The Washington times., 1936-01-25
CONSTITUTION
GUARDAGAINST
STAGE MONEY
BY WILLIAM H. MURRAY
Former Governor Of Oklahoma

JOTe the ASSOCIuLlOU yOT ECOHOHy
and Tar Equality at Enid, OkldJ
The ancient Hebrew doctors
used to sit to expound the law;
so did the Master, Jesus; and
philosophers Of all ages have done
the same, and I shall, therefore,
follow their example and sit down
for this address.
The rule of decorum" by stand
ing is peculiarly a rule of the
British Parliament, although the
larger number of parliamentary
and legislative bodies of the world
sit; and if any person doesn't like
my sitting, let him stand up until
l have finished and see how he
likes it.
I will give up all political am
billions or privileges of the future
to stop this "squandermania" and
save this old republic from the
wreck to which it is fastening, as
has gone every other republic in
recorded history. With the pres
ent outlook, 1 do not know that
I want to undertake the response
bility of another office.
My motives and the sentiments
with which I confront you are
best expressed by that matchleSs
oratory of Henry w. Grady:
"WhO saves his country saves
all things: and all things saved
Infe HI oAVr~frxy
die, let's all things die, and all
things dying curse him."
The Association for Economy
and Tax Equality was organized
with a view of uniting if possible,
the multitudeS of factions and
supporters of Plans" and thus
making practical movement cal
culated to serve the best interests
Of the land.
We have made nine announce
ments of principles, but all of the
nine surround the question of hon
eSty, tax economy and constitu-
tional government. When the
American people shall have been
enabled to accomplish he e
things, other reforms will newt
ably and naturally follow.
This declaration of principles
goes to the vitality of all questions
that confront the people.
No Money, No Pensions
We hear much said about "Old
Age Pensions" and Social Secur-
ity." but how are you going to
provide for these things without
money; and how can the money
be had except through taxation;
and how much money from the
taxes will be left so long as one
.Lreau out of many spend a mil
lion dollars to get the relief
clients only $500, OO0-where will
any money be left for such Social
Security?
OF what use to provide home
steadS if they are pay a tax
that takes them away?
I hear one say: Let the gov
eminent make it,"
To use their term Initiation"
which means merely making
cheap the American dollar; and
while a reasonable initiation could
serve a good purpose, the trouble
would be as it always has been,
that they would follow the ex-
ample of the man who found that
one pill was good for his system.
and took the whole box of pills.
Happened in Germany
That's what happened in Ger
many when the mark became so
worthless since the war; that's
what happened with the con-
federate dollar, long before it
was apparent that the confed-
eracy would fail; it was founded
on nothing of value.
That was the trouble with the
continental money after the
American Revolution, when so
much of it was issued that it
grew so cheap in comparison
with the value of property and
necessities of life, that it required
$250,000 of it to buy the supper
for four men and nearly as much
w NNy q pail O1 DOOGS.
The paper money was termed
the Continental Damn" and it
was so worthless that until this
day, If you want to express the
utter worthlessness of anything,
you can do so by saying: 1T is
not worth a Continental Damn"
Its disturbance OF business
and wreck of enterprise caused
group of merchants and other
intelligent citizens to meet at
Annapolis prior to the adoption
OF the present constitution.
ITO Make Money"
They soon learned what ought
to be done and could be done,
but were prevailed upon by a
lawyer, who knew that the Wisest
method would be to get some
constituted authority before any
measure should be proposed; and
they merely asked the continental
congress to authorize the 10
States, or colonies. to send dele
gates to a convention to revise"
the articles of confederation.
which was but the written con-
Stitution of that government.
The Continental Congress did
so and the result was the present
United States Constitution. And
that Convention thought they
had planned whereby the mis-
take of finance could not be re-
peated by providing in our Con-