in value: but In many parts OF
this country It Is not so much the advance
OF the gold as the return of land values To
normal conditions which causes the an
parent divergence. The man who paid in
1855. sso.eo for a piece OF land for which he
could not get $4,000 now owes the differ
ence less to the enhancement OF gold than
20 the absence OF man willing TO give
she higher price. The land was worth no
more at that time than this. but there
were people I'm those days who believed n
was. and now they know better As Mr..
Nohr says. we were capitslizing the labor
81 the hundreds OF thousands not yet here.
We believed then that IN i've years this
city would have a population of 10000.
They have not come. When they DO come
they viii bring men who will believe that
the land viii be worth more than 70 was
I'm iSS and VIII no deuh, nay more for Il.
But the shrinkage IN values is not due
solely TO advance IN the price or gold. I, Is
duo 20 the fact that the man who paid SO -
GO in isss was mistaken in his judgment Of
she value or the land. The land vas prob
ably not paid for n gola. hus with n
cheek-the question OF gold. silver or cur
rency cut no figure IN the price paid then.
nor woula q now The owner would no
doubt take ssaeeo IN silver for II. and n re
Ola he would receive 'ust as much sor #
as II he were paid in gold.
This seems simple enough. We all know
81. but We have forgotten H. Instead Of
hooking 10 perfectly natural causes fer the
shrinksse IN values lying right AZ our
doors. We seciS for them away back in ''the
crime os -" ard afsr of tn tho irnarsn-
ary schemes and plots ~ syniica,es.
Hard times and good times arc not tbs
creation OF sentiment; they are due 70
logical sequences. Ne have reeA M
doubt. ~ a better monetary system. and
h,-metsllism has. 50 far. the bes, 81 the
argument. But. after all money IS oaly
the grease or the commercial machine. no,
abe motive power