Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1896-09-03

tariff, and now Hanna says no high tar
if.
If the Sherman act had not been re-
pealed we should have been on Oh
cent silver basis ere this. The Repub-
Leans have never predicted prosperity
until we have a protective tariff that
makes revenue equal expenses. The
Democratic remedy of free trade failed
miscrably. Shall we trust to another
prescription compounded by the same
parfiY Or shall we take physician
under whom the country has always
prospered
You say that wages have risen under
the gold standard.
We do.
Did they not rise as rapidly under
the greenback standard ? More so.
You are mistaken. The laborer
might have got as many dollars in
oreenbacks rs he does now but they
would not purchase more than half as
much. He gets far more in gold now
than he did in gold during greenback
times. Then, too, for several years
the war withdrew millions Of able
bodied men from the ranks Of produc-
ers and made them consumers, thus
improving the labor market.
The gold advocates stop with the
year 1891. Why not take wages in
1896 ?,
Republicans do not bear the respon-
sibility for any decline in wages since
the free-trade, industry-killing De-
mocracy stepped in.
In fact the laborer is earning less
than in 1878. He can purchase more
but what good does that do If there is
no work to do and no money TO buy
with
There was work for everybody and
good wages for all when Cleveland
was elected. The gold standard had
been in effect for 20 years, too.
Again, | deny that gold has ever
raised the price of wages an io.a, either
directly or indirectly. Organized Ia
Dor, united efforts, sheer fighting have
raised the wages of labor. Increases
of wages have always been wrung at
the point of the bayonet. There is not
one case in ten, no, not one in fifty, of
an employer going 10 his men and say
ing, "My profits are increasing, lean
afford to give You more. Here 1t is.n
The competition of the employers has
aided somewhat You must prove
that our prosperity is attributable to
gold in order to prove that gold made
prosperity and the latter enabled the
laborer to get his demands. This can
not be proved We ask the gold men
who are so solicitous for the well-being
of the laborer TO bring on the examples
of the employers who have granted in
crcases in wages to men without force
or the threat of force. These are the
'.objcct lessons needed
This must be admitted That I'M
der the gold standard wages-thc best
measure-have increased. If employ
ers had not been able, out of the prof
its of their business, to advance wages,
all the efforts of trade unions would
have been of no avail. The silver men
make the gold standard responsible for
low prices and all the evils Of the cal
endar and they must admit that if ii il
not responsible for higher wages, it has
ut least made them possible. Accord
ingly, the gold men have the right to
claim that gold has not appreciated in
value compared with everything II
buys, for it will buy less labor than
formerly and we claim that this il an
altogether better test than any com
modify which is affected by the opera
ton Of invention and cheapening proc
esses.
You ask, "AIust the government
come to their (debtor's) relief" lsay
Yes II the government has injured
Il large part of its subjects by causing
falling prices, il is not only right but
imperative to repeal the laws SO work
ing. II would no longer be free gov
eminent could it not do so.
This Is begging the question. We
do not believe that any action of the
is responsible for falling
prices. What we asked was, must the
come to the relief of debt
ors by cheapening the currency when
they despair OF paying their debts If
done once, why not continually ?
Would not cheap money cheat mil
lions OF people and enable many to
profit who, there Is not the slightest
claim, have been affected by falling
prices ? How about the debtor of yes
terday9 Should his obligation be re-
luced on the strength Of Che plea that
prices have fallen since '13.
You suggest bankruptcy as remedy.
Is ii honorable to 90 into insolvency