The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-04-16
CARLISLE TO WORKINGMEN.
Powerful Argument for The Ralatsuauc
ola Sound and Stable Currency.
GOOD Pay IN GOOD MONEY ESSENTIAL
To the Comfort and Happiness OF the
American Laborer and His Wife and
Children Shall Labor be Deprived
of Permanent Employment

5000 seats In Chicago's great auditorium
was filed tonight with people who came
10 hear the address OF Secretary Carlisle
on currency and finance. Several hun
dred people stood through the entire ad-
dress, and several hundred more went
away, being unable 10 gain admittance.
The Secretary received hearty welcome
and was loudly cheered upon entering
the hall.
The stage was occupied by about two
hundred officers OF Chicagos trade and
labor assemblies. at whose Invitation MIR.
Carlisle came to Chicago. NJ. J.sCarroll,
editor OF the Eight-Eiour Herald, pres!d-
ed Mr.. Carroll said that It was the desire
OF the Iaboring people OF Chicago to hear
some plain, intelligent truth regarding the
currency question. and. that the Secre-
tary OF the United States Treasury had
peen selected as the most tit person for
giving the Information wanted. lie then
introduced Mr.. Carlisle who after ex-
pressing his pleasure at meeting such a
large assemblage OF Chicago people, spoke
as follows:
MIR. CARLISLE'S SPEECH IN FULL.
MIR. President and Gentlemen:
am here this evening I'm response 10
communication received several months
ago from number OF gentlemen connect
ed with various labor organizations Of
this city. inviting me 10 address them
and their fellow workingnen UPON the
currency and financial questions which
were then and are still aattating the
minds OF our people In all parts Of the
country. When that communication
reached me it was not In my power To
designate time when my official duties
would permit ME TO come here but I
promised 10 hold the matter under con-
sideration and come whenever IL might be
possible to do So and j now congratulate
myself upon my good fortune I'm having
at last found an opportunity 10 meet this
great assemblage OF laboring people and
TO discuss in their presence what con-
slider one OF the most important economic
questions that can possibly engage the
attention OF wage-earners In this or any
other country.
Whether the general business OF the
people shall be transacted with good
money or bad money, whether the wages
OF labor shall be paid In a sound and
stable currency. with full purchasing
power In the markets where they are ex-
changed for the necessaries OF life. or In
deprecated and iiuctuatlng currency.
having no fixed value and therefore bear
ing no permanent relation TO the current
prices Of commodities. are questions
which affect the comfort and happineS
of every homo and the peace and prp.-
perity OF every community. While all are
deeply interested in the settlement OF
these questions. 1t is unfortunately the
case that all will not be equally affected
by an erroneous decision upon them. The
wealthy man, the man who has accumu-
lated property or boarded money. Is al
ways exempt from many OF the most
serious consequences of financial or IN
dustrial disturbance. He has both means
and credit, and while he may be sub
jected TO much loss and inconvenience.
neither he nor his family will be pinched
by hunger, or compelled 10 go without
raiment or shelter. IL is the poor man
and the man Of moderate means, the man
who has not been fortunate enough TO
accumulate property or money, but VINO
depends upon his wages or upon the
products of his own labor for the means
OF supporting himself and his family.
that always feels the first and most dis
astrOus effects Of a business or Indus
trial depression, no matter whether IL
results from a deprecated and iiuctuating
currency or from other causes. Such
man has nothing TO dispose OK but his
labor and nothing with which TO sup
port himself or his family but his wages
or the proceeds of his own labor, and
any policy that even temporarily sus-
pends OF obstructs the industrial pro-
gress of the country, by diminishing the
demand for the products OF labor, or by
impairing the capacity or disposition OF
capital to employ labor. must De- injurious
to his interests and intlict more or less
suffering upon all who are dependent
upon him. LABOR CANNOT BE
HOARDED; the idle day is gone forever;
lost wages are never reimbursed, ana
therefore steady employment ana good
pay in good money are essential 10 tho
comfort and happiness OF the American
laborer and his wife and children, ana
he will bs unfaithful to himself and TO
them II he does not Insist upon the adop-
ton and maintenance OF such a policy as
will most certainly preserve the value and
stability OF all our currency and promote
the regular and profitable conduct OF all
our industrial enterprises. He cannot
prosper when the country is In distress.
when its industries are prostrated, lts
commerce paralyzed. its credit broken
down, or its social order disturbed, nor
can he prosper when the fluctuations OF
the currency are such that he cannot
certainly KNOW the Ndfa' VI NHN No''"' -
which his wages are paid. or estimate IN
advance the cost OF the necessaries OF
life. 4
A MOMENTOUS QUESTION.
whether we shall or shall not have a
long period OF financial, commercial ana
industrial disturbance In this country.
and whether labor shall be deprived OK
permanent employment or be partially
employed and inadequately paid. are
questions directly and necessarily involv-
ed In the demand now seriously made by
many OF our fellow-citizens that the
United States, without the cooperation
OF any other government In the World
and in opposition 10 the established posicy
OF every other great civilized and com
mercial nation shall authorize the free
and unlimited coinage or fuil legal tender
silver at the ratio OF 10 to 1, not~ith-
standing the true market ratio between
the two metals is about 81 10 /. or. IN
other words, that the United states alone
shall declare by law that 10 ounces OF
silver are equal In value 10 ounce Oh
gold. when II is an lndisputapse iaee
everywhere recognized that In all the
markets Of the world. In silver standard
countries as well as i'm gold standard
countries. IS ounces OF silver are worth
only about one-haif as much as ounce
OF gold. and will purchase only about
one-half as much OF the necessartss OK
life. The naked proposition is that the
United States shall coin. at the public
expense for the exclusive benefit OF tho
individuals and corporations owning tho
builion. all the silver that may be pre-
.ft.ta trgn