The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-10-17
CARLISLE ON FREE COINAGE.
SHORT SPEECH TO A COMMITTEE
OF WAGE-EARNERS.

he Advises Men Who Think the
Present Dollar Is Too Good for
Them or Has Too Much Purchns-
ing Power TO Vote for the Free
Coinage of Silver-He Announces
His Inability TO Make IA Speech at
baltimore.
Washington, Oct 16.-The Wage-Earners
Patriotic League of Maryland, to the
number of 200. called on Secretary Carlisle
to-day at the treasury to invite him to ad-
dress them in Baltimore at his conve-
nience. The secretary received the dele
cation on the south steps of
the treasury, where H. l.. X
johnson, the leader of the dele
cation, made an address in which he said
they were Cleveland and Carlisle demo-
Gratis who proposed to vote for Mckinley
as the representative of honest money.
Postmaster Warfield of Baltimore accom-
panied the delegation.
Secretary Carlisle mounted chair. and
as he did so some in the crowd called
out Tell the truth" He promptly an
swered, II viii try to do So" Then he
said: Gentlemen, am very much obliged
to you for this visit and very sorry that 1t
is not in my power to comply with the re-
quest you have come here to make. The
reasons why 1 am not able to do so, 1
think, are tolerably well understood by
the public. My business has been
so arranged as to permit me to make
few speeches in my own state. but under
the circumstances it would not be possi-
BILE for me to go elsewhere. 1 cannot,
therefore, accept your invitation to go to
Baltimore, but one or two things have
been suggested by the addresses Just
made about which 1 would like to say
very few words to you while you are here.
II there is a laboring man in the United
States, who really believes that the money
he is now receiving for his wages is 600
good for him, that II is buying too much
food, too much clothing for himself and
his family, or that it is paying the rent
for better house than he and his fam
lily ought to live in, 1t is his duty to vote
for the free and unlimited coinage of .al.
yer at the ratio Of 16 to l. (Cheers.)
IF there is any laboring man in the
United States who has saved money out
his earnings and has deposited it in a
savings bank, or building association, or
paid 1t on a policy of insurance for the
benefit of his family, and who desires to
-. ~ it paid back to him IN a currency
worth about half as much the money he
paid out, he also ought to vote for the
free and unlimited coinage of silver, for
that will give him exactly what he wants
On the other hand, every man in the Uni
ted States, whether he works for wages
or not. who wants to preserve the value
Of what he has already ac-
cumulated, and to insure the
value of what he may hereafter receive
~.
limited coinage of silver, and for the
maintenance of a sound and stable cur
rency in this country. (Applause) While
every man who works for wages or re-
ceives a fixed compensation for his serv-
ices, must be deeply interested in the re-
suit Of the pending contest, these men
who work for railroad companies and
other transportation companies. many of
whom reside in your city, and some of
whom are, perhaps, here, have special
interest in the question involved, because
their employers are affected by a
situation which makes it impossi-
BILE to so increase wages as to
compensate for the diminished purchas-
ing power of the money in which wages
must be paid If the policy of free coinage
of silver at the ratio of 16 to l is adopted.
These companies cannot increase wages
unless they can increase the receipts
from their business; they cannot increase
the receipts from thelr business unless
they can increase the charges for carry
ing freight and passengers, and If they
should attempt to increase the charges for
carrying freight and passengers, II is safe
to say that the very men. the very people
who are now most clamorous for the free
coinage of silver, would be the first to
protest against It, and to demand legis-
lation to prohibit It in all cases where such
legislation is not already existing. Cap
plause)
THE man, who, therefore, works for a
transportation company would find him
self the helpless victim of a policy which
diminished the purchasing power of his
wages about one-half and compelled him
to work on and on for the same number
Of dollars he received before thus de-
stroying all hope OF Improvement OF his
condition. But, gentlemen, the laboring
men have their fate In their own hands
They have the power to protect their
wages against depreciation and to protect
their country against financial dstur-
Dances and ruin, and II they are as intel
ligent and patriotic as ! believe them to
be they will so exercise their power that
no reckless agitator will hereafter dare to
approach them in behalf Of this wild and
revolutionary scheme Of finance and civil
government prolonged applause). Now,
gentlemen, ! thank you again for this
visit, and ! tender to each and every one
of you my best wishes for his prosperity
in whatever calling he may hereafter be
engaged"
Then the secretary retired amid ap-
plause.
WANTS WATSON TO VVITUDRAV.