The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1899-08-17
PENALTY OF ECONOMIC SIN.
Evils That Must Follow IN the Geld
Standard Train Have Buf
Ceranavne9a.

Commenced.
The universe Is governed boy general
and not by special laws. 4 hurricane
may sweep over the ocean. causing the
waves to dash and foaiE, forming noun
tainE and valleys ON tie bozom OF thr
deep. The land may be raked by a
simcoR or the waters agitated by
typhoon. and ytt thc oceHn will sc4k its
level and the atmosphere lie equilib-
rum. and the return Of normal condi-
iiouE will cause no surprise.
Economic law Ia az immutable as any
Law OF physics. and disorder In the eco
nOmic forces Is no more permanent
than in the physical Disorder Of either
the physical or economic forces may,
however, produce great havoc while
they last. the former causing great de-
struction Of life aud property, and the
latter interfering with, and often sus-
pending, the work Of production and
dcfying justice in that of distribution.
The disorder in natural forces that
call into existence the hurricane or the
simeon as the medium Of restoring at
mospheric equilibrium Is beyond the
power OF human control. But the dis
order In the economic world that de-
ranges the work Of production and dis
tribution, entailing untold misery upon
nations and peoples, often causing in
t0icrabie conditions, results generally
from either universal Ignorance on the
part OF man or from the crafty few be
ing able TO impose their will upon the
ignorant many for the purpose OF plum
dering them.
No law Of physics operates with more
hbsoluteness or immutability than the
law under which the money metals dis
tribute Themselves among the nations
nnd people OF earth, giving 10 each ma
ton itA distributiye share. A nations
distrihntiye share of the money metals
"a that portion Of the whole stock which
will produce the commodities Of the
nation at a point which will prohibit
similar articles being brought In from
other nations and sold at n profit. The
instinct Of gain Is universal In the race,
and without compulsion men will al
ways sell where they can sell dearest
and buy where they can buy cheapest.
In response TO buying and selling the
money metals distribute themselves,
money always seeking the market
where IL can be exchanged fer the most
goods and commodities always seeking
the market where they will exchange
for the largest quantity of the money
metals.
Under this law, which operates as
uncrriugly rs the law OF gravity, or
that Of the equalization OF the atmos.
phrre, international price levels are
made. The burning sun may heat the
sands OF the desert until simeon &C.
ours, after which an equilibrium Is re-
stored. The winds may disturb the sur
face OF the ocean. causing waves 10 rise
mountains high, but the law OF grayi-
tatiOn will restore the ocean TO its level.
So may the law under which the money
metals distribute themselves be inter
rupted by famine, pestilenee or war,
and the international price level for a
time be disarrangcd through one nation
gaining more than it, diStributiyc share
Of the money metals while other ma
lions are forced 10 accept less than their
share, but such condition Is only TEN.
porary and when the causes Of the dis
turbance pass away all nations will
again receive and retain only their dis
tributiyc share. and In the end all debts
must be liquidated upon, and all settle
menis must finally conform to a valu-
alton Of property based upon the inter
national price level.
The harmonious working Of the law
that distributes the money metals
among the nations may be disturbed
by legislation of the different nations.
When such happens and the Legislators
are either ignorant OF the law or for
amy reason pass statutes that set IL
at defiance, evil results are sure to fol-
low.
Prior to 1874 the stock of money
metal that fixed the worlds prices con-
sisted OF gold and silver, but in that
year the United States suspended the
coinage Of silver, which was followed
the next year 10y similar action by
time the coinage ratio between the
two metals that ruled throughout the
world was 1874 ounces OF silver to one
ounce OF gold. But the denial of free
mintage TO silver, by the great com
mcrcial nations mentioned. broke the
parity between the two metals and
caused an economic disturbance in the
affairs OF the world that has continued
Co multiply evils In It's train from that
time 90 the present. Prior TO 1879 sill
yer constituted the principal coin OF
Germany, Austria. Russia, France.
Italy, Belgium and Switzerland, be-
sides all of Asia, and played more than
an even part with gold in the metallic
circulation Of the United stEtes. The
suspension of coinage by the nations
mentioned and the breaking of the
parity at which the metals circulated
created an enormous demand for gold
which has caused the general level OF
prices in the nations Of Europe and
America to continually fall from that
time 20 the present. But this was not
oil.
The nations that had discarded the
use Of silver were the principal silver
producing nations. and the silver prod.
uct became greatly deprecated be
cause II had TO be transported 90 Asia
before reaching its final marke. ON ae-
count Of the nsinis of America and Ess-
rope being closed against that metal.
The constant increase In the value OF
gold and tho corresponding disparity
between gold and silver disturbed the
exchanges Of the world and gave the
nations of Asia and Euch other coun-
tTics as stiiiadhered 10 silver a great nd.
vantage over their rivals. who adhered
TO gold alone. The period since the
demonstration OF silver IN the United
Stntes has marked the concentration
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