The Monte Vista journal., 1898-10-15
CROSS EXAMINATION.
OF rHE CHICAGO rRIsuNE's
ooLDsUo EDITOR.

wv Fus Up sAs Prise ss Msssys-
Dsbtsss ssa CrsAsssrs, frsAsesss s.A
Asesy.1sasAsrs - Dear Ds,isss Msks
Chsap Nso.
One Of the Chicago Tribuae's recent
editorials upon the money question
aused James Cockrell. an Illinois
lafmsr. to ask the editor to explain the
following:
I. What do you mean BY the tsrm
'%l-csnt dollar!" How can . piscs OF
money coined BY the authority of the
government Of the United statss - .
7oilar. be . dollar and contain less
han one hundred e4aa!
.. WAea you speak Of the most
prosperous and progressive CONNER
,ial nations of the world" do you have
reference to the prosperity Of the
Rothschilds and few hundred ether
bankers. brokers. money changers and
landlords. or to the prosperity Of the
people In gepsral!
3. Do you Judge the prosperity OF
nation BY Its commerce and the
bonds and mortgages held by It's
money lenders, or by the wealth actu-
ally owned and controlled by those
that produce all wealth (the common
people)? II by the latter. are then.
In your opinion. the common people In
England. Germany. Italy. Austria and
Spain prosperous? II SO. is II due to
the gold standard?"
4. How would cheaper money f44-
cent doilars') have the effect OF plac-
Ing the American people on level
with Cinnamon? Were the people OF
men before the coinage of silver was
stopped and thus far silver denone-
tixed!
8. II the free and Independent coin
age Of silver at the ratio Of Is to l.
should. rs you say 1t would. wipe out
so per cent of the credits of the coun-
try. what would become OF that wealth.
II II be real wealth? II the creditor
lost II would the debtor gain 1t!
s. II the creditor class las you say)
would lose 60 per cent by the full and
complete reconciliation OF silver. how
much then did the debtors lose by the
characterization Of that metal?
Z. During the last thirty years who
has lost the most wealth. the creditor
class BY fall In the value OF money.
or the debtors by rise In the value OF
money! Have you kept track Of this
little matter,
u the matter. you should discover that
he toilins. wealth producing and debt
or classes have been the constant los
ers and to the extent OF billions OF
dollars, in consequence OF money
growing deare- and dearing during the
last twenty-five or thirty years. would
YOU then consent to have matters
evened up a little by squeezing say
10 or so per cent OF value out OF
money. and. to that extent. return It
Into the fruits OF the toll OF the real
wealth producer. Ia II any worse to
rob \ creditor than = debtor. and, IL SO.
why!
>. You say there are "8c. .oiO saving
bank depositors In Ohio. who have
tSS. 900 900 on deposit" Do you know
how many men there are In Ohio. out
Of . population Of 1000. 900. who are
paying interest to the savings banks
for the privilege Of using this money!
10. Do you know how many men.
women and children In Ohio have not
q dollar on earth. and who have no
means Of acquiring = dollar excep,
through their labor? You. sir. give
~ per cent Of the population Of the
state as having bank deposits. what do
you say about the 97t per cent (nine-
ty-Aeven out OF every hundredD, with
out any deposits!
II. Why is It that you are not as
deeply interested In the welfare of the
many who have money to buy or earn.
~ you are In the welfare Of the very
few who have money to sell?
IL. Don't you reckon that the little
:h per cent bank depositors would
gain more than they would lose. II the
Populists or some body else should rob
dollars Of co per cent OF their value by
adding 60 per cen; to the value OF la
bor' can think OF no other way by
which the trick can be performed, can
you!
II. You have good deal 10 say
about tho purchasing power Of money.
] suppose by that you have reference
to the amount or quality one man can
buy OF the fruits Of another mans toll.
with ono dollar: II you are contend
Ing for dollars Of tho greatest purchas.
Ing power. then why did you manifest
70 much Joy when II took SITS to buy
ono bushel Of wheat. II dollars OF tho
greatest purchasing power are the best
for everybody. don't you think that n
General rise In prices. so that dollars
would not buy 10 much. would bs the
worst thing that could happen:
The answers TO these questions are
obvious to the duiiest understanding.
but the financial editor Of the Tribune
has not attempted an answer.