Natchitoches populist., 1898-10-14

Parable of Pound-Cake and Ash Cake
And this is the parable of the staff
Of life:
In Felicia the Lord had provided
TWO grains for 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.
UNIT. The land was fertile, yielding
ooth wheat and corn; but the greater
Yield commonly was of corn, and
wheat sold at a higher price among
the people because it was scarcer and
made liner and whittier loaves. Yet the
Two grains gave abundance and hap
piness. If the wheat lacked, the corn
supplied the deficiency; if the corn
was scarce, the wheat came in answer
10 the call for bread, so that no man
suffered from hunger in Felicia. And
he corn was every mans crop. They
Who could not grow wheat, grew corn,
and they who ate no wheat were sat
SIZED with the corn ground freely at
The Kings mills. Both in quantity
and price the two grains thus coop
Grated together to feed the people
without possibility of monopoly and
sxtortion But Mammon, who dis
aributed the grains and the -four and
me meal thereof to the people, saw
how he could control the situation and
make mighty deal in wheat (the
seareer grain and the more to be de-
Hred), II he could persuade the King
10 close the mills against corn. And
30 ne sent his professors and his bank
srs and his scribes and his lawyers
20 the King, and they said: ION,
King! wheat is the only thing fit for
Thy people. 1t abounds, it is healthful,
seautiful and sweet; it is more desired
3f all men and nations: corn is food
Dnly for swine; Therefore close thy
mills against corn, and allow wheat
only to be ground therein. So VIII
Felicia grow greater and greater
among the nations; and with wheat
rs 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 course and
unsavory ash-cake." So it seemed
wise to the King, and forthwith he
Issued his edict that thenceforward
no corn should be ground in any OF the
mills of Felicia, which should remain
open only to the free and unlimited
grinding Of golden wheat. For a time
all things seemed to work well, not
withstanding the edict. But soon the
people who had eaten cornbread found
that they could not turn their corn
into meal, as the mills were closed
to everything but wheat. Phey had
to eat wheat, or starve. And 10! by
reason Of discrimination against it,
corn became almost worthless in ex-
change for wheat, as everything else
had also become by reason of the mill
sdict. And they who had eaten wheat
only found it had risen enormously in
price, not simply because it had been
made the sole staff of life, but be-
cause Manmon and his men had cor
ReTed the wheat product, which had
now become easy, as this product was
much less than that Of corn, and as
corn had been excluded from the mills
and the bread market and could no
longer come to the rescue of wheat
and It's consumers. Thus it came to
pass that even the Kings baker was
sorely put to it to furnish the accus-
toned loayes for the royal table. All
the Kings household and retainers,
who had formerly been served with
.orn-pone, had now to be fed on flour.
So that with the royal garners burst
Ing with corn, there was scant bread
on the royal table. But Mammon &
co. had store OF wheat, and for while
they cheerfuly took the Kings or
aers Cor bonds) in exchange for
wheat; but the peoples orders or bonds
we're disdained, Mammon G Co. double
locking their wheat bins against all
popular demands. insomuch that the
people starved. while the King feasted
and still kept reserve or surplus of
wheat by a liberal issue Of royal or
ders or bonds warranted TO produce
wheat and nothing but wheat. At
length. when the people had been driv-
en- to the last extremity and famine
prevailed in the land, even the Kings
bonds were refused for wheat by Nam
mon & Co., unless he would also put
IN pawn his crown, his scepter and his
throne. And then the eyes and ears
Of the king were opened to his pros
rate people crying for the opening of
The mills to corn. 1--WE do not care for
pound cake" shrieked the people
Give MS corn bread, lest we perish
IN the midst Of our abundance!" But
tie sleek Mammon, with his portly
professors, his bloated bankers, his
greasy scribes. and his lusty lawyers,
talked day and night to the King
These ignorant and half-educated
reople do not know what ails them.
A. 4 -asd q