The representative., 1901-05-02

ZOE Cam0 VOO IdIc AOT QuOIAC<StiOu III SnAo
issue.-Ed.)
'sThe Mountain Laborea and Brought
Forth . Mousse"
Mr.. Editor: have very much enjoyed
the controversy going on between Nell
son. Fairchild and yourself on the one
side, and G. B. Maben on the other.
The former contending that money is
the creature of law; Maben, that it Is q
substance to be seen and felt, and that
gold Is money by virtue in and Of itself;
that law has nothing to do with it. Yet,
he admits it's weight and fineness are
fixed by law; and. further says, "Per-
haps it would be better to 'demonetize'
both gold and silver and stamp our
money on paper"
Now, If law had nothing to do with
making money, how can it have any
thing to do with unmaking it?
No man ever saw money, or felt it.
1t is purely fiat, invisible. but you can
see the substance that carries money;
we are feeling it's power in this country,
but we cannot see the money.
Mr.. Maben has all along been claim
ing that he has been holding a trump
card up his sleeve, and would at the
proper time produce it, and thereby es-
tablish his theory. He now comes up
smiling in this issue of the Representa-
tive. April 18, with his proof and claims
to have annihilated his antagonists, but
10 and behold! instead of it's being a
Knockout blow for Nelson, it is a COM
plete Knockout for Mr. Maben.
Then he gives Ills what he is pleased to
call the highest authority on money in
the United States-the secretary of the
United States treasury, Mr.. Gage
Mr.. Gage is national banker and has
been one of the leading conspirators in
trying to overthrow our constitutional
system of money and set up instead one
entirely in the interests of bankers, to
bring about just what Mr.. Maben claims
exists today; but let us see whether they
have succeeded or not. Let Mr.. Gage
| answer:
| ''Office of the Treasurer United States.
april g. 1901.
Gold coin is not legal tender, nor is
| it received by the government at
| its nominal or face value when reduced
| in weight below the limit of tolerance
provided by law for the single piece (see
circular encloseO. When requested,
| lightweight pieces rendered in deposits
are accepted by the treasurer of the
! United States and assistant treasurers
a. discount Of four cents per grain,
troy, that each piece is found below the
standard weight Lightweight and mu-
tilated pieces are uncurrent Such
| pieces are received at the mints of the
| United States and paid for at their bull
lion value.
! "ELLIS H. ROBERTS,
| Treasurer United States" ="
There, now you have it. Such stuff as
Mr.. Maben has inquired about is decid-
! ed not to be a legal tender and, there
fore, not money at all, and is not re-
ceived as money, but is received at it's
commercial or bullion value, and only
then by request of depositors. This is
hard one on Maben.
| Mr. Maben cannot understand why. if
the weight does not fix it's value, it is
| necessary to weigh it at ALL We'll, |
can and the reasons are good. 1t is not
the rule Of the mint to coin gold for
| government account but for the holders
| OF bullion. The grist is ground free and
handed back to it's owner There are
| only two conditions he has to submit to,
| and that is to their weight and fineness.
II these rules were not enforced every
bullionist would want his coins made a
little lighter and would want a little
more alloy in them, until the country
would be flooded with spurious coins.
This is the only protection the people
have against counterfeits-the govern
ment stamp is proof that it is genuine
and not a counterfeit.
Isn't it strange that the government
has reserved the sole right to issue
money and then makes no effort to sup
ply the people with this necessary tool
Of trade? To supply the people with
plenty of money to do business would
injure the bankers business.
This now being bankers government,
and their business being to deal in gold
and gold bonds, the government is run
in their interests.
Scarcity of money gives this money
greater purchasing power and enables
the banker to speculate out of his credit
Prior to the war of the rebellion there
were laws in certain localities defining
citizenship, and the line was drawn on
the color of the skin and purity of the
blood. Many times the color of the skin
would pass muster all right, but if there
was little too much alloy (black blood)
in the veins, his citizenship was denied
and he, like Maben's spurious coins, was
thrown On the market and sold for-what
they would bring.
Now, Mr.. Maben, don't you think that
this whole gold bond and banking busi-
ness is a great fraud and swindle on the
people?
There is only one reason that l car
give for your trying to hold it up, and
that is you have formed prejudice
against greenbacks, through the mis-