The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-10-07

$ 'NS't"SN VI lelllulhb VI cVIutol 'bs ~
Camden, presiding at the sound money
Democratic meeting addressed by ",
Bourke Cochran. at Parkcrshurg. on
October ., 1896
MIR. Camden being called to the
chair said;
Fellow CItlzcns:-l have accepted the
Invitation TO preside at this meeting FOR
two reasons; First, 1t Is n pleasure TO
me TO introduce to you one of the all
lest and most distinguished Democrats
In the United States, With whom had
the most pleasant relations while scrv-
Ing In Congress together. he In one
branch aud / in the other, and l re-
gard It an honor to be able to present
him to the people ut my home. Second,
The time haStcome when II Is due to
YOU and to myself that 1 should make
known my position on the mixed plat
forms and tickets in this presidential
contest, and give my reasons therefor.
have very decided convictions on
the issues Involved In this canvass. and
especially on the free silver question,
hut have been slow In expressing them
as my convictions OF duty compel me TO
differ from So many Of my party
friends. but the time has come when 1t
Is my du;y to hesitate no longer.
In the first place, have reasons per
sonal TO myself for advocating sound
money and the Integrity OF contracts. |
have for years been earnestly trying To
develop the resources OF our state. and
through personal efforts. have been In
strumsntal in bringing Into our state
over ten million dollars OF morley 10 be
expended In opening up lines OF trans
plrtatiOn and developing our hereto
fore inaccessible resources. adding MT
only value 10 what was comparatively
Nalueless before. but also adding To
the taxable values OF our state. A large
part 81 this money was paid in actual
gold, and all OF It in one hundred cent
dollars, which was agreed TO be paid
back upon a gold standard basis Of one
hundred cents to the dollar. We all
welcomed the Influx Of this capital into
our state, and much more is needed,
and would receive II similar welcome.
cannot vote to return to these In
vestors either the principal or interest
OF these loans In deprecated dollar.
II would be simply bad faith and dis
honest to do SO, ard on the other hand,
to earn two dollars to pay one dollar
In gold would be simply impossible to
these enterprises. and TO that extent
would mean reputation, I have spent
many anxious days in the past tfre.
years in providing FOR the interest and
fixed charges upon some Of these en-
terprises, and know what | am say
L., ,raItnt N nj an nF
OF all the railroads and other corpora
lions, based upon gold standard
would be In bankruptcy in less than 4
year from free coinage OF silver. When
good friends say TO me, do not vote
against the Chicago ticket, that Bry-
an Will be elected, my reply Is that In
case Bryan should be elected, that Is che
Sery reason why 1 desire 10 make my
record for sound money. l do not want
tn be in position 10 have the people
whom induced IL Invest money In
West Virginia enterprises 10 say ot ne
: that after getting their money! then
worked and voted either to bankrupt
the enterprises or to cheat them with
deprecated money. The duty OF the cit
Izcns Is sometimes higher than the
catch-wordS Of politics.
on the other hand. | am not Willing
10 vote 10 pay the $500 or 1900 labor
InS men-employes OF these enterprises
-tlncludiug mines. lumber plants and
railroads.&c. deprecated dollar for hon
est labor. when | know from expert
ence and observation, az well as from
the history OF other countries. that un-
der deprecated currency the price Of
labor never advances in proportion Ia
tho depreciation In money. Therefore.
10 vote TO make thase men pay double
prices for their family supplies az tea.
coffee, sugar and other living EEK
,rcnses, and then pay them less than
double price for their labor IL not fair
at least I do not want 10 make such a
record for myself. That | am correct
in my statement OF this proposition as
20 the wages Of labor under q drprcci
atcd currency. It IL only necessary Ia
appeal 10 the experience and reCollec-
ton IF those who are old enough to re-
member the depreciation OF paper mo-
ney during the war, from 1867 10 1866
when gold ranged fI"m one hundred to
two hundred and fifty, and paper m0-
ney was most abundant.
Ii labor had advanced In proportion
10 the depreciation OF paper money.
when gold was two hundred, the rail-.
road employees, the mechanic, the day
latorer and the coal miner should have
received double the price for labor they
receive to-day under q gold standard
Can any Of these men remember an
instance In which III. received twice
the wages that lra receives now under
the gold standard. or received wages
in proportion to the depreciation OF the
money then paid? But. Instead, the
price for labor remained almost sta
tlonary. and during the whole time
there was scarcely an advance Of ~
pcr cent in wages in any branch OF Ia
bor even under the then existing con-
Z ditIOn when the supply OF labor had
been reduced by the immense number
OF men who had gone into tn" armies
which created scarcity Of labor
I was. during most OF the time be-
tween 1867 and 1866, engaged In mnnu-
featuring pursuits. and this was my
observation, which Is now Curr0horated
by actual statistical reports OF wages
paid covering that period. made by Car
roll p. Wright. United States commits
slnner Of labor, and also by the Md
rich senatorial committee report. and
by recent statistics uf railroads and
street car companies. which show All
average advance OF only Ii TO 20 per
cent, But this Is only repeating the
history OF deprecated money In all
Countries where Il has existed ,in Japan
China, India, Asia, Mexico. and all
Other silver using nations. or Japan
CHM and India and Asia, and the less
civilized and progressive countries. |;
is not necessary to speak. NJ all are
familiar with the low conditions OF
civilization and labor In these c0un.
tres. In relation TO Mexico, the most
prosperous perhaps, Of silver countries
happened, while In tn" senate. to have
an object Lesson presented In the form
of n report OF tn. manager OF a silver
mine In Mexico to Its president and
directors. Senator Stewart. of Nevada
was the president Of The company.