Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-06-05
Socrates and Silver.

silver literature is being issued by the
British Bimetallic League. The fol-
lowing is sample:
SOCRATES AND AGRICULTURAL DE-
PRECISION.
And the persons thus impover-
ished Turk, should suppose, in the
city, harnessed and armed with stings
some owing debts and others dis
franchised, and others laboring un der
both isfortunes-hating and plot
ting against the new owners of their
property, and against all who are
better off than themselves, and en-
amoured of revolution Republic
of Plato, book VIII. (B. G. 4OO.)
When Socrates had comfortably
disposed himself within the porch of
the temple of the Old Lady of Thread
needle street, and had gathered about
him the chief men of the various com.
missions OF royal appointment t, look
ing to the relief of certain distressed
ltborers and artisans, he, turning to
Agricultor, said:
If it is thy mission to afford sus-
tenance to man then the more freely
thou giyest such sustenance, the more
blessed thou art"
Nay" answered Agricultor, 'suc Ii
food as l provide hath become so
cheap that starve while l furnish
it,"
"How can that be-" asked Socrate S
that be who supplies the food
starves in its furnishing?"
'For the reason he replied "that
what raise keep not but with it
pay my debts"
Then" said Socrates, 'frcm the
fruits of the soil must all debts be
paid"
And Americans aud Australiasus
and 1ndicus groaued in concert, YEA
in the sweat of our brows, and the
fruit of the soil, must our debts be
paid
Socrates looked curiously around
at these men; for they were outside
barbarians, each bearing into the
temple load upon his back. And
divers were the contents of their
loads; but all were from the soil; corn
and cotton, and wool, and all things
that lusbandman hath gotten from
his work.
What do you here with these
burdens upon your" said Socrates.
And they all answered: "We be
here to pay our debts"
And are these taken for debts?"
asked Socrates, sis there not in this
land brought forth food and raiment?
Then why do we bring more?'
And they answered: sit is to buy
gold, for in gold are our debts pay
able.'
Then these outside barbarians took
up their burdens and went within
to the men who held the gold, who
We're also the men to whom they
were in debt. And Americanus saith:
Hear We; for guinea of the gold
thou hast, which must buy only to
pay back to thee, give l seven bush
els OF wheat"
But lndicus pressed forward and
said: NAY, must have the gold to
pay thee, and will give eight bushels
for guinea"
And Australusius likewise offered
more of his substance than both the
oshers; for he too had debts whereby
he was bound to buy the gold to pay
it back again. For the debt was
owed to him who had the gold.
And the chief men of the commits
sions of royal appointment, looking
to the relief of distressed laborers and
artisans, said, turning to Socrates:
LET us go hence to a quieter spot.
Truly. these outside barbarians do
disturb our meditations by their
cries. and we must go forth to find
the cause for which we were appoin-
ted
And they arose and went forth, aud
inspected the lands.
And one said: Fertilizers are cost
~ things"
And another saith: "Our laborers
desire too much for their wives and
daughters.
And another saith: 'It is the
tlthes."
But none sought wisdom; each
went on, unheeding the end.
Then Socrates, reviewing the scrolls
of time, read therein that hopeless
toll breeds despair; and despair
breeds hate; and hate brings revo-
luticn, wherein all values meet des-
truction.
And he said: sThese capitalists ap-
parently do not see their enemies:
since by their demand for gold alone,
only the drone and the beggar null
tiply in the stated"
In the twelve days ending May IS
$12, 100000 in gold were drawn from
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