The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-19

makes It more difficult to obtain pos
session of the dollar. They know that
employment Is less permanent. less OF
work more probable and re-employ-
ment less certain. II that means any
thing it means that cheap dollar
would give him more employment.
more frequent employment, more work
and a chance to get unemployment
after he was discharged. Uaughter).
Well. now, II that means anything In
the world to a sane man 1t means that
If the laborer Is willing to have his
wages cut down he will get more work.
If it were true that a reduction in the
rate Of wages would increase the chance
of employment, l would not blame Mr..
Bryan for telling the truth, because
however unpalatable the truth may be,
/ conceive 1t the duty of any man who
attempts to address his fellow citi-
zens never to shirk from q statement
Of the whole truth. whatever may be
the consequence to himself. (Ap-
plause). But as matter Of fact 4
diminution in the rate of wages does
not increase the scope of employment.
III this audience has done me the hon.
or to follow me while | explained the
principle on which wages are fixed. it
must be clear that the more abundant
the product, the higher the wages that
the Populists tell us, and Mr.. Bryan
leads the van in saying that it is the
creditor that he Is after, that the cred
itor Is the person whose debt he wants
to cut down, and Mr.. Bryan makes
an elaborate argument to show that
when this system of coinage shall have
been completed. his standard of value
shall have been changed, then the
debtor will have an opinion as to which
n hn l.. H.
to say. he shall be permitted by the
law to commit an act of dishonesty. In
order that you shall understand Just
how change in the standard of values
enables men to cheat their customers,
you have to consider the functions
which money plays In measuring debts.
AN OBJECT LESSON.
II had paid $40 for ten yards of
cloth to be delivered to me next week
and In the interim, the government
should pass law declaring that here
atter the yard measure should consist
OF Is inches and that all existing con-
tracts should be settled in that system
or measure, / would be cheated out
half of the clothes for which I had
paid. (Applause). II on the other
hand l owed a clothes merchant for
ten yards of clothes, which he had de-
hvered to me and which was payable
next week and in the meantime the
government would change the stand
ara OF value and cut down the unit Of
coinage one-half, then l would settle
that debt in IS and the clothes mer-
chant would have been cheated. That
is just what this measure proposes to
DO and the important question that
arises to the workman of this country
Is lust who are the creditors and who
are the debtors in this land. When any
man can show me a laborer that has
been paid In advance for a days worl,
! VIII show him laborer who Is n
debtor, but every laborer that I have
ever known in my experience, every
laborer Of whom I have ever heard in
my estimations of the condition Of men
must by the very law of his being be a
creditor for at least one days work and
Is generally a creditor for q weeks
work or two weeks work.
do not regret this campaign. I am
glad this issue has arised The time has
come when the people Of this country
VIII show their capacity for self gov
ernment. They will prove that the men
who have left the world in the path
way of progress will be the jealous
guardians of liberty and of order. (Ap-
plause). They are not to be seduced by
appeals to their cupidity or moved by
threats of injury. They will forever
jealously guard and trim the lamp of
enlightenment and of progress. They
will ever relentlessly press and crush
under their heels the flaming torch of
Populist discomfort. Populistic agitation
and Populist destruction. (Applause)
When this tide Of agitation shall have
receded, this tide of Populistic agita-
tion, this assault upon common honesty
and upon industry shall have been
abated forever. the foundation of this
republic will remain undisturbed. This
government will still shelter a people
indissolubly welded to liberty and or
der, jealousy forbidding any distinction
of burden or of privilege, conserving
property. maintaining morality, resting
forever upon the broad basis of Ameri-
can patriotism and American intelli-
gence. (Applause.)
Mr.. Cockran's speech was we'll re-
ceived. While many of those in the
upper gallery deserted their seats long
before the speaker had concluded, it
tiers and those in the main auditorium
remained attentive throughout the dis
course. The audience took advantage
OF every opportunity to manifest ap-
proval Of the speakers sentiments.
When particularly telling points in re-
pudiation of Mr.. Bryan's speech were
made the cheering from all quarters
OF the hall was Of tumultuous nature.
The small American flags provided by
the committee were brought into SER
vice and waved frantically.