The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1895-10-17

be preserved if we would preserve our
free institutions The great majority of
mankind must labor for their daily bread
l do not say it for political effect, but /
utter great truth which right thinking
men everywhere in the world will APP
prove, when | lay down the proposition
that it is the chief end of good govprn-
ment to secure for its citizens the right
TO labor under the most favorable con
ditons, The men who work are the true
soldiers in the army of civilization. /
have repeatedly said that days work
was the true unit of value, and that that
community was the most blessed and en-
joyed the greatest prosperity where q
days labor brought to the toiler the
most comforts of life.
We all know that in times of distress
the masses who labor suffer most. We
have had recent experience, In 1893,
when the great panic swept over the
country, the rich, Notwithstanding their
material loss, still lived in comfort but
the poor-the men who worked for their
daily brcud-were thrown out of employ
mcnt. When commerce was paralyzcd
and manufactures were shut down, men
with brawny arms were left without work
and their children to cry for bread, 1t
is in such times that our free institutions
are put TO the severest test. They call
for the exercise of the best thought and
the highest patriotism ON the part of
those who have been intrusted with the
duty of making and administering the
laws.
l have already shown that agriculture,
commerce and manufactures only pros
per in the enlightened, progressive coun-
tries which have the gold standard, and
now propose TO show that men who Ia
Dor are dependent on these conditions for
their well-beng, and that there is not a
silver standard country in the world
where they earn wages sufficient t.
maintain them in comfort and independ
ence
Before the death OF the lamented Judge
Gresham | called ut the State Depart
ment and requested to have tables made
up from the consular reports showing thu
weekly wages paid labor in all the coun
tries of the world, classifying them a,
gold and silver standard nations. Thij
was DONE and recently the table ha
been embodied in u pamphlet issued b!
the Department of State, which contains
the most accurate information on tn
subject which is accessible to the pub
lie. | also had the Bureau of Statistic
to make up statement showing week.,
wages paid labor in the United States
and this was taken from the report +
the United States Senate, Fifty-secon
Congress, submitted by the COmmitte
on Transportation, Wages and Prices 70
fifty-two years, ending July, 1891. coul
not better Illustrate the lesson taught b
this investigation than to institute
comparison between this country an
Mexico, the wages paid in thi
country being paid in gold or il
equivalent, and the wages in Mexico i
silver dollars containing 377A grains {
pure silver, now quoted as being wort
5314 cents:
In the United States bricklayers wei
paid weekly S2l1S; in Mexico, $40. Hot
carriers were paid in the United State
Sl3.2S; in Mexico, $500. AIasons in til
United States were paid $2l; in Mexic
SlO.SO. Tenders in the United State
$500; in Mexico, $3.50. Plasterers in IL
United States, $23.10; in Mexico. SD
Roofers in the United Safes, $17.3O;
Mexico, SS.40. Blacksmiths in the Unite
States, $1602; in Mexico, So. Cabine
makers in the United States, S13,32;
Mexico, $50. Draymen and teamste
IN the United States, $10S0; in Mexic
$500. Dyers in the United States s.
IN Mexico, So 1B Gardeners i'm fl
United States, $3.50; in Mexico, $3.50
Mlllwrights in the United State
$16.S0; in Mexico $3.50. Printers
the United States, $1G.42; in Mexic
$5.76. Tinsmiths in the United State
$l4.35; i'll Mexico, $3.50.
These examples are sufficient to she
the disparity between wages paid in til
country and in Mexico And when it
considered that the Mexican labor is IA
in money worth only 53H cents compl
ed with ours, it will be seen that labc
ing man earns nearly four times n mn
for weeks work here as he does the
When comparison is instituted betwe
the other gold and silver standard con
tries it will fully bear me out in the {
sertion | have made so often and
emphatically, that laboring men do /
earn wages sufficient to maintain them
comfort and independence in any silly
standard country on the globe.
Notwithstanding all you have heard, l
Democratic friends, to the contraI
silver standard countries are
abode of petty tyrants and M
cradle serfs and dependents.
silver declines the prices of the neces
ries of life improve, but wages do /
advance in proportion, and the mis-,
OF the poor keeps pace with the instabil
and depreciation of the currency.
Gold is sometimes called the money
the rich, and silver the money of
poor by the people who try to persus
the poor to adopt their financial yagayi
The rieh--and especially the rich
money holding-may fatten on a depr,
ated currency, for it furnishes unend
opportunities for speculation. Not
with the man who labors: he has nett
the means, the opportunity nor the
formation on which to speculate; he o.
knows he gets such wage in money.
if the money is bad he is indeed uni
tunate. OF all men he who works fo
wage is interested in securing for
price of his toll money which is equal
purchasing power to the best money: ,
of all men he is most interested in sec
ing for his country conditions of prosl
ity, because it is on the prosperity arol
him that he depends for employment.
We hear great deal said about the
preston of the debtor class, and il
assumed that the poor are generally d,