The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-03-28
THE Noxrous ERROR OF THE DAY

Han
THE NOxfOUS ERROR OF THE DAY
The oft-quoted remark Of Carlyle that
England had seventeen millions Of pco-
PIE. most Of whom were fools. while
hyperboiical in its strict sense. is entirely
true when applied to the action of the
whole body upon points that have not
been made questions and discussed upon
their merits, so that each individual may
learn the arguments upon each side. Nor
IS this remark to be applied TO England
only. 1t applies equally TO all masses of
men. Did not the whole world believe
implicitly that the sun revolved around
the earth until about three hundred years
ago? Yet il is just as certain that the sun
does not revolve around the earth, John
Jasper TO the contrary, Notwithstanding,
as it is that twice two make four. Man
kind in the mass holds on at this day
10 many errors that are demonstrably just
as distinct errors as that the sun moves
around the earth. Yet they concern
points that have never been formulated
into questions and argued out before the
people, and the people are. therefore. la
BILE TO remain in error about these points
for long time yet TO come.
The passion, for il can be described by
10 other word. for a protective tarm IS
one OF these. If you ask citizen
whether he thinks government ought 70
tax one citizen for the benefit of another
citizen. he viii answer that ne, OF course,
does not think it should. But protec-
tive tax Is nothing but a case OF govern
ment taxing all Americans, that small
fraction of the population may I've beue-
fited. SO We have an individual who
cheerfully admits the injustice OF gov
eminent taxing one citizen for the benefit
OF another citizen. justifying taxation OF
the seventy millions Of Americans for the
benefit OF some three or four millions
of them. The thing IS an injustice ana
an absurdity. yet a great body OF the
Americans who receive none Of the ben
efits from II. and have to bear its burdens.
foolishly 20 on with support Of it. be-
cause II has never been explained 10 them.
and they have never taken the trouble 10
look into II for themselves. Harmful as
thls error is. Il is nothing like so harm
fal as its tvin-sister error. that the Cow
ernment Of the United States ought TO
supefintend the issue OF tho currency
notes that are intended TO circulate
amongst the people as substitutes for
money. The real support which THIS
error has proceeds from the fact that the
Government ought to superntend the issue
of all metallic money. and The great mass
OF mankind makes 10 distinction in .ts
mind between metallic money which Is
the only possible money ana those same
circulating notes. which are not money
at all. but promises % deliver money.
Mankind sees these circulating notes per-
forming all the functions OF money-as a
substitute for soldier performs an the
duties that soldier would perform il him
self in the ranks-and mankind bhndly
comes to reason. "a Jasper does, from
appearances, and confounds the circuat-
ing notes with money. considering both as
the same. But they are not the same,
and they are as different from each other
as the substance Is from the shadow. a
people must have a system OF weights aud
measures. Tho civil authority must cS-
tablish the number Of cubic inches a
bushel measure Is 70 contain, and it must.
under fitting penalties. force all men who
veil by the bushei TO have a measure con-
tanning the established number of cubic
inches. The same is true of the yard
stick and the foot rule. Nov. money
answers exactly tho same functions to-
wards values Of different articles as the
bushel measure does to bulk ard the yard
stick does 20 length. The Government,
must establish the measure or standard OF
values. 1t must, therefore, put out the
money country has. ana II must see
that that money Is always kept up 20 tne
this by providing that the unit OF value
shall be the dollar, and that the dollar
shall contain 1922 grains OF gold. But
when the Government has done THIS. Il
has done all that government can properly
do In connection with the subject. Ac-
cording 10 the nature OF the case. and ac-
cording 20 mans natural and most ele-
mentary rights. all men must have a
right to write their promises 10 deliver
any number OF these dollars that they
please. and ell other men must have a
right 20 accept those promises when and
AZ they please. When Il Is said that IL Is
the cr;y Of government 10 interfere. ana
= SEQ that tie promises Vt this sort that