The evening times., 1896-10-14

| side or honest money. With the working
men it was different; 95 per cent OF them
were entirely ignorant of the reasons why
their labor unions were on the silver SIDE,
and majority of them did not even know
| the meaning of 10 TO / Their would be
leaders told them that their general Off
GERS and conventions had passed rcsolu-
tions in favor OF free ccisage. aud as union
| men they ought to support Mr.. Bryan and his
party.
Besides this. Mr.. Bryan was rcpresentedas as
being a good Populist and good Socialist.
He favored the government ownership OF
railroads and telegraphs, and was the dead
~ enemy of trusts, corporations and capt
talists generally; aud, while free coinage
would be the campaign cry, they should
support him for his views on these other
issues. The WORD was passed around ana
all those who showed any disposition to
revolt and Investigate the issues were de-
nouuced as traitors to the cause of labor.
This was tie condition Of things among the
labor unions during the first two weeks OF
the campaign.
Since thea the workingmcn OF the coun-
try have had a chance to hear aud read the
arguments of both sides. They have had an
opportunity to study the question in their
own humble way, and they have learned
thing or two. First of all, they have EARNED
that under free coinage the price or every
tnng they have to buy would increase, anu
their own experience and common sense tell
them that their wages would never Increase
to a corresponding degree, Therefore, the
man who works for wages would be sure 10
lose by the operation.
They have learned also that, while the
Chicago platform was loaded with a lot of
demagogIc isms 10 catch their votes, Mr.
Bryan and his chief agitators have avoided
any discussion of these things and have C..-
voted their time to the one question OF free
silver.
They have learned that the agreement
made by the Bryan managers at st. Louis
to substitute Tom Watson for Mr.. Sewall
has been broken, and they are beginning to
realize that the deal was fixed up as
temporary blind to catch the Popuiist vote.
They have learned further that, uotwIth-
standing all the abuse that is heaped upon
the gold bugs of Wall street and the trusts
and corporations generally, the great syn
dicate or silver mine owners, W hiGh includes
several United States Senators and Con-
-gressmen aud the owner of the New York
journal, is furnishing millions of dollars TO
pay the expenses of Mr.. Bryan and his cam
paigners. And when they think OF these
things, they readily see that they are be-
ing worked like simpletous by the silver
bunco steerers.
And when it comes to the discussion
OF the decline in prices that's Just where
Mr.. Bryan falls fiat. The wOrkingmen Of
the country know too well why all manu-
factured articles are cheaper today than
they ever were before. They have worked
in the mill. nine and factory, and some Of
them have labored on our railroads. 1t is
an easy matter for them to let their minds
run back few years and pOte the won
derfui changes that have taken place in
all fields of industry. ''.
They have Witnessed the wonderful i'm
provemcnts in machinery that have made 1t
possible for one man to do the same amount
of work that reqired from two to ten men
twenty-five years ago, and thousands of
them have been obliged to stand by and
Sc women and children do the work
which formerly required Strong, able-bod
led men They have seen thousands OF
cheap. illiterate immigraR Rrs settle in their
midst and do the Work that they would be
glad to do at living wages They have
seen steam supplant horse pow er aud elec-
tricIty take the place of both They have
been patient observers of the revolution
that has been going on in trade, transpor
tation and production, and they have a
far better knowledge of the reasons why
food, clothing, furniture. etc, are cheaper
today than they we're before the ''crimc
OF 1873 than Mr. Bryan has, and they are
not going To be led astray by his shallow