Industrial freedom. [volume] (Edison, Wash.) 1898-1???, 1898-07-23
A LETTER OF
INTRODUCTION,
To whom it may concern:

may be: This introduces the Hon.
Peleg Potter a particular friend of
mine. He is man of rare attain
ments, and I hope your acquaintance
will be mutually pleasant and profit
able.
He is a republican but | don't hold
him any grudge on that account. In
fact he could not be anything else:
never will be anything else.
He believes in intrinsic value. "
Of course he Goes not know WHAT is
f he did he would not believe in it,
lie is sure that money should possess
this 'intrinsic value" to its full face.
Consequently he is for gold. or money
redeemable in gold. Whether the
party of redemption has the gold or
any way of getting it is matter of
indifference to him.
None of this value of gold is given
it by law. OF that he is sure. He is
equally certain that the legal powers
enjoyed by gold would. if restored
to silver. greatly enhance its value
and prove a boom to the silver
mine owners. He is consistent duck.
he is.
Gold is good filling for teeth, by
the same token just the thing for
money. yet | never heard him argue
that because spade was good thing
to dig with that it was the proper
thing for picFirg berries with. nor
that a wheelbarrow, being useful, was
the proper instrument to write check
with.
He believes fiat money would ruin
the country. but thinks Cat bonds all
right though he is an interest payer,
not an interest collector.
He believes in the private owner
ship of monopolies but lauds our pub
lie owned schools to the skies. brags
about our public owned postal system
and filings his hat and yells every time
our public owned navy sinks Il Span
ish fleet
| gather from his 'conse rvatism"
and his nistrust of new tangled no.
tions" that he believes in the divine
rights of kings. AS he quotes the age
of some of his opinions for authority
presume he believes in witchcraft
and the boiling of witches in oil or
the irving of them in their own fat.
His is an amazingly pure and unsul-
lied mind. for he has never read any
free silver heresies" nor 'populist
rot and as for socialist literature,
the very thought of it sends Klon-
dixie in January feeling up the spine
of his back" If he cannot trust his
own good party papers to tell him the
truth about those new fads whom can
he trust?
He is sternly opposed to modern eX-
travagant ways. The fact that
young people nowadays want to be-
gin where their fathers left Off fills
him with righteous indignation. IF
they must, and should. begin where
their fathers did to what end have
their fathers trod the weary upward
PATH" you say. Well. don't say it to
him. Don't. | beg or you. in the nan e
of our common friendship, try to in
sert an economic idea into his brain.
If YOU were to succeed his skull would
have to be trephined and mansard
roof inserted.
He believes in overproduction,
never heard of under-consumptiou,
Shelf-worn goods. bursting granaries,
overlooking warehouses. are ocular
proof to him that more is produced
than is needed. though hunger and
want stalk in the very midst of this
apparent plenty.
He lays all poverty at the door of
idleness. intemperanCc or ignorance,
"Anvone can get on in this country.
To him the condition of any other
country is matter of supreme indif-
ference. Patriotism. in his mind, j.
not only love for his own country,
hut hatred and suspicion of every
other.l In proof of his assertion he
has acquired as the reward of long
life of toll and Intrigue a few hundred
in bank; small insurance policy; a
house with bay window and mort
gage: a black suit and a white shirt.
The Hon. Peleg is all right. If you
don't believe me ask him. Any little
courtesies you can show him. such
a. showing him into the bay at high
tide, falling tree on him. or leaving
him out in a cyclone. according to
your location, will be personal IA
yor. Such favor will be as highly APP
preciated. or more SO, as if rend-
cred TO
Yours truly,
BIGE EDDY
L. S.-Whoeyer gets this letter of
Introduction will have no difficulty.
BARN the name. i'm running across