Jasper Republican, Volume 2, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 September 1875 — Farmer Samuel and Farmer Jonathan. [ARTICLE]

Farmer Samuel and Farmer Jonathan.

Farmer to Hly that colt of yourfT Hprmer Jo&&Uuu3—Very well; me price §. B.—Here areata MkJ>f mi** for t& foctß^teTfor th# are jg. °*F 7 when will von pv. F. B.—Whenever yon please. I will giT* jo* * hundred-dollar bond for then* “£ to bear interest at the rate of l’per cent a day. Only think how fast you will makeyodxself rich at that rate, Neighbor F. J.—But how la this interest to be paid? F. 8. —Why, I hare made smaller duebills, and can at any time pay you the interest * F. J.—And how is the bowMtselfto be paid? F. B.—Quite promptly. I will give you ten due-bill* of ten dollars each for it wKenereryou wish. F. J.—But where am Ito get anything for these pieces of paper, Uncle Samuel —either the due-bills or the bonds ? F. B.—What else do you want, Jona. than? Ton can pass these to your neighbors for what you want, and get similar ones from them when you sell anything. Don’t you see that this is the best currency in the world ? F. /.—But am I never to get anything but pieces of paper for what I sell ? F. B.—ls not that paper perfectly secure? Am I not good for all I promise ? Have I not a magnificent farm that would pay for all the paper I issue a hundred times over? F. J.—But if I should want to get gold for these notes could I sue you and sell ensugh ol your farm to pay me ? F.B.—On,no: my farm is held under the Homestead law and cannot be sold. You can never get gold that way; but the paper is far better than the gold. If you must have gold, however, you can go to the fellows in Wall street and pay them anywhere from 13 to 30 or 50 per cent for it, as the rapacious and bloated bullionists may choose to demand. F. J.—After all, then, I am only to get somewhere from S7O to S9O for ay colt F. B.—You need never make any such loss; just be content with the bits of paper and never mind the gold. F. J.—But if-1 want to buy some lumber in Canada, or sugar from the West Indies, or broadcloth from England, will they take your due-bills? F. B.—ln that case you will have to get gold to pay with, whatever it may cost. F. J. (figuring up) —Then if, when you have issued a great many bills, gold should rise to 60 per cent premium, your paper would only bring 66% cents’ worth in those countries, and so my lumber, or sugar, or cloth would cost me half as much again 4S it should. F. 8. —But you need not buy away from home. Get your lumber in Minnesota, your sugar in Louisiana and your cloth in New England. F. J.—But would I get any more for my paper dollar from them than from people abroad? F. B.—l cannot say you would. F. J.—Then these articles at home are just made as dear by being paid for in paper as it would cost to buy the gold to pay for them abroad. In other words, where•ver I buy I can only get the 88 or 66% cents’ worth for my paper dollar, according to the premium ou gold. Now honestly, Uncle Samuel, would it not be better, seeing you are so rich and have such a magnificent farm, to raise the $lO6 in gold upon it at once and pay me for my colt in honest money that will pass anywhere at its foil face value? This proposal to twist around and pretend to pay, when you dJJn’t really pay one cent, either of principal or interest, could never come to good. Believe me, this dodging might do for awhile, but by and by your irredeemable paper bills would take their place beside the old Continental bills, of which a bushel would not buy a loaf of bread.— N. Y. Witness.