The independent., 1903-11-12
BOOK 2.-Chapter XIV.

Governments cannot equitably ex-
ercise the taxing power without this
device for expressing valued degree
OF the intensity of the force of de-
mand. In every stable government
such a device has been, from neces-
sity, adopted; and that device Is the
standard of money" for that nation.
BY its use equal valuations may be
made to bear equal burdens. BY Its
use the taxing power may be equit-
ably exercised in making tax levies.
BY a statutory adaptation of 1t, the
administration of justice in the courts
is facilitated BY voluntary adapta-
tion of it by the people, their accounts
anu dealings with each other are rem
dered simple and easy to understand,
and the exchange of countless hetero-
geneous commodities for each other is
facilitated This deyice-and NOT
coin-thus employed becomes in fact
medium of exchange"
; When for any reason the resources
of the government are exhausted, and
no further tax levies are as yet due
and payable, governments anticipate
future revenues by exercising the
power to coin that money.
The act of exercising the power to
coin it's money by a government Is the
act Of exercising the power to. col
lect taxes for future years This is
accomplished by taking the services
and commodities required for pres
ent maintenance Of the government,
and issuing to those from whom such
services and materials are taken, GER
tificates, expressed in the money SYM
Dol, setting forth the valuation" OF
the things received.
Such certificates or receipts for pre-
paid taxes are by statute made nego-
table by delivery, and are conclusive
evidence by their tender in the public
offices and in the courts that the bear
er has already paid any tax levy or
Judgment against him, not exceeding
the amount or quantity OF valuation
expressed upon it's face. At their own
option the people use these as COM
modify for storage Of utility liable to
loss through perishability Of commod-
| tiles,
| These certificates throughout the
civilized world have not. only been
thus clothed with this statutory pow
er, but that power has been withheld
| from all other things. Thus the peo-
pie of every civilized country are
compelled to obtain those receipts, on
pain of being reduced to pauperism
and in some cases of Imprisonment.
But by system of the most aston
| ishing and even incredible iniquity,
the governments of the civilized world
first give away these certificates to
fayorites. because those fayOrites own
gold, receiving nothing whatever in
return. The governments then COM
pei all taxpayers and judgment debt
ors to procure the receipts their gov
ernments give to the gold owner, at
whatever cost of service or wealth the
gold owners greed may suggest.
When thus borrowed or purchased by
the taxpayers, at enormous cost OF
services and wealth, and by them paid
back to government as taxes, the gov
ernment instantly returns them to its
! fayorites, in exchange at an advanced
price. for the Same e commodities
the people had been compelled to sac
rifiee upon the altar of the gold own
ers greed to procure the coin.
Although the services and wealth OF
the people are the things The govern
ment needs and ultimately obtains,
IL refuses to accept them from those
who produce them. 1t compels the
body of the people who produce to
sacrifice all they can do or produce