The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-10-29
Wyatt TIE COMRADES ARE SAYING
Letters from Every Part Of the Country.


Much has been said of "the crime Of
1873" Is it not strange that this heinous
thing called "a crime" was not long ago
discovered? Has silver been demonetizedF
Let the facts speak. Iquote:
"During September, 1896, the minis OF
the United States coined from silver bullion
on hand, purchased under the act OF July
Ia. 1890 2,7OO.100 standard silver dollars,
containing 2,OSs. 35S ounces of pure silver,
the cost of which was 81 ,S62, GIL, giving
seigniorage or profit of 1887, 42S to the Gov
eminent"
In the light here given, can 1t be sald
with truth that silver has been demonetized?
But whether or not and assuming there
was a crime in 1878. that is no reason why
there should be another of greater magnitude
in 1896 Two wrongs never yet made one
right.
Free coinage is not bimetallism by any
means. Stripped to its nakedness 1t means
robbery. The only bimetallism we can have
under existing conditions is that which the
Government provides.
If all the silver produced was sold to the
Government at the market price and by 1t
coined into money at the ratio of 10 to L, or
any other ratio, the seignorage would enable
the Government to maintain 1T at parity,
anywhere in this country, at least. If, how
ever, the producer of silver can take his
silver to the mint and have it coined into
money at the ratio of 10 to /, then at once
every silver dollar or the paper which repre-
sents such, heretofore issued by the Govern
ment, would necessarily only be of the same
value as the false token. For who is to dis
tinguish between the false and the true?
Free coinage is heresy. Its acceptance
would mean disaster and ruin without q
single compensation to the American
people.
Important as the proper settlement of the
financial question may be, there is another,
a greater, danger than free coinage in the air
we breathe. While free silver would be dis
honest in many ways and we would stand
discredited before the nations of the earth
because thereof, in case we adopt it, this
| would be a small matter compared to the
danger that turks behind the idea SO sedu-
lousy set forth in some of the newspapers
of the day and on the stump by Mr.. Bryan
and his associates, in which it is sought to
array the employee against his employer.
There is no enemy's country to-day on
American soil. There are, unfortunately,
| however, some men who, Willingly or I'M
Willingly, are enemies to their country.
And none more wick edly so than those who
enunciate the doctrine that the interests of
capital and labor are in opposition one to the
| other; that what is wanted by the one is
| not good for the other, and also advance the
claim that workingmen are coerced and in
Inundated in their right to vote as their con-
science dictates by their employers. Sow
| the seeds of distrust between man and man
| and war will come again.
| Such teachings are unworthy American
! manhood and an unsubsidized press; they
are especially insulting to the intelligence
| and citizenship of the American working
men. They are subversive of law, order and
peace at time when country should be
placed before party by every citizen who
loves and reveres its flag and honors its free
institutions. The problems of honest Gov
eminent and an honest currency and re-
turn of business prosperity to all our people
through which, and that alone, employer
and employee can both be benefited, should
be the earnest aim of every patriot in the
| land
Concerning this subject, Chauncey NJ.
| Depew recently said:
II say this is a monstrous Islander On the
working people of this country. There is
absolute freedom among railroad men, and
that know. No President, no Superintend-
1 cut, 10 MduapeI CoutIOls VI attempts 10 cOu-
troll their political action.
"There are $4,000 employees in the New
York Central system, of which / am Presi-
dent. ] 60 out every year upon the stump
to speak for what believe to be right.
Every one Of my fellow-employees knows
that he can vote against my politics and
talk against my politics and work agains,
my politics As one of the largest employer:
| of labor in the United States, in my official
| capacity, as a laborer upon the payroll and
as liable to be dismissed as any of the Others
by the Board Of Directors, / resent, repe
this insult to the manhood and the indie
pendence of the workingmen Of the United
States.n
And as a manufacturer, emphasize every
word Mr.. Depew has said In this Nation
there are no classes as contra-distinguishet
from the masses. We are all toilers-work
iDgmen each in his separate sphere; eacl
is intent on enjoying life, liberty and tn,
pursuit of happiness according to the pro
tecting influence of the Constitution of oul
country and beneath the folds of the flag
And no man with common sense, who love
his country, will attempt to array his fellow
men against each other or coerce or intimi
date them in their right to carry their sover
eighty under their own hats. 1t is false
untrue. And those who teach this doctrin,
are enemies of the people; they are dema
gogs whose touch is pollution, and the,
are unworthy free speech in free land.