The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-07-17


President Gompers. of the American Fed
he had Endorsed the Populist- Democratic
candidate for President, said: '@rhe Fedora
ton stands for the free and unlimited coin
age OF silver at the ratio OF 16 TO ], and. II
necessary. Independent OF other nations.
This is our declaration we have no choice
of can iidates." Assertions have been made
by other labor leaders or persons claiming
to speak for workingmen. TO the effect
that. as a class. they are In favor of free
silver coinage. The Journal takes leave TO
question the authority of these persons or
CT any person. to speak for workingmen
on this question. and to doubt the correct
ness OF the statement that a majority of
them are in favor of free silver coinage.
In the first place. IT must be remembered
that a large proportion of the workingmen
CT the country are not in labor unions. and.
therefore, no officer labor leader is au-
thorized TO speak for them. They stand on
the same footing with other citizens who,
not being organized are not in position
views and have no spokesman who is au-
what position they occupy on the silver
question. Most of them are as capable of
doing their own thinking the average
man. and, after getting all the information
they on the subject. will form their
conclusions and vote their convictions like
other people who think and act for them
selves. With organized labor it is some
what different in that the various organiza-
tons and trade unions furnish the ma
clare it's position on this or any other pub
lie question. But as a rule these organ
izations do not NEEDLE with political ques-
lions. That is the settled policy of the
Federation of Labor, for which Mr. Com
pers assumes to speak. and many If not
all of its affiliated bodies have in their con-
stitution and laws provisions prohibiting
even the discussion of political questions at
their meetings. So far known no labor
organization, large or small has made any
recent declaration on the silver question. and
IL the Federation at general convention or
through its officers should attempt to do so
it would doubtless cause a loud protest from
many of the affiliated bodies. Persistent
and insidious efforts have been made for
two years past to get labor organizations
to commit themselves to free silver, and
the course of some of the labor leaders and
organs raises a suspicion that they have
come under the influence OF the silver
mine owners, but the fact remains that or
ganized labor is not committed to free sill
yer, and no person is authorized to say
that it favors the policy. 1t is easily dem
onstrated that no other class of citizens
would suffer more from a deprecated and
fiuctuating currency and a cheap dollar
than workingmen, and the Journal has con-
fidence enough in their intelligence to be-
lieve that when they have investigated the
subject very large majority of them will
be for sound money. Some of the intelli-
gent leaders of labor organizations have
already SO declared themselves individu-
ally. The New York correspondent of the
Philadelphia Press says
O'Connell. the head of the Order of
American Machinists. was asked to-day by
q merchant of this city what he thought
of the free-silver doctrine and what the
machinists of his union thought Of 1t.
OConnell replied that he and his fellow
machinists had been discussing this mat
ter, looking carefully into It, and he did
not know of one of them who had not come
to the conclusion that free silver ought TO
be opposed by every workingman. since it
meant for him. if he is to be well off
as he is to-day; the necessity of doubling
his wageS-a thing. of course. which could
not possibly be secured. IL his wages be
not doubled then they will avail him for
only half as much as they do now. For
that reason" said O'Connell. 1.-The Ameri-
can machinists are against free silver, and
/ am satisfied that when the American
workingmen understand this question as
We do-and many of them do under
stand it-you will find the wage earners of
the United States. TO a man. opposing this
doctrine The only labor men who will de-
fend it will be influenced by other motives
than a regard for the welfare of labor"
other labor leaders in other cities have
made similar declarations. and. while not
assuming to speak by authority. have ex-
pressed their belief that a majority of the