The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-02-23

OF NAvADA.
been continued because they had some qualities
peculiarly adapted for use as money. They are
indestructible, easily divsibe, easily transport
able, and limited in quantity. The only trou BILE
about the use of gold and silver has been that
not always the same When ' the ml nes were were
productive, nation after nation rose to civiliza-
tioI; but whenever the mines failed, decay and
barbarism were the immediate consequence.
There never has been too much OF the precious
metals when both were used as money. The only
difficulty has been a deficiency in the supply.
When Rome was ut the zenith OF her power she
had nearly two thousand millions OF gold and sill
th ts1 ali
in Europe were less than one hundred and fifty
millions. As' the circulating medium was con-
hands OF few in commercial centres, the Roman
Empire decayed, and that long period of contin.
dred years is referred to as the Dark Ages It was
the age In which there was no mining and the
age In which substitute money for the precious
be understood that all nations at oil times used
either aS property. money or gold and silver. for
which was stamped the number OF units which
each piece represented These pieces OF metal
amount was regulated Ky law to oor RESPOND with
not until Rome was a conqueror andsobbed other
nations OF gold and silver that she used the prec
1ous metals as money and las q limit to the
Even In the Dark Ages there was an Illustration
OF real money which cannot be studied too
they lost their patriotism. They Thought no
more OF Rome than a ChinRman 10 day thinks of
Ts1y eny snsw their
man knows his governmentfrom the robberies OF
the mandarins.
oxerrun oy barbarians A few of her richer
citizens ned to their chips and planted colony
on the northeast coast Of Italy and called It the
ha6itants, placed 1t in q government depository.
in OF by yne ans
their gold and silver which they received. TIL so
credits we're made legal tender for all debts,
execution and mortgage, and they kept above par
In gold about twenty per cent. Based upon these
for their customers everywhere issued bills of e1
change which circulated throughout The com
maintained navy which protected her commerce
and did the carrying trade OF the world. The
house Of eah AND vepss m fo os o store he
still the Queen OF Commerce and the mmander
OF nations II 1t had not been for the discovery OF
America.
The discovery of gold and silver in Mexico and
south America furnished money Cor western
centpes eIf Se ana other y. commercial
Insignificant, but her commercial power was
supreme until the gold and silver of America Wit
These cities became great commercial Centres.
AT that time Napoleon Was conQuering the con
the World ias ne %as arGnng on Venice
OF wealth to be found there to be used by him In
conquering the world, but when the Bank Of
books of account. There had been no gold or
e shvef OF any other money In that bank for more
II. the bank
str1ction o. the government the money which
had vitslaized commerce for six hundred years
became extinct
The example OF Venice and the example OF the
ancient homans and other examples might be
cited, which T. show that money as defined by
Aristotle, Ia o creation of law. It's not the ma
terra! upon which 1t is stamped, but It is the
the stamp itself that makes Ii money. ANY ma.
monopoly of paying debts and taxes is the Beat
money IN tne country comforting such monopoly.
Money i no more the material upon which it is
stamped than will ts the paper upon which It fe
written. A Will Ia the intention Of the testator,
written or printed upon paper or parchment.
mo oRR Is sne VIII OF tas or the law
paper or any other material. The only function
left for gold and silver to perform is to limit
q scientific Limitation OF quantity, because some.
times the mines are productive and the people
sae per so@etimes the mines
inns t should not be-. In tribe of savages.
Wh9te there are but few hundred, it Is not dif.
for upon the quantity Of money depends the
quality Of money. An the property Tor sale on
the otnef sss the and demard
doubled general prices will be doubled. If It ia
Seduced ono-haf general prices will fail one.half
consequently the true gnage by which to ascer.
tam tne proper amount OF money is tho general
range OF priceR. Statisticans can determine this
question tI They are determining in many ma.
iatsn IN Europe tne Quantity OF money in circu
thereby. Mr.. Soetbeer determined it for many
is R,n OF wholesale commodities sauerbeck
ascertsined whether prices are rising or falling.
contraction and falling prices are death to enter.
prise. The people at large cannot make money
while prices are falling.
consequently the material upon which money
u stamped Is not the important thing. ANY kind
or material will answer that purpose which Ia
durable. cheaply transportable and easily divisi.
ore. Paper Is the very best material for money,
th we Tear TO advocate the discardtng OF both
tae precious metals because the people OF the
wosld havo been educated from time immemoriai
70 neneye that the precious metals are money in
nno on themselyee They now worship gold, and
they ase told By the owners OF gold that it is the
only thing to be used for money. The gold !s
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