Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-07-10

gold and all forms Of credit money As
mach per capita as we had in 1913
But over two-thirds Of this money is
credit money, and less than one-third
J. g"id or primary money. 1t is there
lore t0p-heavv. 1t shakes confidence
N il all. Primary money fixes the
sea level OF prices, and will support
only an equal quantity OF credit
money; any greater issue OF credit
money does not help the situation, hut
on the contrary, it is harmful. We
have less than one-half as much
primary money now a. We had per
capita in 1913. We have only half AS
much sound money now "a in 1913.
When You consider the money boarded
up In bank vaults not to 60 again in
circulation, except in the form OF loans,
which is hurtful, there is not to ex-
coed FIVE dollars per capita in circula-
ton to-day in the United States. 1t
Is not money TO loan that gives a
healthy tone 10 business; it is money
seeking investments - purchases -
that benefits trade.
COST OF Predicting SILVER.
They say it costs less to produce
silver now then formerly, and that
makes it cheaper. When man makes
that statement to you, put this ques-
ton to him: Does it not also cost
equally less to produce gold?
WAGES AND wAGE-EARNERs.
They say wages have not declined.
Store clerks in the city of Chicago
in 1873 got SD a week, about an
average OF that. They are now getting
on an average about six dollars week.
Unorganized labor has fallen pro-
portionately. 1t is only organized
labor that has held up prices, and it
has done that in two ways: One is,
that organized labor is among the
tirst-class mechanics where experts are
required, and the supply of that kind
OF workmen is limited. But organized
labor holds itself up by reason of its
unions. They are intelligent. They
stand together as a brotherhood OF
men fighting in common cause.
And yet in spite of their organization,
labor has had wages partially reduced.
The best answer have heard to that
was by an Irishman in Chicago re
Gently. A gold standard man was
expatiating on the purchasing power
of gold, and saying that wages had
not declined. The Irishman, after
listening to him awhile, said: "Mister,
in 1873 was a section hand on the
railroad, and 1 got $3.50 day. had
little cottage, a good home out here
in the suburbs, where Nora and the
babies were happy, and saved nine
dollars q week out of my wages over
a living, and paid it on our home
Now l am getting IS cents day rs =
section hand ON the same road. If you
will tell me how 1 can save nine
dollars a week On S. cents q day. I'll
give you the floor"
Unorganized labor has declined so
per cent; and tens of thousands are
unemployed and are getting nothing.
This makes tramps; it makes fallen
hopes; it makes discouraged manhood;
it makes less of good citizenship in
this country. Add, together, the num-
Der of workmen organized and unem-
employed and get your Gum total, then
divide it into the wages they receive.
and you have as a net result the gold
standard, measured with even exact
ness into The bone, flesh and blood of
the laboring classes of the United
States. II dear money is good for
laborers, then make it dearer and
scarcer, till there is none left to move
the wheels of commerce.
THE EFFECT ON FARMERS.
They say: admitting lower prices,
farmers can buy everything as cheap
as they have to sell their property for,
80 who's hurt?"
The answer is this: You sell your
wheat-the farmers, the merchants
depend on for trade, sell their wheat
for so cents; it is true they can go
and buy calico and cotton goods and
many other things proportionately as
cheap as they sell their property.
Manufacturers are being broken up
all over the country by reason Of these
falling prices; less labor is employed
for the consumption of those products
as result OF it, but still, they can go
and buy calico and cotton goods, it is
true, but, here is what they cannot do:
They can't 60 and pay their taxes with
the same number Of bushels of wheat
that they did in 1873; it takes from
two to three times as much of their
wheat and other products. They can't
60 and buy anything that is being
held up by trust. or anything that ia
working unnaturally against the con-
ditions that are breaking down the
fabric of the republic. They can't buy
any of those.
Arbuckle's trust on coffee will hold
up coffee. You get on Pullman car
and you pay as much as you did in
1873. You pay as much on street
car. You pay as much salary to the
county, state and national officials,
and when say you pay as much, l
mean you pay as much in dollars, you
pay twice as much in property-your
prOperty-and in many instances YOU