The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1894-08-24
A mistaken Policy.

ISOlNulolhS oOSAShJ AAAAONSoAAOAN 49,
tan world. There are numerous branches
of reformers who hinder the movement
by fighting against each other. This is
mainly thro' ignorance and not intention.
The conservative" element, which IS
that portion of the great social family
who have the lions share of the good
things of this world in their own hands,
want no change and aid the antag-
onism among reformers. This wrong
medicines is about nip and tuck between
three of these great branches of agitators.
The Socialists, the Single Takers and the
Prohibitionists. They each appear to
view conditions as one looking through
long tube, only single spot is visible
while all else is shut from their view.
The result of this telescope process OF
economic study is, that when they attempt
to discuss any question outside of their
specially, they invariably make what is
vu1garly termed "ness of it"
A case in point occurs in Manifesto"
TO "Fellow Workmen" in recent number
of the socialist New York national organ.
In the paragraph of the Manifesto"
devoted to the money Question" the
following statements occur:
"'Let us, they say, (the advocates of
financial reform) coin into money all the
deprecated silver that our mines can pro-
duce; let us moreover issue 'greenbacks'
by the billion until money is drug i'll
the market, so that the poorest OF us
may be millionaire.
Now, this is pure invention. Nothing
of the kind was ever spoken or written by
any advocate of financial reform except
in reference to free coinage. Again
'The money power so called, exists
because capitalism exists, and its exist
ence is the inevitable consequence of
capitalism" which assumption is about
as far from the truth as it is possible to
get. The money power exists solely
because the government, which is the
maker of all money, has turned it over to
the tender mercy and manipulation OF
claas called bankers. Did the govern
ment retain control and distribution
of the money it creates for the use
of the people, and loan it to them at
the bare cost of the management, the
"money power" would disappear. This
would make the use of money co-opera-
tive among the people, precisely in line
with socialistic doctrine, and free the
money users who are employed in wealth
production from the usury exacted by the
money monopolists.
Again our manifestoist says "But it IS
notorious fact that the money wages OF
labor never rise in proportion to the rise
in prices"
On the contrary the reverse is true.
When the increase in the volume OF
money during and after the war OF the
rebellion caused rise in the price of
commodities, the wages of labor rose to
point they had never reached before.
And the proof that the wage Garner was
beneficiary of that rise, there was scarcely
tramp to be found OH the roads, labor
was employed every day it desired EN-
ployment, and involuntary idleness and
want were practically unknown i'll this
broad land. Wages have not fallen i'll
the same ratio and to the same plane that
prices of every commodity have fallen.
There has been chronic war of strikes
by labor unions to keep the same high
standard of wages which was the result of
"p1enty of money, good times aud high
prices" And the struggle against cor
responding down grade in wages has
succeeded in keeping them abnormally
high, but the wage earners have suffered
more from another quarter than they
would have done by a gradual fall in
wages. They have lost by idleness more
than they have gained by their struggle
to maintain the standard of wages"
Wages are nearly double what they were
in the COS, '4o's and sos, while all the
necessaries of life, food and clothing are
on an average scarcely half the price they
were then, yet in those days there was
comparatively little suffering among the
poor. There was no hunting for work
and not finding it; there were no able
workers dying of hunger, as now with
tens of thousands but half employed and
millions in involuntary idleness. The
low price of the products of labor will not
permit the former high wages for labor,
and idleness is the inevitable and logical
result. This socialist "Manifesto" does
not rise to the dignity of sophistry, but
simply ignores facts in an effort to boost
the socialistic theory by the cheap method
of attempting to belittle other phases of
the reform movement. These three
schools of economists, Socialists, Single
Tax and Prohibitionists, all bank largely
on this plan (belittling others) of elevat-
ing their special theories. 1t is great
mistake they will find. Let all move in
unison to the annihilation of old. worn
out theories. They act and react on each
other, and in the end will sing together
as the morning stares.
-z----t@HF<--