Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1898-04-08
MONEY A MEDIUM OF EXCHANGE.


1t is thought that there is about $4 ,ooo, 900
counterfeit silver in circulation. The counter
felt has as much silver as the genuine 1t pass
es without notice-perforns the func-
lions as any other kind of money. 1t may
come to us in subscriptions, and we pass it to
the grocer. 1t may 60 cut to the farmer, and
from the farmer to the implement dealer, and
from the implement dealer to the manufacturer,
and from the manufacturer to the operative, and
nobody is injured. Still, the coin is without
the sanction of law, and dollar is only in
trinsically valuable to the amount of half
dollar. No one but he counterfeiter had any
gain, and no one lost anything, although the
coin made the whole round of producers and
consumers.
The counterfeit dollar proves that money is
the medium of exchange, and whatever the
people accept performs that function even
though it has not the sanction of law, or is in
trinsically valuable.
The intrinsically- valuable theory was erected
i'll the interest of the noney-lender and bond
holder To their benefit it inures. The in
trinsically valuable dollar begins in a tax onthe
people, for whom the dollar was created, and
with the blessing is mingled curse. AS the
commodity becomes scarce, the burdens in
crease; or vice versa The system can be car
ried TO the extreme point of the virtual enslave-
ment of the masses to a few men. Ignorance
alone endures the single standard, or the in
trinsically- valuable theories or system; of fl
nance. Let everybody accept the doctrine of
money being medium of exchange, and bonds
and interest taxation will be wiped from the
face of the earth, and to large extent, the &C.
cupation of the money lender will be uncalled-
for. Also, the burdens of the people will be
greatly lightened.
THE Nebraska maximum freight late bill
carried reduction in local charges of about 20
per cent. For the whole line of the Burling-
ton, the reduction would have been II per
cent. 1t was claimed by the railroad attorneys
that reduction of 29 per cent for Nebraska
would have entailed a loss TO the roads of per
cent. Of course, the roads permitted TO put in
water, bonds and cost of operating. If there
had been no water, the roads could have stood
the reduction and still have had profit The
intention of the trainers of the bill was to reach,
and not only squeeze out, but prevent future
soaking Under the court decision, the COM
panies have unlimited power to water stock and
collect dividends Oh freight charges. From
this time on, there will be no desert land in
railroad companies. There will be enough
water in stock to wet down.
GOMPERs president of the federation of La
Dor, published letter severely condelnning the
Lattimer massacre trial. The Topeka Capital
is very indignant theleat, and proceeds to ex-
coriate Gompers in the most approved manner
Of putocratic newspapers. In substance, the
Capital claims that Gompers violated decency,
and his utterances tended to bring courts into
lisrepute. Courts may bring themselves into
lisrepute, bur not until court conclusions are
uch as to merit the censure of law-abiding cit
zens. That assumption that continually crops
tut in the Capital, and papers of its kind that
ourts Invaluable, will do more toward
ringing them into dsrepute than doz men
Ike Gompers.
GENERAL LITTLE is for St.
ohm fol congress. 8