The morning times., 1896-08-30
Many of Them Stanch Advo-
Gates Of the Gold Standard.
INTERVIEWS WITH SEVERAL
They Fail to See How Free Silver
VIII Sc the Purchasing Power
of Money or Augment the Chances
for Employ ment-HOt Shot From
District Wuge-Earners.

laboring class in all large cities through
out the country, are not, as has been ire
quently stated, solid for free silver.
Here, as elsewhere, the labOring man
has begun to think for himself and can no
longer be misled by misrepresentation OF
facts and promises impossible of realiza-
ton.
Possibly the weakest OF all the high
sounding arguments and statements of
managers and orators In the silver CAM
paign is that the masses of the working
men. all over the country, are solid for
the free and unlimited coinage OF silver
Independent of the cooperation of Eng
land or the other European countries.
This statement, SO frequently made by
the silver orator demagogues, and SO Con
stantly reiterated by the ward heelers
and borough bosses, is not borne out by
the facts in the case, at least in the Dis
trict OF Columbia.
From conversation with many members
of organized labor in this city it was learned
that this is really a campaign OF education.
Those who heretofore never gave any OF
the great questions which confronted them
an hours thought before election day are
now gathering the facts and are drawing
their own conclusions They are doing
their own thinking, as one OF them put It.
and without regard to party or organiza-
ton lines, will support those principles
the proper enforcement OF which will best
and soonest advance their interests.
MR.. ROBINSON'S VIEWS.
Those seen were thoroughly posted Oh the
subject, having studied it carefully, and
were well qualified to express an opinion.
In speaking of the free and unlimited Coin
age Of silver and what its effect on the la
boring classes of the country would be Mr..
C. N. Robinson, secretary of Columbia Ty-
geographical Union No. 1O1, said:
II have been wage-earner all my life
and naturally view questions OF public
policy from the wage-carners' standpoint.
From this point OF view | have never been
able to look favoratly on the proposition
for the free and unlimited coinage Of
silver. / would give silver all it is en-
titled to, or, SO to speak, all it can earn.
We certainly would not like to lose its
services altogether, for il is, has been, and
will be a useful servant.
"But it seems to ME that, as a matter
Of fact, there can never be a double stand
ard, or in other words, two standards, OF
money value. Either we will hate the
one and love the other, or. we will hold
to the one and despise the other. In this
country today gold is the standard. Free
and unlimited coinage of silver will SO
increase its volume as money that it must
become the standard (albeit a low one,
and gold become, to All extent. an article
of Commerce.
Many of my fellow workmen tell m c
,xiIt An ...n rIa
full and thus better our condition. But
we must first earn, inherit. or steal the
money or we will never have it. We CAT
not get something for nothing. Granting
that IL be possible for silver to Sc develop
our industries as to give employment to
some of our idle, it can be OF Lo advantage
to those now employed.
ION the contrary, IL the silver mans
predictions be verified; if prices Of labor's
production are enhanced, the laboTer is
worsted. in that it must cost him more 10
live But it is said that he will get
better wages. Did You ever bear Of an
increase of wages simultaneously with an
increase of the cost of Iiving?~ Wages are
always the last to be increased, and almost
always at the cost of strikes, cDtaiiing sac
rifice misery and ofttimes almost civil war.
war.
CAPITAL is NECESSARY.
II am yet TO be convinced that the free
coinage OF silver will stimulate industry.
The capitalist will not, dare not invest
mis- means under certain conditions. He
must be reasonably sureOf settled ma rker
for his products, as well as a reasonable
degree OF certainty as to the cost of the
output. II We in this country reckon
from a silver basis and all other civil
iizcd nations stand upon q platform of
gold, can he at all fOresee the results of
his venture2
II am not one of those who would cry
down the capitalist. We must have cap
ital or We would have no wages. SO 1
believe and know that the capitalist has
rights We are bound to respect. and in
casting our ballots we should vote for men
who are pledged not alone to look out for
our interests but those of the capitalist.
Indeed in many respects his interests are
ours.
Il believe in the maxim, the greatest
good to the greatest number. We are told
that we should consider the welfare of
the thousands OF workmen engaged in the
silver mines of the West. But shall We
legislate for them at the expense of the
.oilIng millions whose wages and welfare
| are involved in a financial revolution like
| that proposed?
when the manufacturing and CONNER
| cial ons OF Europe shall remonetize and
| rehabilitate silver, hope the United States
| may be found In the front rank; but for our
| ne ople to do so now, when silver has been
| relegated to the rear IN these countries,
| would. in my opinion, tie simply financial
hari-k
II AM for gold, protection and reciprocity
| the three friends OF the workngman."
| MR.. MOoRE's CLEAR VIEWS.
| Mr. II. P. Moore, electrical worker. who
has given the financial question much
thought, said:
In studying this question we must no;
| only look at 1t as medium OF circula
ion in our domestic trades, but We mus,
study what will be its effect with regard
| to our trade with other nations, our i'm
ports and exports, our revenues, our
manufacturing and industrial interests.
| How it would affect capital, how it would
| affect labor.
1T seems to me the best way of judg-
ing the future is by the past, and the OK
| perieDce OF other countries which have
tried both systems, comparison of the
| condition OF those countries which have
the gold standard and those which have
the silver standard, as to their prosperity
OF the people, the purchasing power Of the
dollar. and wages paid for labor. A glance
at these will show a decided balance in
favor of those countries which have
adopted the gold standard, using silvel
! in subsidiary coin.
IT can't see how the free coinage OF