The independent., 1903-06-25
Money and the Taxing Power
BY w. ii. ASHBY.

I LAClC Uc d lO1NC VI uChuhd
for it, the quantity of that force OF
demand, when it is mentally appraised
or valued" constitutes what we call
| the value" of that commodity. 1t is
| our estimate of the quantity of the
force of demand for it, made in its
| presence.
| The necessity to obtain food sets
| human energy in operation, and under
| the system of exclusive private owner
ship, exercised under laws restraining
! violence, the force OF demand, and
consequent valuation" of it, follows
invariably.
The intensity of the force of de-
mand must necessarily correspond
with the intensity of the struggle thus
carried on for exclusive possession of
the commodity in question, no mat
ter what it may be. Where one pos
sessable article alone is endowed with
exclusive power to perform a given
service, beneficial to all mankind, and
the performance of that service Is by
statute in every nation made imperi-
Gus and urgent, as well as universal,
it cannot avoid coming TO pass that
the force Of demand for that possess
able article must be strenuous and
the resulting valuation of the guam
tity of that force great.
When it is called to mind that ev-
cry inhabitant of the civilized world
is imperatively required every year to
perform the act of paying his taxes,
and that n O commodity within his
reach is endowed with the power to
perform that service for him. except
ing "coin;" and when 1t is further re-
membered that by universal con-
spiracy against mankind among all
civilized governments, no coins capa-
BILE of performing that urgent service
are issued, except upon a fixed and
determined quantity by weight of the
metal gold (Which is a scarce metaD
it must be evident that a struggle for
it's possession thus by statute In all
those nations made worldwide and
intense, must generate quantity of
the force of demand, for the receipts
thus limited, that is overwhelmingly
great.
Add to this the fact that the same
coins" which can emanate from no
source except government, are, by
reason of the same worldwide con-
| spiracy, by statutes in every civilized
| land, given exclusive power as re-
| ceipt by tender against all the judg-
| ments OF the courts of the world, and
how can we express the volume and
intensity of the force OF demand thus
concentrated by statute upon that
scarce metal, which alone the con-
spirators against humanity will per-
nit those receipts to be stamped!
| Add to this that all those govern
ments, as a result of the same world
embracing conspiracy against man
kind, no longer make those receipts
called "coins" to meet their own
needs, and exchange them for the SER
vices and commodities required to
carry on their own operations. They
have abdicated the right to coin mon
ey for the purpose for which it was
instituted.
Instead of stamping those receipts
and exchanging them for the quantity
| OF value expressed upon their face, foi
services and commodities required for
| their support and maintenance, gov
0luueHIS nave every where Dy JndC
climax of "iniquity working mischief
by law" called 'free coinage"
adopted the plan of giving away"
those receipts ''free of cost to whom
soever will bring to the mints Of the
civilized world a piece of gold of the
regulation weight and fineness, as
| platter upon which to carry it away.
1t costs the owner of the gold nothing
! whatever to procure the stamping
| upon his metal of the "image and su-
| prescription constituting those siren
| uousiy sought receipts against tax
levies and judgments, which are rig
orously denied to the world besides;
and his metal thus favored may be
| carried into all civilized" regions,
and it's owner may instantly demand
of any one of the civilized nations, and
receive as gift, stamped upon his
| metal, receipt conclusively certifying
TO THE LIE that government had re-
ceived from him that quantity of val
ne, and made good by its tender
against tax levies and judgments, at
about the rate of ten dollars" for each
s32 grains of gold he may own No
other commodity possessed by men
| 10 fhro