Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-11-03
Small Change.
"a Sermonette. by a Philosophical Friend
Of Ours)

"a Sermonette, by Philosophical Friend
Of Ours)
To be "property-poor is an afiiiction
that has prevailed a good deal since the
war Large landed estates have almost
ruined their proprietors. and mountains
Of coal and iron have afforded TO their
lords no pleasure but the behoding
thereof with their eyes. How 10 mobilize
property and turn it INFO cash is one OF
the problems Of our day. Tc borrow on
II is one plan: to make a bank and issue
currency based on what nobody Will buy
is another. Neither Of these plans VIII
work. That which is crooked cannot be
made straight, and that which can't be
used cannot be made desirable, any more
than that which is wanting can be num-
bcred.
There's a moral in all this; and il is
IN the direction Of free coinage. You can
not make unstable land into dollars by
representing ri on pauer, nor can YOU
make silver dollars into gold ones by
stamping them with words. Things must
get into use on their own merits. ana
at their market value. Great estates and
mountains Of minerals. valued above their
worth and waiting for a buyer. Will con-
sumo their owners in taxes and law
suits. Put 10 their proper use ana al
their fair value they Will do service and
reward their owners.
An ovcresiimate Of ourselves. Of our
natural enlowments or acquisitions and
adaptations. and waiting 20 be taken at
our own valuation, has wasted many a
and I4fTlN9l the general public OF
many a useful commodity; while a free
coinage at our actual value would have
supplied the world with a small change
much in demand, and greatly prom0tve
Of profitable intercourse and commerce.
In very fact, the free and easy coinage
Of the metal of our makeup puts our
endoWments into use and fixes their
value. We don't know what we are until
we are melted down and put into ser
vice, weighed and measured. Solemn,
self-suiceuy, and apart, wrapt up In
our own notions or driven off into cor
ner by our own sensitiyeness, We are only
unstable masses.
He that made us With our wonderful
faculties and qualities, more or less bril-
liant and serviceable. never intended that
we should pass through the great eX-
hibitiOn unpackod. And The heaviest blows
of fortune, as We call them, or the smit-
ings Of Heaven, are meant only TO unpack
us. TO make manifest and utilize our re-
sources, and set TO work our divine
powers and develop our possibilities OF
achievement and our susceptibilities OF
happiness We dOnI know what Is in
us tin our cloaks and wrappings ana
all our outsides and shows are torn of
and knocked from US. and We are seen
and known by ourselves and others-in
puris uaturalibus.
When We learn the blesselness OF being
little, when fiery trials have purged
away our dross, when hard knocks have
taken all the foolishness out Of Us. we are
ready for the mint. Then our lives and
characters are ready 10 be turned into
small change for the general public. In
stead OF being useless masses, our exist
euce passes into cOmmon-sense. good
manner. couitesies, kindness. pleasant,
bright conversation. ready wit, and all
the manifold delights Of common life and
agreeable social intercourse. The free
coinage Of the ore of character and learn
ing Is a very desirable thing.
4 great authority says All knowledge
should be limited by religion and referred
TO use and action. And a greater still
says: Herein is my Father glorihed, that
ye bear much fruit