The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-07-21
FUNCTIONS OF MONEY.
EVEN THE DULLEST CAN UN-
DERSTAND THIS.
no" guernsey Market House Was Ruilt
Sltn Paper Made Reservable for Rent
OF staIls-Why the Bond Holders Fight
for Retention of Gold

""h Tsper Made Reservable for Rent
OF staIs-Why the Bond Holders Fight
for Retention of Gold Standard.
several times l have referred to the
story of the Guernsey Market House.
Inc germ Of truth which it illustrates
'es at the very foundation of the
money question, writes DR.. C. F. Tay-
lor IN the Medical World of Philadel-
pnla. This incident illustrates clearly
.nat money is only a system of keep
ing accounts, which also involves the
Junction of facilitating exchange. IN
'rlnslc value" money is a useless
waste. In spite of the full and free
discussion Of the money question all
over the country during the past few
years, there are yet many who say:
Inc money question is too deep for
me- The money question is too diff
cult 1or ordinary men. we should leave
IL entirely to the fnanciers," etc. To
all these, l wish to say, read the fol-
io~in simple and true story. Cut it
Out and save it, and read it every time
tnat you doubt your ability to under
stand the money question. Whenever
you near a man say that he can't I'M
derstand the money question, read this
story to him. Our references to this
story have heretofore been rather brief.
we quote the following rather ex-
tended and possibly embellished form
OF 1t from an exchange:
IN the parish Of st. Peter, Island of
guernsey, marketing was carried on in
Unprotected stalls around the Church
square. The losses to vendors by rains,
and the Inconvenience to buyers, made
the need of a covered market-house
keenly felt; and some public-spirited
cltlzen took the matter in hand to
nave one built. An estimate of the size
OF the house required brought it's ap-
proXlmate cost in money to 1872, 900,
and to raise this amount of money be-
came the question with the promoters
OF the scheme. 1t was a question, how
ever, of easy solution, as they had
thousands of presidents. They drew
up a petition setting forth the need of
a market-house and desiring the gov
n to issue interest-bearing bonds,
to be negotiated in Paris or London for
the money wherewith to erect the
building. To said petition were ap-
pended the signatures of some three
hundred h~ouSeholders in the parish,
and a committee was appointed to pre-
sent the same to Gov. De L'Isle Brock.
1t happened that while the people
were money-worshipers-that is, be-
lleved In the o~mnipotence of money,
Gov. Brock. on the contrary, was a
m~oney-inf1del; that is, did not believe
that money was able to do the least
thing. Consequently, when the CON-
mittee presented the petition, supersti-
ton and science came in conflict. The
governor set to work with arguments,
to prevent the citizens from going in
to debt and becoming tributary to
bankers in Paris or London. After ex-
planning to the committee that all the
money in the world could not make or
lay a brick, could not plane or nail a
plank in the proposed market-house,
with little effect, he finally struck the
right way, and reached their under
standing as follows:
will you permit me-" he asked the
committee, Ito place before you some
very simple questions?" Then, con-
tinuiLg, Have we the necessary num-
Der Of mechanics among us to build
said house?" he asked. The commit
tee replied that they had, adding that,
owing to dull times, many workmen
we're out of employment and would be
glad of a job. This reply the governor
put down on paper summarily thus:
I'VE have the men," He then asked
about the materials, rocks, bricks, lum-
her, lime, sand; about tools, teams, as
well as all requisites to maintain men
and teams while the work was being
executed. To all these questions the
committee had to reply affirmatively,
because the whole were to be found in
The parish. The governor set down on
his list each in the order given. Hold
ing, then, the list in his hands, he. with
he full assurance of being in the right,
addressed the committee as follows:
Here you tell me that we have among
ourselves every thing needed to build
the market-house, yet you desire me
to bond you to bankers for a material
which is of no manner of use in the
construction of the house. Strange
anomaly" 1T is true" remarked one
Of the committee, that we nave men
and materials, but we lack the money
to pay the men and to buy the nate
:ia1s.' Friends" replied the govern
or, when a man gets paid for work
done or materials furnished, it means
that he has worked for others and sold
the materials. Is it your intention to
build a house for bankers? If so, then
you are right in demanding pay from
those bankers. But, in such case, you
should not place yourselves under
bondage besides. If those bankers pay
YOU for the house, and hold you in
bondage also, demanding annual trib-
ute, they will soon have both the house
and the money they paid you. It will
be NJ relief to say that we make the
renters of the market-house pay that
tribute to the bankers. The renters
will be part of us, and they will de-
nand of their customers that tribute
In higher prices for goods. So we
jointly will have to pay tribute in per-
petuity for an article which, as 1 said.
is Of no use to us. Allow me, gentle
men. to propose a better plan for build
ing our market house. Having, as you
avow, men and materials. all that is