Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-10-21

/ Dut when paying time comes, scarce
and dear gold only is honest money"
In the minds of most men it seems
to be self evident, beyond dispute, that
the proper and honest money should
he of such Il nature and quality that
1t would stay at home and serve the
! people when needed. The money
which is issued for the use of society
should always be ready for that SER
vice, and not absent at those times
when most needed. Such money may
be truthfulIy styles honest" or Use
/ full money.
That which is not ut its post of duty
when wanted, which can never be had
when most needed, surely cannot be
styled as honest or safe money. 1t is
| traitorous and "dishOnest money!"
and no milder terms will properly
describe its qualities. Money was not
intended to be used rs an instrument
of association, q tool of trade, to as
sist in the production of wealth, and
! should be SO regulated as best to in
sure its continuous circulation.
Money performs the same functions
in civilized society that blood does in
the human system. To enjoy good
health the blood must flow freely and
without restraint to every part OF the
body; if the circulation of the blood
be shut off from any member of the
human frame that part will wither
and decay and die. So with the blood
OF the body polite money; if it does
not flow with perfect freedom to every
part of the public system, that part
from which it is shut Off will languish
and die. When money fails to flow
freely through all the channels OF
trade or becomes concentrated in the
large cities, only giving out spas
medically through the channels of
trade and commerce, the whole sys-
tenn becomes weakened and the people
lose confidence. Trade grows dull,
factories close, laborers are unemployed
or poorly paid, strikes and lockouts
become general throughout the whole
nation. the militia and regular army
are called out to bleed the patient
with the prick of the bayonet, or to
start the circulation by the flash Of
the Gatling gun. Experience has
proved that none of these Old-fash-
ioned remedies will cure the disea.e G
Only renewed circulation will save the
patient from long suffering and final
death.
The effect of an increasing and a
decreasing volume Of money upon the
progress OF society is well described by
Sir Archibald Alison in his History
of Europe" He says: "Thc two
greatest events that have occurred in
the history Of mankind have been d.
rectly brought about by a contraction
and on the other hand an expansion
of the circulating medium of society.
The fall OF the Roman Empire, so
long ascribed to ignorance, to slavery,
egotism and moral corruption, was in
reality brought about by decline in
the silver and gold mines of Spain and
Greece. And, as if Providence had
intended to reveal in the clearest man
ner the influence Of this mighty agent
of human affairs, the resurrection OF
mankind from the ruin which those
causes had produced was owing to a
directly opposite set of agencies being
put in operation. Columbus led the
way in the career of renovation when
he spread his sails across the Atlantic.
He bore mankind and lis fortunes in
his bark. The annual supply of the
precious metals for the use OF the
globe was tripled; before n century
had expired the price of every species
of produce was quadrupled. The
weight OF debt and taxes insensibly
wore off under the influence Of that
prodigious increase"
The money power wants to chain
upon the people the gold standard; it
wants to enjoy the privilege of con-
tracing and expanding the currency
for the purpose of advancing its own
selfish interest. Further, the same
power wants to maintain the national
banks, the most gigantic trust ever
created in civilized society.
To abolish the national banks is Il
doctrine which the party of the future
must accept and assimilate without
deviation or compromise. TO do less
will be to shut its eyes and turn its
back upon the logic of social and
economic evolution and reject the
promised fruit OF tree whose " leaves
are for the healing of the nations"
This nation can neither walk back
ward nor stand still as regards the
money question, but must either go
forward to higher expression or die in
the very bud of its ideal.
The money question has come to
the front to stay until it is settled
right. The silver question is not by
any means dead. The people will no
longer be deceived by talk about in
ternational bimetallism-the attempt
made by the Administration was a
failure-neither are there any reasons
to believe that England ever will re-
monetize silver before she is compelled