Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-01-19
Coins New Book.

Willis j. Abbot, CHIEF OF the demo-
cratic national committees literary
bureau, reviews Coin on Money.
Trusts and Imperialism, " in the fol-
lowing manner:
About four years ago little book
issued modestly without any great
heralding or any of the puffery
through the literary press which is
enjoyed by writer's of romantic fiction
or doubtful verse 80 seized upon the
minds of the American people that it
became perhaps the most widely
known book OF the decade and un-
questionable the one which more than
all others influenced men in their
political action. Coins Financial
School was the outgrOwth of series
of articles written by W. II. Harvey
for his little paper Coin, and was
pushed by the Chicago Inter Ocean at
the time when that paper had not dis
covered that in order to be republican
it must necessarily also be the servitor
of the bankers. II is hardly neces-
sary now to recount the ire
mendous success OF the book
or to estimate the share it
had in awakening the people of the
United States to a just comprehension
of the importance of the money ques-
ton in politics.
After four years, during which
period he has at all times been labor
ing with voice and pen and organizing
ability to fulfill the mission of SO,
Mr.. Harvey comes before the people
on the eve of the new presidential
campaign with a new book-in the
familiar style of his former one, but
treating of the later, though not more
important, issues which have sprung
up since the time that Mr.. Bryan was
defrauded of his election. Coin on
Money, Trusts and Imperialism, ;
treats of ut one least issue-imperial-
ism-which had not raised it's threat
ening head in'96. During that struggle,
too, The trusts, though already offer
ing a certain menace to the we'll being
OF the people, had not developed into
such startling proportions as they
now present. To these issues Coin,
in his new series of lectures, devoteS
much of his attention, but the old
issue-the issue that will arise peren-
nially until oIt of the hands OF ia
vored class shall be taken the price
less privilege of issuing and controll-
ing the money of the Reople-engages
his attention in the opening chapters
of his book. | do not think that Mr..
Harvey has ever done anything so
we'll as his dissection of the privi-
leges enjoyed and the further ones
demanded by the national bankers
In clear and simple style, using as
heretofore the dialogue form, he dis
cusses the demand of the banking
class that it shall be permitted to
control the money of the people and
shows conclusively by figures, the
authenticity of which cannot be dis
puted, how enormous are the profits
they now derive and hope to continue
to draw from their monopoly. The
profit of the dealer in money is the
.unearued increment no less GER
tainly than is the profit of the specu
lator in land, who has contributed
nothing to the productive forces of
the nation. Mr.. Harvey demonstrates
this, though he does not use this par
ticular comparison. and l believe that
his logic will prove as irrefutable as
his language is simple and direct.
ITO the questions of trusts and i'm
perialism, questions which cannot
fail to be bitterly debated during the
campaign, the author has brought
wealth of statistical material, re-en-
forced by clear and logical compre-
hension of the problems they involve,
and | think the strength and value of
his discussion of these problems is
derived largely from the fact that
he approaches them not altogeth-
er from the standpoint of the cold and
insensste political economist, but
rather from that of the man who puts
into his political beliefs and into his
writings that touch of heart. of hu-
man sympathy, which made much of
the difference between Herbert Spen-
Ger and Henry George. l do not be- |
lieye that a great book on economics or
on any living and vital social prob |
lem can be written from the dry-as- |