The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-22

De aDie 10 pay lnelr QeDtS with nai1 the
number of bushels of wheat and the
shoe manufacturer with half the num-
Der OF shoes. II this were all then it
would simply mean that producers, that
is farmers, manufacturers. etc, through
change in the money, would be able
to pay their debts with fifty cents on
the dollar. But If ii stopped here even
That would not give us prosperity We
are assured, however. that it would
continue, and after debts are thus paid
oil with fifty cents on the dollar the
prosperity really begins, because the
doubling Of prices would mean adding
about forty to fifty per cent. to the pro-
fits of producers.
Out of whom would this profit come?
OF course, this could take place only by
the selling prices Of goods being in
creased without any increase in the
cost of their production. If the cost of
their production We're increased in the
same proportion then the rise in the
price would be of no advantage to any
body. because If the farmer sold wheat
for dollar ana IL cost him dollar to
raise it, he would be no better off than if
he sold IL at fifty cents, ii the fifty cents
covered the cost. 1t is only on the as
sumption that this artificial increase in
prices can come without any increase
IN the COST Of production. This means
OF course, that he wages of labor must
remain the same, since If wages rise
in the same proportion as the prices
there would be no more profits than be-
fore. The first and definite effect there
fore of this scheme for creating pros
perity is to reduce the purchasing power
OF wages from forty to fifty per cent In
other words it boldly proposes to pay
the debts and double the profits OF far
mers, manufacturers and other pro-
ducers by reducing the wages of labor
To say nothing of the violent Injustice
and outrage upon the labCrers, who con-
stitute seven-tenths of our population,
1t would be impossible to invent q
scheme which would be more disastrous
TO our national prosperity.
MUST HAVE A MARKET.
Thanks to our protective policy, this
is home market country, which
means that our capitalists, whether
they be farmers, manufacturers or
merchants. cannot sell unless our peo-
pie buy. Employers cannot make pro-
hts unless the workingmen consume
their products. The great market has-
is of all our industries is not the little
that is consumed by the rich. but the
daily consumption of the laboring
classes. There are not half dozen
Industries in this country where ma
chinery is employed that could sue
ceed if nobody but the rich consumed
their products. In fact. the success of
all modern industries finally depends
upon the ability of the laboring classes
to consume their products. A reduce
ton of forty per cent. in wages would
mean the destruction of forty per cent.
of the consuming capacity of the
American people. No rise in prices,
however high. could give prosperity
with such destruction of the market.
Happily for mankind, it is impossible
in home market country permanent
ly to secure the prosperity of any one
class at the expense of the other. To
ignore the Importance of wages and
the welfare of laborers to national pros
perity is to ignore the very corner
stone of statesmanship and national
progress.
Mr.. Bryan and his friends need to
take n few elementary lessons in econo-
mics before they are entrusted to revo-
lutionize our industrial condition back
ward. They should be taught first of
all that farmers and manufacturers,
merchants and all other producers are
prosperous only when they can sell
their products. and they can sell their
products in large quantities only when
luborers can be generous purchas ers,
and labOrerS can be purchasers only
when they are permanently assured of
constant employment and liberal wag-
es \ blow at wages is not only a blow
at workingmen, but it is at the same
time blow at the security and pros
perity of every form of business. y
blow at the purchasing power of wages
ie, hn nct - IND Of n Df
can ever be directed at national pros
perity. and yet this is what Mr. Bryan
and his party propose as the means of
creating prosperity. There is no pow
er on earth by which the condition of
farmers or manufacturers or capital
lists of any productive class in home
market country can be improved by re-
ducing the purchasing power of labor.
They think they escape this evil by
saying free coinage would stimulate
foreign trade by enabling our pro-
ducers to produce at q silver cost and
sell abroad at gold prices, but this in
nowise alters the case. If they could
produce Il bushei of wheat for a fifty
, cent silver dollar and sell it abroad for
q l00-cent gold dollar, 1t would only be
because they paid their laborers in fifty
cent dollars. Their profit by the trans
action would be directly taken out of
the laborers just the same.
CONFISCATION OF WAGES.
The more closely we examine the de-
mands for the free coinage of silver al
16 to /. the clearer 1t becomes that IL is
an uneconomic heresy founded an mis-
statement of fact, erroneous reasoning
and financial fanaticism, and that its
adoption would bring no benefit to
tl.., 4.
1t would involve q confscation of the
wages of labor, destroy the basis OF
business prosperity and public welfare
forever and tarnish the honor and in
teGrity of the republic.
That there are real monetary and in
dustrial questions which demand i'm
mediate and comprehensive treatment
the last four years of experience amply
proves, but these questions cannot be
solved by any destructive coin debas-
ing, debt repudiating and wage reduc-
ing policy.
For true revenue reform we must lool;
to such rational revision of the tariff
as shall afford adequate protection tC
our domestic industries and secure am
ple revenues for the needs of the gov
eminent. and for genuine industrial re-
forms we must look to a more direct
application Of the principle of Protec-
ton to the problems of labor especial
~ those which affect the individual and
social life of the wage class. But in or
der that these national reform may be
accomplished and the prosperity and
progress Of the country re-esta blshed
the threatening avalanch of free silver
must first be prevented. To accomplish
this the friends Of the republic every
where, regardless of party Civilizations
must unite to secure the defeat of Bry-
an and the triumphant election of Nc
Kinley and Hobart.
Not content with introducing Lillian
| Diiccnll ON EAtt.n he 1nt l,nr &c 4