Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-23
Currency.
(The Observations Of a Philosophic'
Friend of Ours)


Friend of Ours)
We are all traders and merchants BY
nature; and It Is for the promotion OF
trade and commerce. barter and Inter
change. and make the world one, tnat
the Almighty has bestowed divers gifts,
endowments. and privileges on individu-
ais, communities, peoples, nations, and
continents. And so He makes man, the
social image of the world he lives In. With
members having divers officers and all
mutually dependent, helping one another.
II is very true that we are all equally
made 70 be lawyers, doctors. and priests.
no matter what specially may occupy US.
II we don't regard the general purposes
and reverence the laws and principles OF
our business, we are shysters and fakirs.
II we don't respect the constitution and
laws of our physical system we are
quacks and empires, invalids and hypo-
chondriacs. If we don't worship and
honor the Supreme Ruler we are inhdels
and heather; worship all sorts Of gods
are subservient to the lowest and COM
monest passions, and follow every vanity
and absurdity. The Psalmist says Of the
perfect MANTLE general good man, re-
gardless of his calling-that his delight
is In the law Of the Lord, and in His law
will he exercise himself day and night.
He studies law habitually.
But our business here, by whatever
name we go, is trade and commerce.
And as traders and merchants. we have
and must have our currency. In our trade
and commerce in material things and real,
actual service we have our special cur
rency or circulation, that measures, sus-
tains keeps, carries, and distributes
values. And Just as in our bodies. the
health and vigor of our system bespeaks
a sound and healthy circulation, SO the
stability and prosperity Of commercial
community bespeaks a sound and reliable
currency. On a fraudulent or wavering
basis. nothing can be built. And the
standard must be the very best and most
valuable of its kind Degrees OF excel
lence and dgnities Of essential merit are
established by nature. The lying tongue
of popular will or arbitrary fiat Is but
for a moment, quickly yields to everlast-
ing law.
Trading and commerce goes on In every
thing that concerns. interests, or IL IN man.
Material things and services are only one
department of general commerce. And
there is a large world OF immaterial
finance and exchange. that has its cur
rencv. its standards of value, and banks
Of issue. as positive and real as this
other that occupies our eyes and ears ana
thoughts. Gold and golden are the high-
est measures in the common world ror
the other world OF commerce and dealing
I'm valuables. they are figures of speech
but their meaning is unmstakable.
The rank is but the guinea's stamp
And mans the gold for a that.
Every one acknowledges the standard
of real and essential manhood, ana recos-
nizes the false measures, conventional
ties and social fctions that disregard
or ignore it. The divine order Is; Judge
not according to the appearance put
Judge righteous Judgment, after the mihd
of the Supreme Judge and Originator
The common currency between man ana
man is made Of words. Honest truth I'D
that is golden. But in every branch VI
immaterial trade there Is currency .
Love has n thousand forms Of value
Iegal-tenders. And I'm its realm there are
a thousand counterfeits. The gold-bugs
there are counted as cranks and visiona-
ries: but still they are honored and get
fun nav in their own coin. They VIII
have no trading but on a sterling gold
basis, what Is honest and true Ihey
mean what they say and say what they
mean. and deal in the good and true and
beautiful. And on the other hand the
realists insist that love is largely a mere
selfish, common thing. and that anything
that will pass is good enough for It's
trade: that its currency can be sufficient
ly regulated by statute and by conyen-
tionalism; that fashion can say what snail
be money and currency-what shail dis-
charge the obligations Of love- And
those ideas make the confusion, the Vani-
tv. the desolation, the hate. the cat-and-
dog life Of selfish, worldly society. And
the profit and loss of those merchants,
the balance OF the great clearing houses,
is vanity and vexation Of spirit.
In the world Of ecclesiasticism and
professional theology and OF mystic and
psychologist learning they have q cur
rency Of their own. Schools and denomi-
ne lions establish the standard OF value,
and barter is carried on through many
notes of hand and head. The gold Of the
heart from the placers Of everyday life
or mind from the depths Of the soul Is
too scarce and costly for common use. A
paper currency suits the general world
better, is cheaper, and more abundant
From the use of this kind OF currency
what infinite confusion and damage has
come in the commerce OF the religious
worldl
We see this same thing everywhere.
Every social circle has its currency, its
thoughts and feelings and affections, its
household words. and It's standards or
gold or commonplace OF truth or con-
yentionality. Indeed. every man Is really
a bank OF issue. The standing OF his
bank depends on the excellence OF his Is
sue. BY his words he Is justified, and by
his words he is condemned. The golden
mind stoops not 10 shows of dross. The
irresponsible talker and doer that does
and saws what he pleases. issues only
wildcat currency that only passes with
fools like himself, but will buy nothing.
II admits OF no commerce of thought or
affection. That sort Of trading Is hardly
dignifed as conversation. On the other
hand the words OF a man Of sense are
based ON truth and character and natural
law and the highest standards OF value
They are redeemable In golden truth chd
reality and good everywhere. And they
will buy all the treasures OF noble soul.
They are spirit, they are life; currency
good IN Heaven; the coinage Of the heart
.uz~n-sx<sss<--.-sss
The Cuban Scare.
Although the diplomatic ENHANCEMENT