MONEY THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL.
If every person were to produce all the different things he needs or wants, there would be no use for money, and the people would escape the curses that follow in its trail, but experience taught labourers that it was an economy for each to labour in some special way, and to exchange his surplus products for those of others labouring in different ways. Besides, the different climates produce different commodities, of each of which all other climates require a share. Out of these facts came agencies for effecting exchanges—money, the merchant and commerce. In their origin and normal functions they are the agents, the servants of labour; but when from exchanging the products of labour they grew into speculating in these products, then they assumed abnormal functions, and became the masters of labour. It must be seen, therefore, that the only legitimate method by which wealth can increase, is by adding to itself the net results of labour; indeed that is the only way in which it can increase. It must also be clear that these results belong in toto to their producers, since, if nothing were exchanged save equivalents, these results could never pass from the hands of their producers. But by permitting the representatives of wealth—money—to have the power to increase, the makers of money have been able to filch all the net earnings from labour, and as a result of this, most of the accumulated wealth of the world is in the hands of the makers of money instead of in those of the makers of wealth. This may be legal, but can never be made just. Had the labourers been let alone they would have continued to produce and exchange their commodities among themselves without any trouble, and they could have always maintained themselves comfortably. But the “middlemen”—their agents—conceived, constructed and thrust upon them a vicious system of money, by which they are forced to pay tribute on everything that passes from, or is received by them, which tribute amounts to the total net products of all the industries.