The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-10
Secretary Morton,s speech.

Secretary Morton then proceeded with his
speech, which in part follows:
THE city of Chicago is the biggest
wholesale market for farm products in the
world. No other city imperiaIly COM
mands so. great number and SO large an
area of fertile and staple feod-producing
ers, grain buyers and bankers and bread
winners of this city pay each year hum
of farms and farm labor. Here. therefore,
finance for the farmer ought to be thought
about and discussed.
and a mediator of exchanges Cereals,
fattened animals, butter, cheese. eggs.
poultry, fruit, vegetables, honey and all
salable things from farms have only spe-
cific purchasing power. Foods, even, will
buy money only of those who want them
wheat of one who desires wheat, and beef
and pork and of only those who
want beef, and pork and corn.
The farmer is, however, compelled by
the unWritten law of markets to furnish
food products of such a high grade that
market at home or abroad Musty wheat
or tainted meat is rejected, and no econo-
mist, banker or even plain man of the
people has ever attempted to establish a
parity or equality between tainted food
and toothsome edibles. or to maintain
ratio between the rotten and the whole
some in dietary affairs. Experience has
taught the farmer that only the best prod
ucts have even the specific purchasing
money for his staples because real. honest
money has general purchasing power in
that money is real and honest. and that
money Is best which has the least fluc-
tuatlng purchasing power at all times and
in all countries. Farmers who think know
that money is the only thing in this world
Of sweating acquistiveness which men
compete for which never corfers any ben
eft upon its owner until it leaves him. I'm
used money, unloaned money bestows no
more value upon its owner than an I'M
eaten meal can give of pleasure or nutri-
ton. little reflection makes it plain
therefore that the farmer and the Chicago
capitalist are equally interested in circulate
ing a KIND OF money which when they let
go CT It, will buy them the most satisfac-
ton either at home or abroad. Those who
buy of the farmers the foodstuffs which
they raise. and sell the same farmers mon
ey. should understand that wise farmers
desire to buy only the best money-mency
which. like good pork, beef and cereals,
there has never been any complaint about
too good wheat. too good beef, too good
pork. or too productive a farm, so there
men, any complaint about too good a dol
lar, too good currency or money.
A dollar with too much purchasing power
is as impossible as square meal with too
much nutritive power. an acre of land with
too much productive capacity, or an advo-
cate of populistic schemes of finance with
too much logical ability. When humanity
becomes too good for heaven money NAV
become too good for the Industrious and
capable farmers and wage earners of Amer
lea. but not before.
CANNOT FIX PRICES.
From weights measures were evolved
until new governments fix the weight and
measure by which cereals, fruit vegetables
and many other products may be bought
and sold in all parts of the civilized world.
But nowhere do governments attempt to fix
the prices of these things. Everybody
knows how many pounds OF corn and how
nany pounds of wheat make busheI. be-
cause the law defines the quantity in
weight. And SO the law tells how many
grains Of gold makes United States dol