The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1879-04-18
Labor and Money Reform.

One of the principal causes that retard
the success of money reform is the singular
opinion prevailing in the ranks of those wht
follow manual labor that the principles o
the Greenback party will not give them th'
relief required.
It is not unusual to hear workingmen say
/" What do you want of Greenback party
Why not join the Labor party? Oh! view
heard enough on finance give us a little la
Dor talk" These opinions are not con
fined to few, but are held by all toiler.
who have not investi ated the fnancia
question; consequently the suffering masses
are divided as to the remedy to be applied te
stop and cure "hard times" While Green
hackers believe that reform in finance is tht
true antidote against the poison Of the po
litical corruption prevailing, those engaged
in manual labor are honestly but enormously
disposed to believe that a direct application
of law to the evils that beset labor is the
true solution
This would not be the case if workingmer
were properly instructed in the far
reaching principles that underlie the money
question.
do not want to be understood as oppos.
ing OF undertaking the principles that under
lie the eight-hour law, repeal of convict Ia
Dor, working regulations, ETC., but do as
sert that it is as chimerical for the toiline
masses to hope for an effective application Of
these principles, without first increasing the
circulating medium of the country, as it was
for Daniel O'Connell to hope to gain the free,
dom of the Irish people without first putting
guns in their hands,
Arms are the instruments that lead to
success in war Money is the medium oil
success in peace; not to be used in fraud
and bribery, but to keep man out of that ne.
cessity that knows no law. 1t is but one
step from poverty to slavery. A law on the
statute books making eight hours a legal
days work would be dead letter while
thousands of idle and hungry workingmen
are ready to work fifteen hours for a crust of
bread for themselves and families.
Before Government makes war it always
sees that it's treasury is in good condition,
so that the army can be provided with food
and ammunition.
This battle of labor is an unbloody war,
and you toilers are generals and soldiers
combined ! In this war of labor more re-
forms are to be won, more liberty to be
gained and more happiness to be won than
in all the battles ever fought.
Such being the case, the workingmen
must likewise see that their treasury is full,
so that they can provide for themselves and
the army of wivos and children encouraging
them by prayers and tears to work on for
success.
Governments have credit. and with it
they can purchase the ammunitions of
war.
Workingmen, your labor is to you what
credit is to the Government. When the
Governments credit is bad, it can't go to
war; when the industries of the country
are at stand-still, labor is poor and in no
condition to make political war againt cap
tai.
The Greenback party, seeing this, want
to revive the industries of the country, there
by placing labor in a position to replenish
it's treasury, SO as to be independent of cap
ital and able to lay in a stock of the necessi-
ties of life to tide over the political battle
that will end in success for mutual labor.
To this we must first have an increase in
the circulating medium; for money being
the machinery of commerce, it is to labor
what the piston-rod is to the driving wheel
of an engine. As the piston-rod is always
revolving around about the centre of the
driving wheel, so must money be always
circulating around and about the centre of
labor to keep it in motion. Disconnect the
piston-rod from the driving wheel and the
entire machine becomes useless. Take away
money from labor it Immediately stop.
The Greenbackers want to place the toll
ing masses where they were from 1865 to
1868.
Then we had plenty of money In circula-
tion. Labor did not have to go begging,
hat in hand, for a crust of bread.
Then we had nearly fifty dollars per capita
in circulation. Now we have less than ff-
teen. Then labor found plenty work at
good wages. Now no work is to be had,
while wages are not half as high as they
used to be. Then labor was like a well pro-
vided army, and for the first time it made a
partial success when striking for an eight
hour law. 's.sa'
To-day, poor, impoverished and down
hearted, like sick and poorly-fed army,
labor shrinks and skulks away from capital,
while capital stalks abroad and threatens to
take the last step that will bring labor into
the bonds of slavery. A few sturdy men
here and there lift up their heads and prefer
gallant defeat to slavery, but the many fall
into line at the beck of their taskmasters.
This would not be so if we had as. much
money in circulation as we had In 1865.
The men of '65 were no better than are the
men of to-day, but more money made them
independent, as it will again when the
Greenbackers get control Of the Govern,
ment Then, and only then will follow an
effective eight-hour law, the abolition o.
convict labor, etc. The manual laborers
cannot give this matter too much attention
if they are sincere in desiring success.
am aware that this money question i
o1cky H.
average workingman thinks it as far beyond
his sphere as the science Of astronomy. But
the masses must disabuse themselves of thai
opinion as soon as possible. Before all mel
were permitted to exercise their natura
rights at the ballot box, it was quite natura
for man to look at the money. question as al
almost supernatural agent, and it was then
as it is now, a part of the cunning art of tn,
Shylocks to hedge the money question will
bristling barrier of mystery-a kind of
bug-a-boo to keep the people from looking
over and into the fat pasture-felds Of th.
idle few who robbed the many toilers.
| Now that all men are part of the gov
ernment, and can make and unmake gov
ernments, it becomes duty for all men Il
learn the true inwardness of the money
question After you begin to feel of th'
animal you will find him quite tame, ant
ready to carry you to victory, if you vii
keep him wei in hand.
The workingmen who understand tn,
money question could not occupy their tim,
better than in educating their fellowwork
men as to the necessity of all toilers joining
the ranks of the Greenback party in ordel
that we may, with united ranks, get contro
Of the Government, and then we can in
crease the quantity of the circulating me
dunn of the country. Then, too, labor car
replenish its treasury and buckle on its po