The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-07-25
The Workingman.

The Baltimore Sun III recent artcle on
the money question addressed to the working
man, proceeds upon the false idea that the
workingman is sordid and base, has no prin-
eiple but is guided alone by self interest, like
itself. and makes its statements as though the
workingman was ignorant and had no reason
ing power.
1t assumes that the deposits in the Savings
hanks in the country, which it states at 81
DOC, 900, 900, belongs altogether to the work
ingmen and represents there hard earned
savings. If any workingman read the article
he must have smiled at the assumption, be-
cause it is a well-known fact that not one
workingman in hundred mas dollar ahead
and all find it difficult to make ends meet.
The Sun assumes that all labor is employed
all the time, when the fact is that day labor
ers are not employed more than half of the
time, and every industry in the country nearly
is idle part of the year.
1t is true that bimetallism will reduce the
purchasing power of the gold dollar, winch,
by legislation, is the dishonest dollar OF nearly
200 cents. 1t is the dollar that has doubled
debts. doubled interest, doubled taxes, dou-
bled the bushel measure that measures the
farmers corn and wheat, and doubled the
pound that weighs his cotton and tobacco.
But bimetallism will revive agriculture by in
creasing prices for farm products. 1t will
enable the farmer to pay his taxes, his inter-
est, his debts and to purchase more OF the
products of the factory and the loom. BIZ
metallism will not only revive agriculture, but
will start the wheels of industry and stimulate
commerce. The workingman will be bene-
flied by it by having steady employment.
Prices will go up, but he will have more dol
lars to buy with. With steady employment
comes contentment and happiness. ldleness
tends to discomfort and evil habits.
When the Democrats proposed TO reduce
tariff taxation, the manufacturers howled in
agony over the fate of the workingman that
would result The thought that his wages
would be reduced was an awful contempla-
ton, when every mothers son of them not
only paid as low wages as he possibly could,
and even turned ont the home mechanic and
filled his place with imported pauper labor
from Europe.
The same moneyed class are in distress now
that the Democratic party has resolved to re-
store the money of the constitution and re-
establish bimetallism. The workingman is TO
be paid in deprecated dollars, they contend,
and their poor hearts are pleading. If the
capitalists of the country had any idea that
bimetallism would affect only the dollars of
the workingman they would all endorse it.
1t is not the workingman that enlists their
interest. Self interest is the handspring of
their activity. The cutting off of half of the
money has doubled the amount of their loans
and interest, and this is why they are dis
tressed at the prospect of having honest mon
ey-dolars of gold and silver of equal value.
Vanderbilt, with more candor, if with less
discretion, voiced the sentiments of capital
when he said ''the people be damned
That is what many wealthy men think, and
the pretended solicitude for the workingman
is mere pretence. 1t is all evinced to get
workingmen to come to the rescue by their
ballots and enable them to continue their
robbery Of the people.
1t does not occur to the Sun, but the work.
ingman understands, that wages are as change
able as the price of commodities. They do
not remain stationary any more than the price
of the products of his labor remain stationary.
When money is plenty and prices go up,
wages go up also. When money is scarce
and prices go down, wages go down also.
The Sun knows this, but it is pleading for
the protection of its millions, and withholds
the statement.
The price or wages of labor have not fallen
in the same ratio as farm products. In fact
have not materially changed. But it is the
sum of wages that count and not the rate. A
man would be better off at the end of the year
who had steady employment at a dollar day
than he would be at two dollars day, with
irregular employment, aggregating not more
than a third of the time. The farmer cannot
employ labor as he would like to do. He
does what he can himself and lets the balance
go undone. The mandatory runs until over
stocked then shuts down. When the farmer.
is hampered and burdened with debt, business
stagnation follows. He has been taxed for
more than twenty years to support the manu-
featuring class, and the cutting off Of half Of
the money supply has cut prices of his pro
ducts down one-half Between high protec-
tive tariff taxation and contraction of the cur-
rency agriculture has been well-nigh ruined,
and agricultural distress has thrown labor out
of employment, so the sum of the wages of
labor is greatly reduced. Ifthe rate ofwages
of labor should remain unchanged, the sum
of wages would be greatly increased.