Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1917-09-06
we shall follow lines that will make
for economy and efficiency"
ONE REASON THINGS ARE HIGH

ZINE NEAOOlN lT1llNOO AE\E T1lOT1
People who have cherished the
doctrine that everything would be
lovely if there was only plenty of
money are having very good chance
now to experience the actual effects
of that doctrine in practice. August
1 the amount OF money in circulation
in this country was $46.53 per capita.
This shows the phenomenal increase
of % per cent in the last year.
A century ago there was only about
So per capita; by 1850 the amount
had risen to about $12, by 1880 to
about $780, and by 1900 to about SGT.
1t is an interesting and significant
fact that in the last year prices have
risen just about in proportion to the
expansion of the currency. That is
exactly what is to be expected, and
just as long as the government con-
tinues to blow air into the currency
we must expect the purchas ng power
of our money to be CORRESPONDENCE
reduced.
Here we have initiation pure and
simple, with it's good results and it's
bad ones. The only question is when
the thing will burst The little neu-
trail countries of Europe are quoting
our dollar very much below par, and
even China, who usually will give 81
of her silver for 81 American, is now
allowing us only $3.50.
For the first time since the Civil
War the u. s. dollar is deprecated,
and ais a nation we find ourselves
taken at discount, marked down and
Inundated. Moreover, the deprecia-
ton of our dollar means that we shall
have to pay correspondence more for
all products, whether foreign or do
nestle. The dollar is worth less;
hence it will buy less in labor or
materials.
The radicals in all times and coun-
tries have c1amored for cheap money
and plenty of it, because they thought
that this would benefit the '"have-
nots." The cheapening of money does
primarily injure the "haves" in one
way, because it dilutes the cash cap
ital they possess. But the trouble is
that at the same time the nominal
value of all property is increased;
rents and interest rates go up, and in
the end it is once more the poor work
err and poor consumer who foot the
bill for the loss.
Now that we are having an inflated
currency, we hope everybody will
make due note of the fact and see
how they like it. If they approve Of
imitation and all that goes with it, all
that is necessary is to keep on blow
ing UP the volume of currency until
money is as abundant as the air you
breathe.
There is just a lingering suspicion,
! however, that if this process contin-
, ues indefinitely we shall come to a
point where, instead of going to mar
ket and carrying our money in our
pocketbook and bringing back our
! marketing in basket, we'll will have
to carry our money in the basket and
bring back our purchases in our
pocketbook.
That is the logical end Of initiation
and the only one. However, each gen
! erat on of men has to try out this
same old fallacy of trying to make
something out of nothing trying to
, transform base metal into gold by
, mere act of congress. Watch how
, things are developing; watch the dol
! lar go down and the cost of living go
up. If you like high prices, based on
a cheapened currency there is plenty
more where these came from,