The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-01-04
Socialist and Capitalist in the Same
Bed.

things, it pronulgates quite number OF
absurd things, its method being that OF
the Irishman at Donneybrook fair. The
special fad of the People is the proletariat
The condition of this much abused class
is the particular grievance of the People,
which it justly anathometizes, but the
remedy the People proposes is rather
novel for stickler for semitic methods
which the People insists it is. The REM
edy proposed for the much abused pro-
letariat is the elevation of Drawn above
brain. 1t would be useless to argue the
point with the People and point out the
impossibility of such condition. Moth
ing short of the course of events, scieil-
tifcally termed evolution, can affect this
class by leaving them stranded on the
barren shores of the past with innumer-
able wrecks of the unreliability of human
wisdom.
The Peoples party appears to be one Of
the natural enemies ofthe Socialist organ,
and the financial policy of that party is
the object of frequent spasmotic attacks
These attacks are forcible reminders of
the satirical epigram, Let the shoe
maker stick to his last" The People
knows all about socialism, but accepts its
idea of money from its bitter enemy the
capitalist, and proceeds to demonstrate
that money is a measure of value, as the
yard stick is the measure of length, the
pound of weight, the quart of quantity,
etc. After demonstrating by several
repetitions that these different measures
are all appropriate for measuring their
class of goods, they do not measure the
auiNe of the commodities.
The People having vanquished, as it
claims, General Weavers and Mr.. Hoems'
views of money, proceeds to set up its
own, which is that money nnst neces-
sarily possess intrinsic value-the gold
bug money legerdemain claim-in order
to measure value.
"Now then" concludes the People,
"tnoney is measure of value-it is not a
measure of quantity, like the gallon and
quart" ETC., etc. Consequently, it is as
irrational, to strip money used as a
medium of exchange, of its value-meas-
uring function-as it would be to strip a
gallon and quart of their quantity,
measuring quality, or a yardstick of its
length, measuring quality" etc, etc.
But suppose we deny that money pos
sesses any "value-measuring function, "
and prove the denial, will the People
abandon its gold bug, capitalistic theory
that money must of necessity possess, or
that any money whatever possesses, in
trinsic value, or more accurately speak
ing commodity-value Value is a COM
parative term and has its origin in labor.
All commercial values are relative, one
article measuring and fixing the value of
another. If the commercial values are
fixed by comparison with each other, Their
their values are all measured and estab-
lished before money is brought into the
action and its function is not to measure,
but to serve as medium of exchange, a
transferer of value, as dray is used to
transfer gold from the sub-treasury to the
Wall street bank vaults. The dray in
this instance has the advantage of money,
it transfers not only the value but the
substance possessing the value. Money
can only transfer value. But let us go
back and ascertain the source of value.
To illustrate, days work produces one
yard of cloth. Two days work are nee
essary TO produce one yard of cloth of
superior quality. Labor has established
the relative values of these two pieces of
cloth. One piece is worth two days
work, the other one days work If the
whole realm of production is traced up it
will be found that all values are expressed
by the time and effort required to pro-
duce them, and their various prices are
adjusted by this one standard, human
effort. Every day, every hour and every
minute is made use of in the adjustment
of those relative values. We find that all
values have been established before money
is brought into use. To establish is to
measure, therefore the measuring quality
to money is myth. 1t meas
ures nothing. Its function is a transfer
medium wholly.
But how is the shift from labor to
money made in pricing merchandise?
Suppose the yard of cloth cost a days
work, the manufacturer or maker marks
one $Ioo, the other $500. 1t is only
necessary to apply the samn scale, which
is divided into hours, minutes and
seconds, to every article of commerce and
the prices are ascertained in dollars and
cents. The scale to be sure is a mental
one not like geometric scale, but as
comprehensive and exact. If you make
money scarce it will represent more hours
of labor, but the principle remains un,
changed. We have the goods all priced
and marked, not in days and hours, but
i'll other terms for purpose of distribution.
The values are all measured not by money
but in their creation, and before money is
called into being. Value in money is
not necessary and can't be used. The
commodity, such as gold and silver, may
be taken ont of commerce and dedicated
to money uses by the fiat of government
but while it is employed in that capacity,
the metal might as well be in the mine as
far as any personal use can he made Of il