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Wisconsin State Agricultural Society. 
greenbacks, and we wouldn't get any more than just what we 
wanted. We would have to give them a dollar for them. If we 
thought a greenback was worth a little more than what we had, we 
would buy the greenback. If we considered a horse worth more than 
a cow, we would sell the cow and buy the horse. I do not want any 
more. I cannot afford to have it. That is the way we would regu¬ 
late the volume of the currency. We think the people have com¬ 
mon sense. We do not want Congress to regulate it, and say there 
shall be so much and no more. It is no business of Congress how 
many horses I have on my farm. It is their business to give me 
an opportunity to get what I wish. That is what we propose to 
have them do; to relegate hack to the people their power, and not 
to interfere in this matter. When we trade, we trade as we want to. 
We do not want a legislative act to limit trade. If I understand the 
gentleman, he thinks there are a few heads in Washington that 
have more sense than all the United States; hence, they shall fix 
the volume of currency. 
Mr. Sloan: How do you propose to regulate the currency? In 
prosperous times the government will put out a large quantity. 
The people will want say eight hundred millions. 
Mr. Benton: You can’t say anything about it. They would 
buy all the money they wanted of the government. 
Mr. Sloan: The people sometimes would use more than at others. 
How are you going to regulate it? 
Mr. Benton: That was the point discussed. When they want 
more currency they can exchange their bonds for it. 
Mr. Sloan: What would you pay the interest on the bonds with, 
currency or coin ? 
Mr. Benton: Just what is wanted. It would not make a par¬ 
ticle of difference under our system whether they were paid in 
greenbacks or gold, because greenbacks would he equivalent to 
gold. 
Mr. Anderson: I would like to ask Mr. Sloan a few questions, 
whether he would like to further contract the currency for the pur¬ 
pose of resuming specie payments. 
Mr. Sloan: I said I was not prepared to speak upon this subject. 
If I were to have the choosing between contraction and expansion I 
would take contraction very quickly. 
Mr. Anderson: Contraction is an evil. In 1865, with double the 
