Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-10-12
LABOR AND COMMODITIES.
Why Wages Must Rise. Under Free
Coinage of Silver.

Many workingmen fear that under
law for the free coinage of silver the
prices of the necessaries OF life would
rise so much faster than their wages
would be increased, that in the end
they would be the sufferers. This is
not the experience of the past. The
prices of the product of labor always
have risen with wages, and they al
ways have fallen together. The price
of the necessaries of life constitutes
the wages of the producer. The price
of wheat is just as much the wages of
the farmer as the so much week is
the wages of the factory hand. the
only difference being that the farmer
deals directly with the market, whereas
the factory hand deals with it through
middleman, his employer.
1t is important to repeat the truth
that tie law of supply and demand
governs the prices of labor, that is,
wages. If the producers OF the neces-
snries of life get twice as much money
for their product. they will create
twice the demand for other products
OF labor. This country can no more
prosper unless these producers, by
far the largest factor in this commun-
lty, have more money to spend than
a man can prosper with half his body
paralyzed. The increased demand by
lhe producers of the necessaries of
life Is absolutely necessary to every
wage Garner. Without this demand
his wages cannot rise.
The important and serious point for
workingmen to consider is that the
prosperity of the farmers and cotton
growers of this country is not only
hope for them, but their only hope.
Without an increase in that prosper
lty their wages cannot rise. If that
rise comes quickly, SO much the bet
ter. But, so long as the prices of the
necessaries OF life are where they are
to-day, nothing can rise, generally,
the prices OF labor, the wages of the
worklngman. Labor organizations
may struggle heroically to keep wages
from going down, and may check their
tendency to all for time, but without
the increased demand for the products
of the toll of their members, all the
labor orgapizationsin in the world cannot
raise wages.
Let the providers of the necessaries
of life set more money for their pro-
duct, and they will spend that money
at once. Tho farmer who gets few
hundred dollars more needs thousand
and one things. He will not wait q
minute for what he wants after getting
the money with which to buy. Direct
Iy he buys, other workingmen feel the
demand. First unemployed labor will
be employed; then wages will rise.
again let it be said that this is not one
process by which workingmen may be
benefited; it is tho only one possible.
Opponents of free silver admit that
the price of the necessaries of life will
rise, in the hope of frightening the
workingman. In making the admis.
sion, which they hardly can help do
ing, they have refuted their own ar
guments; they have shown the work
ingman the only road OF progress.
There has been no more hopeful
sign and abundantp proof of the progress
of humanity in the whole, long history
of this world than the earnest and it,
telligent way in which the workingmen
of this country, those who work with
their hesds rs well as those who work
with their hands, have entered upon
the study of the silver question, tho
most important political question now
before all the Nations of tho world.
The skill and Intelligence which COM
mands higher wages in the workshop
may also be used ct the polls to bring
higher wages to every workingman. -
Harold Johnston.