The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-09-03
cosl 500 q %lranster ono ton J ,OOO mllca

COST $JU TO trnnBTer one ton j, 900 miles
and only 81 10 In 1899.
In 1877, according 10 tho government
reports, the price az tranHportatlng onp
buShel or wheat from Chicago 10 New
rork py lake and canal Wus - i7-I0C
ce,rtS: oy lake ana rail IN cents; by all
rail- J3h cents. In 1895, by laku md
U Hl-l0O cent?, by all rnIl, ~ l7-lOO cents,
No such proportIonale reduction hnp
been seen IN tho price OF wheat or corn,
The average price OF wheat In 1870 wns
so cents per bushGl In gold. TO.day IL h
90 ccnts--n reduction since 1870 scarcely
liilt as, great US the reduction OF freight
fnteS--Mr. HrynIiB Insertions 10 tho COM
trnry Notwithstanding.
Tho Atlantic cable has produced tho
same result hS regards tho rate Of inter-
est on money that the opening of new
lAnds, the extension OF transportation
facilities and excessive production have
produced In the prices OF whaet and corn,
It taps the money supply hf tho world
nnu brings II to our service.
so LONG AS WE FAVOUR DEBTS
IN THE KIND OF MONEY WE BOR-
ROW THE RATE OF INTEREST
WILL CONTINUE TO CHEApEN
FOR THE FARMER, MERCHANT
AND THE MINER AND FOR THOSE
ENGAGED. IN ANY OTHER INDUS
TRY IN THIS COUNTRY.
Free silver and Wages
"A silver standard would work partlc-
ular injury to wage cnners. The rich
and well-to-do a usually take care Of
themselves, Hut the man who has d
vital interest In every days wages
whose family depends upon those wages
for lts bread and meat, IL the person first
to feel the Injury and last to feel my
possible benefit from an imitation OF the
currency. Not only would he FOR one
year. nor two years. or perhaps many
years, feel the effect OF the prostratIOn
or Industry and business which would at
least bethe Inst result OF Il change to the
silver standard, but when that wore
AWAY us II probably would In the course
OF time and the full effects OF nn Initiation
or the currency under unlimited silver
coinlge began to be manifested, he
would find the prices of food, az cloth
Ing, OF rents rising, but his wages would
remain stationary, for It Is an economic
fact that In IN era OF rising prices
wages are the last to feel the Influence.
So long rs steady work Is assured, the
lnborcr IL much better of under the con-
dillon OF falling prices such ~ we have
lat for many years, rs the cost OF pro-
ductlon or commodities has been de-
creased by new Inventions. and I'm
proved methods OF manufacture. for the
necessities Of life and even IT'S ~luxurIes
have become cheaper, while by reason OF
various influences wages have risen.
In 1870 the average wages paid to labor
NFu ttsu a (11D NNnFs Nsau 50 t.. tgln tho. ..na
Increased to SS5. more than fi(ty per
cent, while during the same period the
prices of commodities mad fallen. the
sllveritCs tell US, from 25 10 10 per cent.
Under the operation Of a gold standard.
therefore, no matter what It's injuries
may have been TO other classes OF citi-
zens, the labOrer Is at least rs per cent
better OF than he was In 1870.
Does lie wish to reverse this condition
and face lower wages and higher cost OF
living? | think these fncts have only 10
be presented 60 the attention OF the
worklngmcn to convince them that any
grieveance7; which they may be per-
Suadcd they have. cannot be- cured by
the humbug remedies prescribed by DR..
Bryan.
There are some classes of employees
who would be especially affected by a
silver standard. / refer particularly to
the S00,0 900 who get their wages from
steam and street surface railroads. Most
OF the money invested In these enter
prise5 is represented In bonds whose
principal and interest are payable in
gold. The annual payments required by
these obligations OF Indebtedness are
hundreds OF millions OF dollars. II gold
goes to n premium the holders Of these
LAHIa fRrt~A rNhpF RhANE E,knII IN Ftt1GtI,y1
and the interest be payable in gold, IT
means that the railroads have got to
raise that amount OF gold or the mort
cages will be foreclosed and the proper
tiles sold. Every railroad employe
knows what that meanS-l cutting down
of expenses, Disqualification. uncertain
employment. II the companies have to
pay n hundred cents premium on gold to
satisfy their Interest demands 1t means
doubling their fixed charges-and this In
the case of nine railroads ont of ten
means bankruptcy. They cannot In
crease their rate Of fares. for that the
legislatures will not permit. They cam
not exact payment OF fares In gold,
Therefore they must repudlate their OBJ
legations or cut down w~aEeS-thcy GER
tainly cannot increase wages. Which
ever horn OF the dilemma they choose,
thereiore-'L reputation Oh or
a reduction In wages-thc employe Is no
gamer, FOR even were there no reduction
OF wages under the free coinage OF so
cent dollars he ought TO receive twice as
much wages as he did before in order to
nut him on an equality with previous
conditions. The purchasing power OF
hts wages, II the rate remained the same
would be cut down one half.
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