The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1905-03-23
IContinued from last week,
CHAPTER VII.

IA a certain widespread preju-
wv dice which attributes to mon
ey magic power. Having
come so near enchanted ground, we
will not retire in awe. but plant n
firm foot here, persuaded Of many
truths that should be spoken. They
are not new. but how they are forgot
ten!
| see no possible way OF doing with
out money. The only thing that theO-
rists or legislators who accuse it of all
our ills have hitherto achieved has
been to change its name or form. But
they have never been able to dispense
with Il symbol representative Of the
commercial value of things. One
might as we'll wish to do away with
written language as TO do away with
money. Nevertheless this question of
circulating medium is very trouble
some. 1t forms one of the chief ele-
ments of complication in our life. The
economic difficulties amid which We
still founder, social COnventiOnalities
and the entire organization of modern
life have carried gold to Il rank SC
eminent that it is not astonishing tC
find the Imagination Of man attribute
ing to it Il sort Of royalty. And it l.
on this side that we shall attack The
problem.
The term money has for appen1age
that of merchandise. If there were NJ
merchandise there would be no money,
Int 10, !.
there will be money, little matter I'm.
der what form. The source Of all tic
abuses which center around money lies
in a lack of discrimination. People
have confused under the term and idea
of merchandise things which have nc
relation with one another. They have
attempted to give venal value to
things which neither could have it nor
ought to. The idea of purchase and
sale has invaded ground where it may
justly be considered an enemy ana
usurper 1t is reasonable that wheat
potatoes. wine, fabrics. should be
bought and sold, and it is perfectly
natural that 4 mans labor procure
him rights to life and that there be put
into his hands something whose value
Represents them, but here already the
.lalogy ceases to be complete y mans
labor is not merchandise i'll the same
sense as a sack Offiour or a ton of coal
Into this labor enter elements which
cannot be valued in money. In short,
there are things which can in nowise
be bought-sleep, for instance, knOwl-
edge of the future, talent. He who of
fers them for sale must be considered
a fool or an impostOr, and yet there
are gentlemen who coin money by such
traffic. They sell what does not be
long to them, and their dupes pay ficti-
tious values in veritable coin. So too
there are dealers in pleasure, dealers
in love, dealers in miracles, dealers in
patriotism, and the title of merchant.
so honorable when it represents a man
selling that which is in truth a com
modify of trade becomes the worst OF
stigmas when there is question of the
heart, of religion, of country.
Almost all men are agreed that to
barter with ones sentiments, his hon
or, his cloth. his pen, or his note, is in
famous. Unfortunately this idea, which
suffers no contradiction as a theory
and which thus stated seems rather
commonplace than high moral truth
has infinite trouble to make its way il
practice Traffic has invaded the wcrld
The money changers are established
even in the sanctuary, and by sanctu
airy | do not mean religious things
alone, but whatever mankind holds sa
cred and inviolable. 1t is not gold that
complexities, corrupts and debaseS life:
it is our mercenary spirit.
The mercenary spirit resolves every
thing into a single question, How
much is that going to bring me? and
sums up everything in Il single axiom
With money you can procure anything
Following these two principles of cOu
duct, society may descend to a de
g,ee of nfamy impossible to dcs"rih,
Or to imagine.
How much is it going to bring me?
This question, so legitimate while it
concerns those precautions which each
ought to take to assure his subsist-
SiNC ~ hlp iubOi, bttolllCS DtlultlOuS
as soon as it passes its limits and
dominates the whole life This is so
true that it vitiates even the toll which
gains our daily bread. l furnish paid
labor; nothing could be better But if
to inspire me in this labor have only
the desire TO get the pay nothing could
be worse \ man whose only motive
for action is his wages does Il bad
piece of work. What interests him is
It the doing, it's the gold If he can
in pains without lessenng his
gains, be assured that he will do it.
Plowman, mason. factory laborer, he
who loves not his work puts into it
neither interest nor dignity-is, in
short, a bad workman. 1t is not we'll
to contide ones life to Il doctor who is
wholly engrossed in his fees, for the
spring of his action is the desire to
garnish his purse with the contents of
yours. If it Is for his interest that
you should suffer longer, he is capable
of fostering your malady instead of
terrifying your strength. The instruct
or of children who cares for his work
only so far as it brings him profit is
sad teacher for his nav Is Indifferent