The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1896-09-17

LSSay NAou . SioP-lhSy w uO SOA'
They Who Ate No Wheat Were Sati
the Kings rliiIs'-A Story That Poi
And this is the parable of the staff
of life:
In Felicia the Lord had provided
two grains 70! bread, and one of these
was called wheat, and the other was
called corn, or maize.
And the king had opened mills for
the grinding of these grains, where
both were ground equally, without price
and without limit.
The land was fertile, yielding both
wheat and corn; but the greater yield
commonly was of corn, and wheat sold
at higher price among the people be-
cause it was scarcer and made finer
and whittier loaves.
Yet the two grains gave abundance
and happiness. If the wheat lacked,
the corn supplied the deficiency; if the
corn was scant, the wheat came in an
swer to the call for bread; SO that no
man suffered Of hunger in Felicia.
And the corn was every mans crop.
They who could not grow wheat, grew
corn, and they who ate no wheat were
satisfied with the corn ground freely at
the kings mills.
Both in quantity and in price the
two grains thus co-oDerated together
to feed the people, without possibility
of monopoly and extortion.
But Mammon, who distributed the
grains and the -four and the meal there
of TO the people, saw how he could
control the situation and make mighty
deal in wheat (the scarcer grain and
more to be deslred), if he could per-
suade the king to close the mills
against corn.
And SO he sent his professors and
his bankers and his scribes and his
lawyers to the king, and they said:
ooh, king! wheat is the only food fit
for thy people. 1t abounds; it is health
full, beautiful and sweet; it is more de-
sired Of all men and nations; corn is
food only for swine!-
"Therefore close thy mills against
corn, and allow wheat only to be
ground therein. So will Felicia wax
greater and greater among the nations;
and with wheat as the sole and single
staff of life, our people will live longer,
grow richer and richer, and become
the happier as the delicious biscuit
shall on every table take the place OF
the coarse and unsavory ash cake!'
SO it seemed wise to the king; and
forthwith lie issued his edict that
thenceforth no corn should be ground
in any of the mills of Felicia, which
should remain open only to the free
and unlimited grinding Of the golden
wheat.
For time all things seemed to work
we'll, Notwithstanding the edict. But
soon the people who had eaten corn
bread found that they could not turn
their corn into meal, as the mills were
closed to everything but wheat. They
had 10 eat wheat or s,arvt and 10! by
reason Of disc rimina,ion against 1t,
corn became aim st worthless in ex-
change for VIII as everything else
had also becom by reason of the mill
edict.
And they who had eaten wheat only
found that it had risen enormously IN
price, not simply because it had been
made the sole staff OF life, but because
Mammon and his men had cornered
the wheat product, which had now be-
come easy, as this product was much
less than that of corn and as corn had
been excluded from the mills and the
bread market, ard could no longer
come to the rescue of wheat and its
consumers.
Thus it came te pass that even the
kings baker was sorely perplexed to fur
nish the accustomed loaves for the
Royal table. All the kings household
and retainers, who had formerly been
served with corn -pone, had now to be
fed on -four.
So that with the Royal Garners
bursting with corn, there was scant
bread on the Royal table!
But Mammon & Company had store
of wheat, and for while they cheer
fully took the kings orders (or bonds)
in exchange for wheat; but the people S
orders or bonds were dlsdalned-
Mammon & Co.. double locking their
wheat bins against all popular de-
mands, insomuch that the people
starved, while the king feasted and
kept a reserve or surplus of wheat by a
liberal issue Of Royal orders or bonds
warranted to produce wheat and moth
ing but wheat!
At length, when the people had
been driven to the last extremity, and
famine prevailed in the land, even
the kings bonds were refused tor wheal
by Mammon & Co., unless he would
also put in pawn his crown, his sceptre
and his throne!
And then the eyes and ears Of th'
king were partially opened to his pros
trated people crying for the reopen
ing of the mills to corn. awe do no
care for pound cake" shrieked tn
people. "Give US corn bread lest VI
perish in the midst of our abundance!'
But the sleek Mammon, with hi
portly professors, his bloated bankers
his greasy scribes, and his lusty law
yers, talked all day and night to tn
king: "rhese ignorant and half edu'
Gated people do not know what all
them. nor what they need" said Nam
mon & Co. "Besides. they are hire'