Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1899-10-12
VERY PRECIOUS MONEY.
&. SILVER AND GOLD HAVE I NONE, BUT
a.i SUCH Asi HAVE, GIVE | UNTO THEE
. A FEW PLAIN WORDS FROM A
Practical Business Man About Our Currenc,
and Financial System.

IS Since tho politicians, who are seek
ing lucrative offices for themselves,
propose to reopen the issue between
gold and silver as q basis for our
currency, in the coming Presidential
campaign, will it not be well for the
people to examine tho question fcr
themselves before the heat of the
Presidential campaign is upon us, so
that they mey be prepared to act III
telligently and without passion in
their own interest l?
What is money Money is simp-
ly u measure of value and medium of
exchange of products having intrinsic
value !; convenience simply of
trade. Money is without intrinsic
value in itself, and only measure
or representative of value.
1t is the prerogative Of govern
ment to issue money. In the alb
straot, it is simply fiat of govern
ment.
But, says one, real money is made
of gold and silver, which are pre-
oious metals. True, we have paper
money, which is much more convcna
lent, but it is not good, unless re-
deemable and cxchangoablc into gold
or silver money. My dear, sir, or
madam, right there is where the great
trouble lies. We have been taught
from our infancy that gold and silver
are precious, and We have grown up
to manhood accepting the fable with
out question, while in fact, gold and
silver are not precious at all, and, ex-
cept for their use as money metals,
and government fiat stamped thereon,
are about the least useful of all the
metals, especially gold. If you were
out at sea in a boat which would you
value most, a peck of potatoes, q keg
of water or barrel of gold ?
When silver was demonetized it's
market malue as a commodity fell
from 100 cents to ~ cents. If gold
were to be demonetizcd to-day l
doubt if it would bring in the mar
kot as a commodity even as much as
silver, because it is less useful to man
fewer useful articles could be ere
ated out of it for mans use.
The intrinsic value to man of iron
is incalculable. The world would
not be able to get along without it !;
but if all the gold and silver in the
world were blotted out Of existence,
we would be little the worse off for
its loss, and would hardly miss it. l
mean the Industrious, laboring, pro-
ducing people /; farmers, manufac-
turers, mechanics, merchants, law
yers, doctors, ETC., would not miss it.
OF course the dealer in money
and the practical politician and
chronic Office seeker would miss it,
bee ause they could no longer ride
into place and power on the cry OF
"Gold Basis" "Sound Currency" or
on the contrary, "Free Coinage of
S liver" "Down with Monopolsts," :"
"Restore the Poor Mans Money"
and such like, as if it were possible
for any monopoly to exceed the one
which is now controlling the silver
of the world, and are moving heaven
and earth to secure it's coinage, not
for the benefit of our people, but for
their own interests, let the effect fall
as it may on the masses. You will
remember tho astonishing financial
spectacle presented by our govern
ment purchasing and coming month
ly several millions of silver, paying
for the bullion more than twice its
M arket value, done, too, in accord
ance with an act of Congress. |
need not tell you in whose interest
this was done, but is it not astonish.
ing that in this land of free schools
and enlightenment such an act could
become a law? that Congressman
would dare to advocate or vote for
such q measure, or President ap-
prove it, with the eyes Of ,hc Ameri-
can people upon them.
Every one knows tho result. The
Treasury became embarrassed, spccu-
lators withdrew the gold and the
"gold reserve" fell below the illegal
standard" and again panic and ruin
stalked rampant amongst the pro-
ducing and business masses.
. Congress was hastily convened in
extra session to repeal the villainous
law. 1t was expected that this
would be promptly done, but not
Withstanding its pressing necessity it
was months before it's repeal was ac-
complished. Why2 Every one
knows, who can read and think, the
reason.
O" tho other hand it is the thin