20 



tax-gatherer only, to support royalty ; but it is taxation in all the va- 

 rious forms, which monopolies are able to impose through their con- 

 trol of the currency. 



Suppose the working people had controlled legislation at Wash- 

 ington, and suppose that instead of the bonded system with its twin 

 parasite the National Bank, they should have estabHshed a scheme 

 something on this order : — 



By prohibiting any building material being used except hand- 

 made bricks. The bricks to be delivered as fast as made to duly ap- 

 pointed government officials, who should pay for them at a fixed high 

 rate in paper money printed for that express purpose, and all other 

 money, including gold and silver be prohibited by a law similar to the 

 one which now protects the National Banks from competition. All 

 duties on foreign goods to be paid in bricks, which, of course, could 

 not be obtained except of government, and all bricks paid in this way 

 to be used in constructing government buildings and other public 

 works. The bricks received of makers to be disposed of to custom- 

 ers, and a certain proportion of the money paid in this way to be can- 

 celed and destroyed, unless it could be loaned on good security, at one 

 per cent, per annum. The government to receive said money at par 

 in all cases except duties on imports. 



What would the gold bugs have said of such a project ? They 

 would have denounced it in unmeasured terms ; pronomjc ed it a dese- 

 cration of sacred rights and time-honored customs. Their patriotism 

 for gold would have been aroused to such an extent, that they would 

 have called upon their foreign allies to come over and help them "put 

 down such communism." 



And yet such a scheme would have contained more common 

 sense, and been far less disastrous to the inhabitants of this country 

 than what we have had to endure. 



Such are our reasonings a priori unbiased by superstition, preju- 

 dice or personal interests. We will now review these from the scien- 

 tific standpoint. 



