The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-12-04
AN ABLE, SENSIBLE LETTER.
SENATOR RINGDAL REVIEWS CAR
Isle.


Isle.
Editor Representatives:
Carlisle has gone and done it. Fol-
lowing the example set by his illustrious
predecessor, "Windom," he has been the
guest of the New York Chamber Of Com
merce. Owing to the operation of the
well known law, that two things cannot
occupy the same space at the same time,
he appears to have been under the painful
necessity, incidental to loading up on
costly viands, of unloading a few stray
chunks of cheap wisdom. He starts out
with the proposition that "the fundamen-
tai vice Of the currency system is the
legal tender note redeemable in coin and
Reasonable under the law.'' That the
note redeemable in coin is not vicious
makeshift it is neither necessary nor con-
venient to deny. But what particular
end is to be gained by Juggling the illegal
tender quality into the discussion is not
obvious if it be taken for granted that
the end sought is an honest one. AS we'll
say that "a thief, in boots, is dishonest"
thereby conveying the idea by implica-
ton, that the boots are in some way
responsible for the thief's dishonesty,
and consequently that were 1t not for the
immoral influence Of boots, a thief would
be honest. Looking further on we find
that Mr.. Carlisle drops all reference to
notes redeemable in coin, and launches
forth in clustering denunciation of the
legal tender He has nothing to say
against thieves, but boots must be abol-
ished
He takes the ground that the statute
compelling people to receive these notes,
is unconstitutional. If, as common re-
port has it, he is slated for the supreme
bench, it requires no prophet to foretell
what he will do when he gets there.
1t does not appear to have suggested it.
n ha min of Mr. ay,1ic la bo hon
the government assumes the right to say
A shall pay his debt to B it is morally
bound to deal justly, and not leave A
completely at BIS mercy. Having step
ped in between the two private parties
A and B lent it's power to B for the pur-
pose of compelling A to pay him, it must
stand as guarantor that p will not abuse
that power. This can be, and is, ac-
complished by designating some certain
fixed thing or number of things that A
may pay in, and at the same time COM
pelling B to receive the thing fixed upon,
in payment Of AS debt In other words,
the government says to B, Il will see that
A pays you provided that I am permitted
to dictate what he shall pay in Now,
then, If B refuses to accede to the last
part of the proposition he should simply
be told to collect his own debt without
the aid of government.
If these conclusions are correct then
the legal tender quality is the very es-
sence of money, whether the material of
which it is composed be gold, silver or
paper, and the destruction of the legal
tender quality will leave the United
States without any money whatever. 1t
will simply surrender to the creditor the
whole power of government to be used by
him in any manner that his sweet will
or caprice may dictate. 1t requires no
deep knowledge of human nature to see
what the fate of the debtor will be under
such conditions
The American people have allowed
themselves to be led by the nose in the
matter Of financial legislation in man.
ner that no other people on earth, enjoy
ing a constitutional government, would
have tolerated But it is hard to believe
that even they will go into a trap so
clumsiiy constructed and SO Ill concealed
as this one of destroying all legal tender
money.