The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-16
NOTHING NEW UNDER THE sun.
There Wns n silver Question Twen-
ty-fOur Hundred and Ninety Years

There WINS a Silver Question Twen-
ty-fOur Hundred and Ninety Years
Ago.
From North American Review for June.
Exactly twenty-four hundred and ninety
years ago, commercial depression very
similar to the one we are now suffering
from here. existed in Attica; partly the
result Of a war for the recovery Of Sa-
lamis. and partly Of a series of bad crops.
In fact, to prove the cynical nature Of
these financial crises. the. depression was
parallel with ours even in the matter OF
dates, for it began in 81 and was still
existing in IS (5S5 B. c.. of course,
mean.
Terrible as our poPulist orators portray
the condition of our own agriculturist to
be, that of his Grecian prototype was far
worse in that period of dearth. He had
sunk into an actual slave, and had from
time to time been sold and exported"
We seem to see. too. picture Of New
England's deserted farm lands. Many
poor creatures had fed away from home
and were supporting themselves by the
labor Of their hands in foreign countries"
This condition of affairs, as was natural,
had given birth to a populistic party. call
ed the "Hill party" which advocated the
! reputation of outstanding debts and a re-
turn to their original owners of all prop
critics that had been foreclosed. Indeed.
so radical were their demands that capital
was severely agitated and the value of
agricultural holdings suffered serious
decline over this divided state. Scion
was called to preside, not so much by rea-
son Of any previous evidence of states
Z I'll
OF his to the effect that the management
of affairs could only be just and proper
when everything was even"
Taking the times into considerable a
politician could hardly have hit upon
happier phrase. 1t satisfied both the rich
and the poor It raised Scion to the arch
bishop, a position which corresponded TO
our presidency. with the authority of our
supreme court tackled on as an adjunct
Though lifted TO power by a epigram,
Scion was not inclined to descend from it
by hasty action He pondered long and
deeply on the situation-so long, in fact,
that Phanias, the Lesbian, asserts that
he was dealing artfully with both par
ties-privately promising the poor d!vis-
ion of their lands and the rich a con-
frmation of their securities. This was a
base calumny of the kind to which the
politician has been subject in all times
and ages, for the wealthy classes were
really becoming alarmed at the delay and
the poor furious. At last Solon's mind
was made up, and, summoning his three
intimate friends, Conon, Clinias and Hip
ponicus, to a private consultation, he
thus addressed them:
"Oh, friends, often a man In public life,
while seeking the sufrages of the people,
makes promises he finds impracticable
of fulhllment when he reaches office.
/ True reform is reconciliation OF conflict
4 H. Ia. ,,,1 Dc lo fnG
who takes his course midway between
the mountains and the plain"
Which means to say, o, Scion, that to
| repudiate all debts is to yield everything
TO the Hin party" said Cinias. But
how about returning the properties al
ready foreclosed to their original Owners?'
THAT would upset &le whole social
fabric of Attica," replied Scion.
And thou intendest to do nothing,
them" exclaimed Conon.
Scion stayed him with a gesture. NAY,
my friends, l have thought Of better
means of relef-one thaJ Will please ey-
eryone and that will not disturb the ex-
isting order of things. 1t is, in fact, so
great a scheme that have sent for you
to hear il first"
What wilt thou do, Q Solon?'' inquired
Hipponicus.
Il will reduce the value Of the currency
27.per cent" said Soon, by the admix
ture OF baser metal Thus the debts that
are now outstanding can be reduced by
about one-third of what was borrowed,
and the mortgage receiving nina for
NINA will have no cause for complaint"
''Oh. Scion, thou has solved the great
enigma" cried his three friends in adj
mration.
SoIon smiled complacently. Il have lit
tie doubt have inaugurated new school
Of finance that will find pupils in all sue
ceeding ages"
Il understand that the lands shall re-
main as they now are" observed Clinias
meditatively, land that all debts shall be
paid in minas worth q instead of leo
drachmas."
Il have spoken" replied Scion. s;itIiy.
"a little alloy will do the business"
"Oh, Great Law Giver," exclaimed the
three together, thou hast indeed inaug-
urated new system, and thy name shall
be handed down for future generations to
worship"
"A last word" exclaimed Scion. ''The
| decree must not yet be announced, Consid-
er my confidence as sacred"
Trust us, oh, Scion; we will keep it in
q darkness only equalled by the shades of
night" Then the trio hastily withdrew.
This affair brought on Scion the
/ greatest trouble he met with" says Pu-
tarch. For his friends fastening to take
advantage of the news, borrowed sums of
money and Herewith purchased all the
land they could lay their hands on. In
deed to such price had the fear of pop
ulistio legislation reduced the value of
agricultural property that they practic~
ally cornered the best part OF Attica Az
terward, when the edict was proclaimed,
they kept their lands and paid their
debts in the debased coin 1t was about
as neat a transaction as was recorded in
history, and even this financiering age can
hardly duplicate it. Scion himself
scarcely escaped the odium of being a
party to the transaction goes on Plu-
tarch. and his friends ever after went by
the name of Chreocopidae or repuda-
tors. on a truth, history repeats it.
self. Plain Speaker"
Great Merchants Shabby Desks
From the Chicago Times HeraId.