Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1895-08-30
CONFLICT OF THE DAY
1T is AS "lRREPRESSIBE" AS WAS
THE CONTEST ON SLAVERY.
II Is a Question Which Must BE
Decided Now, II We Want IA RE-
neWal Of Industrial Property
Other Countries Benefitted by the
GOld.bug Policy.
Washington sunday Herald.

GOId.bug Policy.
Washington sunday Herald.
The conflict between the producers
and absorbers of wealth is irrepressible.
The absorbers have won every battle
of the last twenty years. Idle money
increases in purchasing power more
than 3 per cent. per annum. Money
at interest adds to that increase from
. to 20 per cent. per annum. II the
increase of the purchasing power OF
money cannot be stopped, the produc-
ers must soon be the slaves of the ab-
sorbers. The absorbers demonetize
silver to make the purchasing power
of their money grow, because money
grows valuable in proportion to its di-
minished quantity. The battle is now
on to restore silver; the two wings Of
the gold army masquerade under diff.
ferent banners, meaning the same
thing; they have adopted the policy
of the pirates, who always use the flag
OF some friendly power to conceal
}heir piratical craft. The banners OF
Republican and Democratic parties
havs been used too often for this pur-
pose. The people know that Roths.
childs is in command, whichever flag
is used. The pretense that man can
fight the battles of the people, under
either of these flags, is too flimsy to
longer deceive. So long as Grover
Cleveland carries the banner flag OF
the Democracy and John Sherman,
the emblem of Republicanism, it is
impossible for any man loyal to the
peoples cause to serve in the army
commanded by either of these chief
tains. Loyalty to either Cleveland or
Sherman is treachery to the cause, and
treason to the country.
From whatever standpoint we view
it, the financial situation is pre-emi-
nently the question of the day, as
there is not a single industry the de-
velopment of which is not initiated
against by the present arrangement
This is sweeping assertion, yet it can
be proved as absolutely as any problem
in Euclid. No one will dispute the
fact that agriculture, manufacturing
and commerce must be carried on
somewhere, and by somebody. If not
in one country, then in another. If
one State can be under such laws as
will prohibit the free development of
trade, its industries will forsake it for
another State where exists laws
less restrictive. In proof let us go
back to 1873, and take the case of
capitalist who wished to open up q
manufacturing plant. AS wise man
he looked about him in order to avail
himself OF every advantage. After in
vestigation he found that in this coun-
try he could produce certain guam
tity OF cloth for a labor wage OF $5, or
four ounces OF silver, and that in Mex
leo, China and Japan he could do the
same thing, no more or no less. I'm
der such circumstances he wisely con-
cluded to erect the plant in the United
States, with the result of distinct ad-
vantage to American labor, American
railroads, American banks and Ameri.
can industry in general. But in the
meantime silver has been demone-
tized, and conditions have in conse-
quence been go much altered that the
capitalist of 1895 would, upon investi-
CATION, come to quite different conclu-
sions. He will find, for instance, that
for labor wage of IS he can produce
in the United States certain quantity
of cloth, and that in the silver using
countries he can produce the same
quantity for a labor wage of four
ounces of silver. But the four ounces
OF silver, instead OF costing him S. as
in 1873, will cost him now but $3.50
Thus the capitalist would invest in
Mexico, produce the same cloth at just
one-half the price it could be produced
in this country, export it to us, and
drive out OF business every merchant
handling American made goods. With
the increase of manufacturing facili.
tiles in the silver countries this must
be the inevitable result, nor will it be
longer delayed, judging from the i'm
mense amount OF capital now seeking
investment in those countries. We
have taken the cloth manufacturer
simply for illustration; the same would
obtain in the case of the farmer, the
miner and every other branch OF in
dustry.
San Francisco has already begun te
use japanese coal. Exports to silvel
countries are everywhere tumbling
and the shelves of the merchants in
gold countries have already begun tt
feel the effects of imported Soutl
American and Oriental goods. Th'
outcome for our industries is indeed
dark, and unless silver is restored tt
the rights it enjoyed prior to 1873, i
is merely a question of time before
japan. Mexico and China will furnish
us about all we eat and wear. The in
dustrial bound made by these countries