The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1916-02-04
A Pay-Up Day in LeavenwOrth

The observance OF some particular
day for a special purpose is one Of the
life innovations that has taken hold Of
the people Of this country. Just what
ninkumpoop started the fad, has never
been told. However, since the fad
educed "Pay-up Day." he is forgiven.
The immense amount of good that may
be done in the general observance OF
"Pay-up Day" Is unlimited. 1t is
charged-yes, it is surcharged, with f.
nancial potentially for good. 1t makes
the publisher of this paper dizzy to
think what might happen should Pay
up Day" ever strike this town. If the
spirit should move, and move Alright
every man that owed The Echo one OF
those discredited, demonetized repre-
sentatives Of money. called silver dol
lar, to square his obligation, we might
die OF heart failure. but our creditors
would rejoice because the estate would
then be solvent and burial at public
expense might be avoided.
II Just some such system as prevails
among the banking fraternity could be
made to apply to an entire community
there is no telling how many debts
could be paid without the use Of dol
lar at all. In city the size OF Seattle
the twenty-odd banks at the close Of a
days business frequently owe one to
the other upwards Of million dollars.
Each bank puts its claim against every
other bank into a pot called the clear
ing house at the close Of the days
business and the million dollars is all
squared up by the payment of a few
paltry thousand dollars. A story that
went the rounds few years ago illus
trates very pointedly how little money
is really necessary if only people would
act sensibly. Luckey found silver
dollar in the middle OF the road one
morning and shortly after met Brown
whom he owed a dollar; he handed
him the found coin. Before dinner
Brown handed the same dollar to Smith
to cancel debt. Surprised and glad
ened Smith soon handed the dollar to
Jones because he had long owed that
dollar and his only reason for not pay
ing before was the lack Of the dollar.
On his way to supper Jones met Luckey
and handed him the identical dollar he
had found in the morning, saying,
Smith just paid me that dollar and
I'll give it to you in payment OF that
dollar I've owed you long enough. I
might spend it if I keep it till tomor-
tow" Luckey recognized the coin by
a peculiar mark and marveled at its
coming back to him so soon. He
called it his lucky dollar and the next
morning determined he would take it
to the bank and start savings account.
The banker pronounced it base
counterfeit and asked him where he
got it. He told him he hadfound it
the day before and gave it to Brown in
payment OF debt. A little investiga-
ton disclosed the round the dollar
had made, and that it had cancelled
the obligations of four men before its
baseness was discovered. Every one
of the four was perfectly satisfied and
care-free because he was out Of debt
This pointedly illustrates the condi-
ton in every community. Every man
owes every other man and if they could
all by some clearing house method get
together and each cancel the others
obligation it is astonishing how little
money would really be necessary to put
every man out of debt. Most men
hate to be in debt and would pay if
they could but get what is oweing
them. In front of every man stands
his creditor and just behind him his
debtor, and the community is not un-
like a circle. Let some one man in
the circle pay up and soon every man
in the circle will feel the effect
Rv all means let rs have "Pav.up