The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-09-07
THE BOY.

We say as to money.
What is "we," pa?
Why, the Republican party, of course
What is Republican?
A Republican is a man who believes
as l do?
You believe in baptism, don't you?
Oh, not that. I mean politically.
What do you say as to money?
Why, we believe in the geld standard:
What is the gold standard?
By that we mean that gold is the only
honest money.
And is it?
Yes.
What is money for, pa? Isn't it to
buy things with?
Yes, but
How can money be dishonest? Isn't
it substance?
Oh, we mean that it would be dis
honest to make laboring man take
deprecated. money, as pay for his
labor.
Let me see your money, pa.
(Old man shows greenbacks, black
backs and silver)
You haven't any honest money, have
you, pa?
Oh-ah-why, yes, this is all right.
[ don't see any gold here.
No, I haven't any gold; there is none
in circulation.
Boy Examining two bills)-These
bills are not alike; why aren't they?
They are both for five dollars.
(Old man sighs.) You run off and
play now; I'm busy.
Wait a minute, pa; one of these bills
is-what do you call it?-depreciated,
isn't it?
No; both are good. One is a green
back issued by the government; the
other is national bank bill issued by a
national bank.
Then it's the silver that's dishonest,
isn't it?
No, not this particular piece
Can you buy as much with the silver
as with the greenbacko or the bank
note?
Yes; all are equally valuable when it
comes to buying anything.
But you can't buy as much with these
different kinds of money as you could
with like amount of gold?
Oh. yes; We can buy just as much as
though we had the gold.
Then in what way are they dishonest?
l.
Say, my son, you run off now: nv
head aches, and Sc.
But, pa. I'm. seeking information.
Why do we use two kinds of bills?
That's tive ought not to use two
kinds. The greenbacks ought to be re-
tired or withdrawn from circulation.
That is another thing the Republican
party is in favor of doing, and the
quicker the better. -.", 90,
If it is no good, why was it ever is
sued, as you call it?
Oh, We had to issue it to carry on the
war.
What war, pa?
Why, the rebellion of course
boy looks at national bank note. }
Why didn't you use this kind or gold
or silver?
Oh-why-because the gold and silver
We're all hidden away, and there were
no national banks then.
Was that big war, pa?
Yes. it lasted four years, and cost us
hundreds of thousands of lives and
billions of money.
Which side whipped?
We did, of course.
And the war cost billions of dollars
Yes.
And you say the silver and gold was
all hidden away. Then, if there were
no national banks, you must have used
greenbacks.
Yes, so we did.
Was it good money then?
Say, I'm busy now; don't ask me any
more questions.
40, pa, L Ilkc 10 KNOW
What?
II it was good then, why it is not
good now
l told you l was busy--do you hear
Yes, but you have always told me to
learn all can, and that is what want
to do about money.
Well, what is it?
If it was good money at one time. and
is bad now, there must have been a time
when it changed from good to bad
and
Oh, we'll, don't know when that was
Is that all?
No. Who made this money that VOL
dislike so, the Democrats?
No, indeed; the Republican party wa.
in power then. and we made It. Yes
we had to have it to put down the re.
though the. soldiers put down thu
rebellion?
So they did, but thew had tn he maid