The herald., 1896-09-21
A FARMERS VIEWS

Gates that are really good arguments
for silver. Secretary Carlisle, i'll a
speech delivered at Chicago, April 18th
last, says:
Labor can not be boarded. The idle
day is gone forever. Therefore steady
employment and good pay in good
money are essential to the comfort and
happiness of the American laborer and
his family. He can
not prosper when the country is in dis
tress, when it's industries are Frustrated,
its commerce paralyzed its credit
broken down or it's social order dis
turbed."
l agree with him exactly, and it seems
strange that any one who can read does
not know that the conditions portrayed
in his speech exist today That labor
has not been steadily employed for sew
eral years past and that at the present
time there are many thousands of idle
men-idle because they can not find any
work To do, at any price, and many
others who are working on half time
and consequently half pay. And are
those who are working full time getting
good pay? Some do, but the most of
them 90 not.
You do not have to go beyond the
confines of your own Los Angeles city
to find several thousand unemployed
men-men who would work if they could
find anything to do. And the condition
that exists in your city is duplicated in
every city in the land. So that accord
ing to Mr. Carlisle's own words the con-
ditionS are not conducive to the comfort
and happiness of the American laborer
and his family. And is not our country
in distress? 1t would seem so, from the
amount of gold it has to borrow to pay
running expenses, and that in time of
peace. And how about it's industries
Are not they Frustrated? What is the
condition of the agricultural classes?
Their condition has been going from bad
to worse for several years, until for some
time it has been almost impossible to
realize sufficient from their produce to
pay running expenses. That is one OF
our most vital industries, and if it is not
Frustrated l would like Mr. Carlisle to
tell us what prostration means. And
how about our commerce.? The cities
and towns are overcrowded by mercan-
tile houses, and the great majority of
them are not making more than ex-
penses. And as each year rolls around,
with our people poorer. the chances for
failure become greater. We find evil
dences of distress even amongst our
monopolies. We see many of our rail-
roads passing into the hands of re-
ceivers and being sold for their debts.
while others are reducing the number
of men employed to the lowest limit.
And this has been the condition for sew
eral years. 1t is not a new thing. And
is it not true that manufacturing indus
tries feel the effects of the depression?
They are not running full time, because
there is not sufficient demand for their
goods. And in all the efforts of our
industries to keep within the limit of
expense, and not to overburden them
-a1x xyftI t1n p
ployed is increasing at rapid rate. In
the whole range of industries in the
United States things are in a deplorable
condition. And that condition exists
and has been brought about under the
single gold standard-the standard that
Mr.. Carlisle is so enthusiastic to main
tain and under which our country Is
surely sinking into bankruptcy.
The gold men tell the laboring men
that under free silver they will receive
their pay in money worth only one-half
that they are receiving now. Let US
see what the effect would be, supposing
their assertions were even partially true.
1t is now estimated that over three mil
lion men are out of employment in the
United States and many other thous-
ands working on half time. And even
under our present low rate of wages we
are shipping many of our manufactured
products abroad selling them in direct
competition with foreign goods. would
it not logically follow that with our labor
being paid only small percentage less
that we would be in position 10 under
sell theEuropean manufacturers in their
own markets? And would that not put
all our idle men at work on full time!
1t certainly would, and our laborers
as a whole would be as well paid as at
present Instead of limited number
on full time, another limited numDer on
half time and many on no time, they
would be all employed and receive IN the
as much as now ana with the
conditions such that increased pay
would follow.
1t would build such a wall of protec-
ton around us that Mckinley Bill would
sink into insignificance in comparison
The silver miner would be digging the
money from the ground with which to
buy his provisions and his clothing. The
way down east manufacturer would
make his clothing, the boots and shoes,
the picks and shovels and all the num-
erous things that they would use and
everybody would be benefited except,
perhaps, few men who fatten on the
distress of others. The gold men say
silver from every part OF the
world when we open our mints
to the free coinage of sill
yer. Will they tell us why Mexico has
not had that flood under free and I'M
limited coinage? But let us think mo-
lnent and see if we can tell where 1T is
coming from. Europe at this time
and for many years has imported silver
from America in large quantities for her
manufactures and the arts. They have
not been buying Silver to coin as they
are not coming it. nor are they buving
much in advance of their needs. Now,
does any sane man believe they Will
ship what they have over here and buy
it back in a very short time and at the
same price and pay freight both ways?
No, they are too good business men for
any such foolish actions
Then where will it come from? Not
from Mexico to any great extent, as
they are in the same condition now,
and even supposing every dollar that
we coined came from abroad, it would
only amount to forty millions per year.
That gold men say they would exchange
for gold and take our gold away Well,
we are no fools. If gold was at prem
ium. would we not demand the differ
ence and where would be their gain?
Silver producing countries would be
benefited by the rise in silver in sympa-
thy with the increased demand for it.
They tell us gold would all leave us.
Well, even if that could be true, which
we know cannot be. any more than it is
at any time, we only send it away when
we want something some other nation
has, and when they want anything we
have. wheat or wool or cotton or what
not they send the gold back don't they?
1t will only leave us as the balance of
trade is against US and will flow back to
us when the balance is in our favor. The