The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1908-11-15

this, he stands up and looks around
proudly, just as if to say: Beat my
great wisdom if you can; point out
the flaw or fly in tiff there be one"
1t is to be regretted that there are
people whose mind is not yet ripe
enough or so far advanced as to UNI
derstand, that bit of paper can and
will only serve as money and circulate
as such when the holders of it are
perfectly sure that they can exchange
it for the real things of value (of
which it is and represents only the
imaginary value) at any time they
please"
AS the bits Of paper, mentioned in
Mr. Varnum's argument, could be only
used lawfully for payment of taxes and
for nothing else, and only at GER
tain time in the year, when it pleases
the government to receive them, and
only in very limited certain quantities,
and which would be not at all lawfully
exchangeable for real value at the
pleasure of the holder, it is clearly
evident that only great fools, who do
not know what creates the value Of
paper money would accept them as
money in payment of value, even II
they came from our own government.
Now, really, Mr.. Varnum, 1 do not
believe that you expect some people
to believe in the nonsense of the Of
fered argument mentioned. Why,
what you have offered here is the real
mother-fy Cor at least it's true equiva-
LENT of all the many flies in the pot
of your supposed ointment of logic
about clearing logged-off lands by the
county. 1t is the very same fly or
unlogcal reasoning which was very
active for while in the half-witted
soreheads of General Coxey and his
great army of tramps. And right here
| would like to ask you a few ques-
tions "How much real value do you
suppose the government of this nation
would take in in taxes and duties to
pay her many due obligations and eX-
penses with if she would get as pay
ment for it only such paper slips as
you propose in your argument, with
promise of her own on it? How much
labor, service, machinery, coal, mate
rial, provisions, products, etc., do you
think this government could now pur-
chase with such an awful income down
in Panama for digging the canal? How
much do you suppose she could buy
necessary things for her navy on her
cruise around the world? Or in times
of distress and war from her neigh
bors, etc.? And how much real value
do you suppose a county of your state
would take in in taxes, to pay her due
obligations and expenses with, if it
would follow your advice in land
clearing and get as payments for taxes
L., o1i viii hn1s icnO
And how much credit do you suppose
a county would have with such an in
Gomez"
Any county which would do such an
extremely foolish thing as you pro-
pose, would soon find out that she had
not enough real value in her treasury
to give as small change when her land
clearing promises come in as payment
for taxes, or even to buy only a postage
stamp with. Can you really be so
shortsighted as not to see that? Why,
Mr.. Varnum, believe all sensible peo-
pie in your state are laughing so about
your land clearing scheme that they
have to squeal.
at appears to me evidence of either
a weak and unframed brain, or a most
peculiar form of logic that asserts that
if we aid one scheme in such a way
at no expense to ourselves in a coun-
try which guarantees equal rights and
privileges by law to all, we are not
obliged to support all in like way
at the expense to the general public!"
If you do not know the author OF
the sapient observation, Mr.. Varnum,
chat something which is given in
payment for another thing must have
a like value" although you clearly
saw this sentence above my name;
then let me especially tell you that I
am the author of it myself. You say
"that it sounds very nrettY and seems