The Louisiana populist., 1897-05-28
THE MONEY QUESTION.
(By. Thos. C. Hodgson.)

(By. Thos. C. Hodgson.)
I will suppose case. will put the
whole business of the United States in
to the hands of three men-A, B and
c. A produces all the raw material, b
works it up into the finished products,
c finds and furnishes the money with
which to make the exchanges. They
are operating upon a basis which Is
fair and satisfactory to each. At the
end of the first year A reports as fol-
lows: II have this year by the aid OF
improved machinery and better meth
ods been enabled to produce ten per
cent more than last year at the same
expense" B makes a similar report,
and G reports that he too had found
cheaper methods of extracting gold and
silver from the ore and had thereby
produced about ten per cent more than
in former years at no greater expense.
This makes an ideal showing, for mon
ey has kept pace with>production and
prices remain the same and thereby
each OF the three gets the full benefit
OF his own ingenuity and industry.
For few years this state OF things
continues, until by and by 1t dawns
upon c that there is no need OF his
laboring and racking his brain to in
crease his dollars, because whatever
number of them he has must purchase
and exchange all that the other men
produce, be they more or less. So he
slackens his industry while the others
keep on. At the next meeting c re-
ports that he took lay-off last year
for the benefit of his health. The other
two innocently enough shake their
heads ominously and remark privately
that c will go to the dogs sure If he
neglects his business that way. But
will he? Let US see:
1t is not long before A and B discov-
er that the price of their goods has de-
clined. They mention this strange
thing to G. He tells them that they
should not be surprised at that because
1t is the result Of improved machinery
and increased production. This looks
reasonable to the two simple men and
they so at it again. resolved to make
up in increased production what they
lost in price. G remains inactive. Re-
suit, prices continue to fall. G now
being fully assured by experience that
ne can by contraction of his money
transfer all the wealth of the other two
men to himself proceeds to withdraw
his outstanding paper money. Result
lower prices. He now concludes to loci
up his silver money since his gold cal
just as well do all the work. Result
prices have gone below the cost O
production. Next result, A and B arr
compelled to borrow Of c in order tina
they may continue business. Next re
suit, lower prices and more debt. Mex
result, A and B cannot pay their debts
G loses confidence, hence will not LEM
any more. Next result, A and B ar
busted" and c has all the propert,
and all the money and there is nothin
left for A and B except to work for
on his own terms. Last result, G own
A and B and all the property, money
everything: in short, he owns th
earth! Oh, ye debt ridden farmers, y
mortgaged denizens of the cities, =
toilers for the trusts and corporation,
read in this little parable your comm
doom! These three characters repre-
sent the mighty industries Of this cour
try. 1t shows in way that the sin
plest mind can grasp it the processe
, which are and have been at work tran,
ferring the wealth Of the masses I
the pockets Of those who manipula1
: the money of the country, and it show
r what will be the end Of the presel
system if not changed. It shows 70
why it is that already one-twentiet
!. of one per cent Of Americas populatio
own one-half OF the wealth Of the n,
tion. You have only to follow the il
structions of those who represent c 4
: the parable to come out where A ar
s B did in the end. C is a great final
cier, he is the only man worth consul
ing when an investigation is ordere
e He is the only man capable Of direc
: ing the national finances. He has be,
great success, A and B were failure
why shouldn't G own them? Brethre
n the question Of successful self-gover
!. ment is yet to be demonstrated. It
: a problem not yet solved.
: Public Ownership Of Monopoliss.
- Tho hiv hriHCn N0nn oofSvr, E.-. ".