The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-09-03
BOOK 2.-Chapter XVI.

The word Dollar" which is our
standard of money" and which SYM
Lolizes the fixed quantity OF the lorce
of demand chosen as the unit" being
incapable of exclusive possession, can
never be affected by the force of de-
mand. Therefore, value" can no more
be predicated of that symbol than it
can be predicated of the Arabic num-
erals, by which all numbers are ex-
pressed.
This symbol which in our money"
stands, or should stand, as an un-
changing "ONE" of quality of value,
OF estimate of the intesity of the force
of demand. DOLLAR" thus symbOlizes
a "ONE" of value; and aided by the
numerals we may express "5' or $50"
times that unit by writing IS dol
lars" or $50 dollars"
Were all commodities upon equal
terms, it could never fail to express
truly the degree of intensity of the
force of demand for each of them as
valued by those interested. But here
is statute which declares that the
quantity of the force of demand for
l5.8 grains of gold, nine tenths fine,
whatever that quantity of force may
happen to be, shall be DOLLAR" the
standard unit"
The word Dollar" the changeless
symbol of a fixed quantity of the force
CT demand, constitutes standard unit
which no change can affect. Through
en- Isvnn A1,,ff ND
years of peace, heat and cold, in fam
inc or plenty, this symbol which is
Cur money" would remain constant
But this throne of iniquity, working
mischief by a law" here called the
gold trust, induces governments of
men to stultify themselves by enact
ing statutes declaring that a little
speck of the commodity gold, whose
quantity of value fluctuates with the
ceaseless fluctuations Of the force of
demand for it, shall be the unit of
value"
Thus the symbol, which should
stand for changeless quantity of the
force of demand, is nailed to lump of
gold for which the force of demand
necessarily changes.
Statutes are not capable of making
piece of metal transmute itself in
to a fixed quantity of the force of de-
mand. But by the insane futility of
their enactment, the symbol which is
the STANDARD unit is shackled fast
TO fixed weight of fuctuating COM
modify, and helplessly follows the per-
petual changes of the degree of in
tensity of the force of demand for 25.8
grains of gold. The word Dollar" no
longer symboiizes fixed quantity of
that force, but now stands for that I'M
certain and varying quantity of the
force of demand, at any place and
time, acting upon that quantity of the
metal. BY that insensate and sacril-
egious act, congress linked the symbol
to fixed number of grains of fiuc-
tuating commodity, although, to be OF
any use, such symbol must stand fol
an unvarying quantity of the force OF
demand; and the symbol, thus rem
dered helpless and worthless. can dc
nothing but folio : the fluctuations oil
the force of demand for the commod-
ity gold, to which it is riveted by law
| No matter how the intensity of the
| force Of demand for that lump of gold
may vary with ever-changing condi-
tons, our ruined symbol, helpless
prisoner to that lump of gold, can dc
nothing but repeat the lie, "this is One
Dollar"
1t is as if the engineer should faster
the hand of the steam-gaug so that
under all vicissitudes it could indicate
a pressure of only sixty pounds Of
steam, no matter what the real pres.
sure might be.