The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-06-02

Money has a charm for women, even
though they take 10 interest IN political
economy. There has been 50 much talk on
the subject lately that no lady who pre-
tends 20 any opinion Of her own can avoid
being drawn into the controversy. One
pleasing feature Of their part in the dis
cassion ls that they do not pick up the
New York Post or Coins financial
School and quote Il rs X X were Scripture.
There is a freshness as well as viFacfty
about their views which forms an agree
able relief from the involved and pedantic
argument o, most men who talk on Tire
money question. and there IS fasctna-
ton about their views. 10 the male sex.
which may be partly attributable 10 the
charming mystery surrounding wonnans
real convictions on any subject.
There is IL. New York woman's Politi-
cal League which has lately followed the
fashion and taken UP the money question
for consideration. The relative merits
and dement's OF gold. silver and bi-metal-
llsm formed the subject of one OF the de-
bates and very elaborate and learned ar
guuents were made on all sides. One
modest little lady asked:
Tell me: what is all this about de-
rnonetization OF silver7 / didn't know
anything Of IT. / have only lived in the
United States for twenty years, you see.
When ! go into store nobody ever asks
me whether / am going 10 pay in silver
or gold or currency. l just buy what
want and pay in whatever l happen to
have. What is this crime against silver
they talk about? / don't see why they
should do anything against silver when
can buy Just as much with five silver dol
lars as can with a fve-dollar gold piece.
or course, / don't want too much of IL.
II always makes me mad when a store
keeper gives me ten great big silver dol
lars that can't put into my purse. in
stead OF giving me five dollars In gold"
II was explained TO her that while sill
yer and gold were on a par in this coun-
try. many people had borrowed gold from
European countries. and as gold had ad-
vanced in value or silver had declined in
value-it was not quite certain which
they wanted the privilege of paying in
silver. because they cannot get the gold.
The little woman then asked how they
were going to get the silver. but the chair
main said the discussion had to stop some
time.
Debate then turned upon cash and
credit. and some of the views expressed
are deserving of more than passing
thought. One member started with the
proposition that under all circumstances
mable value and If things could always
be conducted on cash basis 1t would be
a great blessing to the country"
a visitor from the West asked permits
sion TO address the meeting. Madam
Chairman" she began. earnestly. II be-
lieve in paying cash. even IL one has to
borrow the money to do it." The league
laughed heartily at this.
But she went on thus:
Yes; / have seen IL demonstrated by
my own experience and that of my neigh
boris that il is better to borrow the money
and pay legal interest on it, with which to
purchase certain articles in large quanti-
ties, rather than pay the extortionate
prices demanded for those articles by the
retail merchants. / refer to groceries and
family supplies. Often when the
cold weather is over. the Western
farmers have but little money TO
carry them through the summer.
What they realize from the sale
of their last years crop has all been spent
in procuring necessities. Under existing
conditions they ind IT better to pay SPOT
cash for the provisions they are obliged
10 buy and the tools they are compelled
TO have, even IL they nave to so Ia debt
in other ways
This was met by very vigorous lady.
who retorted:
If the farmer would save money
enough to carry him on one year without
borrowing. 1t would be a great advantage
10 him and make him independent He
would not buy as much as on the credit
system. Last year. when the banks closed
and those farmers could not borrow
money. their wheat stood in the fields I'M
harvested and fruit rotted on the trees
because OF the lack of means 10 pay the
pickers. This shows what comes of the
credit system
IL will be seen. therefore. that these la
dies had some pretty good ideas on the
subject. and another speaker dropped a
pearl of intelligence, even though her di-
gression was not I'm accordance with par
liamentary rules. She was in favor Of
using both metals as freely as possible.
but she said
II contend that II two standards are ad-
visable. why not have five or six. or any
two standards having the same value,
whether they be pearls and diamonds or
wheat and potatoes The poor are the ma
TONS creditors because their labor pro-
duces the wealth. This truth we ought
10 get firmly fixed IN our minds. also the
fact that labor should be paid in coin Of
full standard value"
This young lady evidently does not con-
slider that because a man IS only a la
borer he ought 10 be paid in poor money.
bat Is entitled TO just as coed dollar as
the rich man gets. In this we most cor
daily concur. and II We can by argument.
parable or illustration open the eyes Of
workingmen 10 the fallacies Of the Popu-
nstc free silver idea, We shall be content
10 accept the abuse OF the disappointed
ofice-seekcrs who are trying TO ride into
place on the crest or a craze.
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THE STRN ANTS OF THE SIN