The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1896-10-17
ORGANIZED LABOR'S DEMANDS.
Some Solid Facts for the Work
ingmen.
Free Coinage of Silver and the Restora.
tion Of the Money of the Constitu-
ton Wanted.

Ioilers throughout the United
States:
In view of the general distress
now prevailing throughout our coun-
try, which has existed for so many
years and which will continue until
remedial legislation is enacted-and
all this occurring, too, at a time
when our granaries are full to reple-
ton, and when, in the natural order
of things, our producers and toilers
should be enjoying to the full the
fruits of their hard and conscienti-
GUS labors-it seems to us that the
time has come for united action on
the part Of those who cfaate the
wealth of the country.
The respective demands and plat
forms of principles Of our several or
CARNATIONS set forth our opinions as
to the causes that have brought
about this condition of things. In
asmuch as the leading representa-
tives and friends Of all our organiza-
tions have placed one of the causes
Of the tribulations of our beloved re
public to the departure Of our gov
eminent from the wise bimetallic
financial policy of Washington, JEFF
ferson and Hamilton. and the substi-
tuition therefor of the present mono
metallic policy recommended by Eu-
ropean money owners and advocated
by their American allies, we. the un
dersigned officers of industrial, agri-
cultural and commercial organiza-
tions, have thought it best, at this
particular time, to submit for your
careful consideration synopsis of
the Legislation respecting the pre-
cious metals enacted in this country
since the foundation OF this govern
ment that you may judge for your
selves as to what portion of such
Legislation was enacted in the inter
est of the producing and what in the
interest of the non-produeing class
es, and as to whether or not the
shrewd manipulators of our finance
foresaw that the result of their work
would be to largely help in the sub
jugation of the people. Whatever
the object, certain it is that before
the decentralization of silver and the
enactmtn MT of other financial legisla-
ton which our organizations con
denim, $500 bushels OF wheat, or 30
600 pounds of cotton, was the annual
pay for our congressman and sena-
tors, while to-day 10000 bushels of
wheat, or 100000 pounds of cotton,
barely suffice. Before demonetiza-
tion, 35, 600 bushels of wheat, or 350-
000pounds of cotton, per year, would
have paid the salary of the presi-
dent; to-day he receives the equiva-
lent of 100000 bushels of wheat, or
100000 pounds Of cotton. And in
like proportion it is with all Other
fixed salaries and incomes.
Was such legislation just? Was
it honest? Does it not necessarily
follow that the decentralization of the
food producing sections of the coun-
try. through failure to procure rea.
sonable prices for their products,
the manufacturing sections to nc
cumulate excessive stocks, and that
in consequence of poor market
hundreds Of thousands of operatives
are thrown out of employment, thus
robbing them of the power, even al
the low prices, to purchase the nee
essaries of life?
Again,it is not obvious to everyone
that the striking down Of one-halt
the worlds volume of money makes
the remaining half a comparatively
easy matter for capitalists to contro
and manipulate, and that toilers, to
obtain money for the purchase Of
their food supplies, are placed en-
tirely at the mercy of the foreign
and American money sharks, who
by contracting the currency. car
force a panic or famine in money at
their supreme will?
Would they be guilty of such {
crime? We only say in reply, look
at our present helpless condition
Does it not seem to you, in the light
of the facts here given, that, where
in the midst of plenty there is wide
spread suffering and unhappiness
there is considerable meat in the re
frain from Wall street: dig on
We toilers, dig; the Legislative button
that we press will do the rest'
The first coinage law enacted un
der the constitution, as RECOMMENDED
by Hamilton, eoncurred in by Jeffer
son and approved by Washington
provided for the free and unlimited
I'coinage Of both gold and silver, the
silver dollar containing 37l4 grains
of pure metal.
In 1887 the mint laws were re
vised, and the standard for both gol(
and silver was made nine tenths fine
that is, nine tenths pure metal ant
one part alloy, the number Of pur,
silver grains to the dollar remaining
unaltered, viz: BIZ grains.
| This law established our presen
ratio of l6 to L.
In August, 1865, the public debt
which grew out of the war, reached
its highest point, the debt, less casl
in the treasury, being So, 1856, 431 ,00C
1 This debt was not payable in gold
No bonds or other governmental oh
legations were ever made specificall,
payable in gold. The interest OF
the bonds was made payable in coin
the greater portion Of the origina
bonds in lawful money, and the re
funding bonds in coin--not goi,
coin, but coin of either gold or sill
yer.
In 1869 the principal of the bond
ed debt was also made payable i
coin
In 1870 the standard of coin wa
by the refunding act nominated i
! the bond; that is to say, all the oil
legations of the United States wer
then declared payable in either gol
=, or silver, of the present ratio, at tn
option, not of the bond holders, bu
: Of the people of the United States.
All the acts passed since the clos
of the civil war, it will be observe
! were in the interest of the bone
. holders, and against that of the prt
ducers and toilers.
But it remained for the year 1877
to witness the GROWING blow of al
In that year, an innocent-appearin
bill, entitled "An Act Revising tn
Laws Relative to The Mint. ASA