The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-05-01
MONEY AND THE CREDITOR CLASS,

Every person who is interested In get
ting al the truth of the money question
shnRaa read the following simple ana
vrzctieal demonstration of the evils Of
\ low standard taken from the Chicago
Times-Herald:
II Is always an interesting inquiry
when new measure of public policy is
proposed. more particularly when II in
wolves economic Questions-what is the
benefit to be derived. and what particu-
hr mart Of the community will receive
me most advantage, II it so happens
that il does not fall upon all alike, as OF
course all public measures ought TO do.
This inquiry has especial reference to
khe money question that is at the present
usz<nt the chief political issue before
s7ra people. There Is much talking about
ruid and silver coinage, about gold
bugs. and silver lunatics." about "5S-
cent dollars" and Coinage at l6 to l."
about .swan street" and the silver min
ing camp and much time is spent in
Illuminating epithets when II might be
better employed in argument.
PruRably no question that has ever
been made a political issue appeals more
strongly to our selfishness than the
money question. The value Of all the
property we possess is expressed IN the
terms of money. and not our property
only but our labor.
4 horse. COW, corner lot, n share
Il stnck. bond or a note ar all meas
ured as to their transferable value IN
m1ney. They are worth so much. So
Cf our labor. whether in the professions,
the ssallfiIi trades or in more manual
employnecsz. We are worth so much
an hour or a szeF or a week by the serv-
Ees we are ahtS 10 seaaer. and we are
paid accordingly. BAe result is, II We
are not feois, that We want the best
a0Ilsy- that circulates m exchange for
cur- xersssss or our property. and the
lesE 0srr firrsTne the more We want the
The contsrtion, therefore. sesms un-
ensE Eerzble, fiizt government or COM
mnn1ty should establish the highest
sDeisrd g Enoney whereby 10 measure
fsfif Cxehanges Of labor and yroperpy
EST constitute the business OF the
bel 81 tfifsfiss not done and the meas
usef valse becomes -ariable, VINO suf- |
-srsz The men who have large re- /
sources behind them or the men who |
have nothing but theft hands or brains?
Most assurediT the latter. we'll
nown banker or the r0WR has often been
he@rt TO SAY that me money standard
nd not ard could n0u affect him. for he
'ouln make money whether we. were on
! guid or a silver basis SO he could,
-iza so can any capitalist II Is the
l1aa who- depends upon bis labor that
Eoa1k suffer BY a depreciaIed currency.
X ~ the creditor class OF the com
Hrnity, therefore. which is most inter-
sted in fteserving the stability Of the
urreney a'.S its high vaibs But OF
Fhom is the creditor class composed?
larifestly II those 70 whom something
; due from day TO day, from week 60 {
'eek and from month to month These
e the laborlng people, the meH at the
esk a the counter. at the FORGE, at the 8
lDch and at the plow. 'rhe- toiler who b
Atiently wields the shovel and the pick I,
hen nightfall comes is creditor, and :.
E IS entitled to be paid for his days
Dor In the best money the country af- Il
'rds. And so throughout the whole 8,
lund OF employment where men and .,
omen receive wages
Is II not. then. inexplicable that a d
rye proportion Of those who in the d
Feat OF their face earn their daily -,
cad. laying by perhaps a trife from
eek to week toward rainy day, de-
sitting II In savings bank-that these
ouId be led away by the cry for cheap | N
oney2 What do they want with cheap ;,
p1ey, or poor mans" money? II . u
ere is any difference why should they ei
I have the rich mems money? W
Inn yet 1t is pretended that the labor n
Z ren,-the poor men as weH as those
moderate circumstances-lesire most | p'
all to have cheap coinage and cheap ol
Iney. The demand that silver. which in
the makret rates at 30 TO 1 compared =,
tEr gold. shall be admitted to free coin 81
e In our mints at the rate OF l6 to l.
en- they propose to take those half
cea dollars for the money due them
! their laborl
rom every point Of view except that pa
charity and philanthropy more in q
proposition was never L
dressed to sane people. pa
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