The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1896-08-27

correct idea AS to what metal is best
adapted tor the metallic money OF a
country. It seems apparent that il
should have the quality Of utility OF val
ues for the reason, as we have seen, it
must be exchanged, in the nature Of
things. for valuable goods and commod-
tiles. therefore it should possess intrin-
sic value, and it must have utility as a
basis Of value, 1t Is received in trans
actious, as rule, TO be passed on, and
1t should pass into and out OF all hands
at the same value, Since trade is not
bounded by state or national lines.
1t should also possess the quality Of
portability, which is highly important
feature and quality, 50 that it can be
transferred from place to place. or from
continent to continent. 1t necessary, at
the least possible expense and cost. to
the end that uniformity OF value NAV be
secured in all parts of the business
world. A material or substance that is
heavy and bulky willnot do this. Again,
a substance that is too Va liable or too
cheap will not suffice. 1t must also pos
sess indestructibility, so that it will not
be easily destroyed, decay like wood or
rust like iron, Again, it should be such
that equal weights will have exactly the
same value. This latter is secured by
refining and coming. 1t should also be
OF such material that wnen divided the
aggregate value of the pieces after d.
vision should be almost the same exact
Nv as it was before the division, or when
melted and cast into bars or ingots it
will be still Of the same value as when
stamped, and this latter is always the
k,-,,o Soc ~ ofa Jf}Feknxs1H
possess stability OF value, or at least be
of material that has the least possible
fuctuation in value; in fact OF the best
material, and no less important is it
that it should be easily recognized by
every one, even the least skllfnl. 1t will
not be denied that gold possesses in a
greater degree the above requisites that
any other metal, silver included. This
is precisely why gold is the money OF adj
vanced civilization, and the survival of
the fttest. 1t is money, for the above
reasons, as surely as iron and steel are
used for various purposes, simply be-
cause it is the best. not because England
wants it, not because the "Gold-bugs'
of Wall Street want it, not because
"Bloated Bond holders" want it. it is
IN onev for the same reasons that steam
and electricity are used in transporta-
ton.
Silver is called by some the money OF
the constitution. The nation is now
about one hundred years older than
when the constitution was adopted, and
silver has lost since then many of its
essential features which then entitled it
to be used as money. The increased
production OF silver has untitled it,
other things, and it's dav as
money or a standard of value is aboIt !
over. 1t will pass away, except for
small change, and token money as other
things which have survived their useful
ness have done.
In conclusion, we have shown what
money is, what is required of it and the
duties it has to perform. we have shown
that gold and silver are the products of
abor, that unless they are OF equal la
Dor value to the article for which they
are exchanged the trade is not a fair
one, and we leave the reader to judge as
to whether fifty cent silver dollar is
what is for the best interest of the peo-
pie, east, west, north and south and
the length and breadth of
our land. M. HOGAN.