The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-05-16
BY WILLIAM r. sANRoRN

Vnen may we expect TO get back
to normal, as 1t relates to the cost of
living and to wages and salaries?
Our first question is: What do you
mean by 'normal?" Which of the
many normals in our history? Do YOU
mean the normal of 1913 or of the
panicky years when a shouting, be.
wildered populace clamored in the
streets for the establishment of BIZ
metalism at the immortal ratio OF
sixteen to one? And why? SO that
there might -be enough cash in the
country to go round and thus assuring
the farmer a fair price for grain and
live stock and employment at living
wages for a million idle men. Higher
wages and higher prices was then the
slogan.
Our second question is: Why get
back to any normal, whatsoever?
We are living in reconstruction
day. Old things have or are to be-
come new; including many OF our
ideas and ideals. To speak of the
normal" of 1914, before the sky col
lapsed over Europe, is to talk in an
unknown tongue in any part of the
world. Today the world overflows
with money. This mighty river is in
flood everywhere. True, we are not
all likely to drown in it, for there are
shallow places in which a poor man
can wade, and mayhap even travel
dryshod. 1t all depends, of course.
Normal Prices Not Sacred
Let US then frankly admit that there
is nothing sacred about normal wages
nor normal prices, whether in the
Sdays of the Roman Empire or in the
days of Woodrow Wilson. Having
come to that decision, we shall be on
our way. 1t was normal as many of
US well remember to get a good meal
in any country town, a meal that in
oluded two cups Of coffee. if desired,
and mayhap an extra wedge of pie
all for 25 cents. That was the price
the farmer paid at the country hotels
be it\ known, though the drummer"
now salesman, was taxed so cents for
the same spread. Well, all this was
normal in it's day. Not long since we
climbed to the hurricane deck OF a
stool in a country town restaurant, a
restaurant so small that ten persons
clamoring for food would throw the
whole works on its beam ends, and
what DO you suppose happened. Why
ham and eggs had climbed to fifty
cents per. Coffee and potatoes were
extra, likewise pie and other trim.
m1QRS LOT IldL QSl6CIdDl0 Cf0u1uS
short-order meal.
1t was normal at one time for q
lady in a calico dress to range al
over the farm. collect an apron full OF
eggs and to then go to town and
spend them for groceries and tobacco
for her bewhiskered partner. And Il
was normal, too, for her to be allowed
along in early June down in the OZarh
country of Missouri, five big copper
cents per dozen in cash, and six o.
seven cents in trade. Along about
then you could, mayhap, have bough
barrel of brown sugar for dollar;
we are not sure, it might have cos
two dollars. But at any rate, 1t was
brown sugar all right, for the people
who sold eggs at those prices, ane
tie man who worked at carpenterins
for a dollar a day, never INDUCED II
white" sugar.
Gold, Currency and Credits.
The result of a great influx of golt
and silver has always resulted in al
initiation of prices, even when ther'
were no convenient banking systems
for the use of the people. and whel
checks were unknown in ordinar,
trade. Start procession of Thousand
men and women down Main street
each with a thousand dollars cash II
his or her pocket book and trade viii
at once begin to hum and buzz.
would make such joyful noise tina
it could be heard in Indianapolis ant
in due time the echo would be heard il
eastern factory towns through draft
and orders from Richmond merchant
in all lines, for each would do SOM
of the selling and would need to re
place stocks.
And just that has been happening
all over civilization, even in the cour
tries at war. in SO far as goods o
any kind have been obtainable.
It is automatic in the bushes
world that "if the number of dollar
circulated by cash and check doubles
while the number of goods and SCI
vices exchanged thereby remains col
slant, then prices will about double.
All the accumulated gold Of the wor1
has been placed in government de
positories within the last four years
as has also all the newly mine
metal Upon this pyramid of gol
has been built a stupendous mountai