Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1897-04-30
THE MONEY QUESTION.


will suppose a case. will put tho
whole business of the United States in
to the hands of three men-A, B and
c. A produces all the raw material.
works it up into the finished products,
G finds and furnishes the money with
which to make the exchanges. They
are operating upon basis which Is
fair and satisfactory to each. At the
end Of the first year A reports as fol-
lows: ~ have this year by the aid OF
improved machinery and better meth
DDS 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 n few years this state Of things
continues, until by and by it dawns
upon G 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 G 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 G will go to the dogs sure II 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
it is the result Of improved machinery
and increased production. This looks
reasonable to the two simple men and
they so at 1t again, resolved to make
up in increased production what they
lost in price. C remains inactive. Re-
suit, prices continue to fall. G now
being fully assured by experience that
he 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 lock
up his silver money since his gold can
just as we'll do all the work. Result,
prices have gone below the cost of
production. Next result, A and B are
compelled to borrow of G in order that
they may continue business. Next re-
suit, lower prices and more debt. Next
result, A and B cannot pay their debts.
c loses confidence, hence will not lend
any more. Next result, A and B are
busted" and G has all the property
and all the money and there is nothing
left for A and except to work for c
on his own terms. Last result, c owns
A and b and all the property, money.
everything; in short, he owns the
earth! Oh, we debt ridden farmers, We
mortgaged denizens Of the cities, We
toilers for the trusts and corporations,
read in this little parable your coming
doom! These three characters repre-
sent the mighty industries of this coun-
try. 1t shows in way that the SIM
pest mind can grasp it the processes
which are and have been at work trans
ferring the wealth of the masses to
the pockets Of those who manipulate
the money of the country, and it shows
what will be the end of the present
system If not changed. 1t shows you
why it is that already one-twentieth
of one per cent of Americas population
own one-half of the wealth of the ma
ton. You have only to follow the in
structions Of those who represent c in
the parable to come out where A and
B did in the end. G is great finan-
cier, he is the only man worth consult
ing when an investigation is ordered.
He is the only man capable of direct
ing the national finances. He has been
a great success, A and B were failures,
why shouldn't c own them? Brethren,
the question of successful self-govern-
ment is yet to be demonstrated. It is
a problem not yet solved.