The Wichita daily eagle., 1895-04-02
TEXT BOOK FINANCIERS.

a doctor Of divinity spreads himself
| over some twenty-five pages of the
American Magazine of Civics to tell
what he knows about money. 1t is
needless to say it is a mere compila-
! ton of so-called authorities, not unlike
| the ignorant tourist who copies an
elaborate descriptive account Of his
travels from the guide books. This
paper bears at least two significant re-
| marks: one, its lntolerable erudition,
| the other, its palpable Inconsistency,
and its inaccuracies as taken from his
! tory and experience. 1t may add to
the force of a written article TO first
set up a theOrem, and then dance
around it with high sounding adjective
of self-laudation, but the average un-
sophisticated reader sees nothing in
it 1t is plain, practical truth, stated
simply, tersely and fairly, which meets
the demand Of the reading public 1t
is the day ofinquiry. Pure dogmatism
as cleaned from textbook authorities
no longer fill the bill College profes-
sors and doctors of divinity may teach
and preach the ecepted formulas in
most classic language, but the reader
wants more tangible proof than the
mere edict of some school of philoso-
ply or ecclesiastical council.
This learned divine with great cru
dition disposes of the plebian idea of
double standard Of money by say
ing: There cannot, therefore, be a
double measure or n double standard;
and, as 4 fact, there never has
BEEN" If this first statement is cor
rect, of course that settles it. If he
is sincere in the second. he presumes
largely upon the ignorence of his rea-
ders. 1t is an unmerciful twist of the
truth of recent history to inform the
public that double standard of val
ue never has been" in this country.
He forgets another conclusion from the
rough, raw material OF events. which
must be original, as it is too new to
have been copied form his worm eat
en- text books" Accompanying the in
crease and cheapening of the produc-
ton of silver" he says, there has been
the decrease of its use as 4 money
metal by the civilized nations. There
has been an increase in the use of
gold and decline in the use of silver.
The result, of course, is the apprecia-
ton of gold and the depreciation of
silver No other reason is assigned.
for the depreciation of silver, than
the decline in the use of it, Since
its demonetization in this country in
1873 is not taken from his text book.
be must stand as sponsor for this
profoundly wise deduction. but MUST
people believe that this clandestine
piece of legislation had something to
do with it?
The doctor also works a climax on
our uncivilized protective system. He
says: THE civilized races have not
yet been able to throw off their
ShackleS. Great Britain has led the
van and, for more than a generation
has enjoyed the benefits of free trade"
He deprecates our slow progress to-
ward commercial freedom. but wavers
not in his prophecy that it viii come
in time.
III it is the policy of the Soldites to
enlist the service of every pedagogue
in the country. who for a considera-
ton, will contribute To their literature
1t VIII be a clear loss Of labor. There
is not peanut vender in the MiSSis-
SiDDi valley who co-,Ii ~ - .l.:
book-made financier pointers in bus
mess affairs. Money is an implement
TO trade rather than the subject for
impractical theories. Those who make
it and Use it are the best judges as to
its functions and quality. Profes- |
sors and divines may grub for Greek
roots, but IS a rule. the things they
don't know about finance is volum-
inous.