The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-06-16
otherwise

General j. s. Coxey, otherwise
known as Coxey, the Commonwealth,
arrived in Salt Lake yesterday morn
ing, direct from San Francisco. The
general and his wife compose the
party and they report pleasant jour
ney from the Golden Gate.
Asked by a Herald representative
what he had been doing, what he in
tended TO do and what he was here
for generally. Mr.. Coxey replied:
81 am showing the people how the
business of the country has been par
alyzed, how the wage worker has been
made to carry the burdens. how the
money power has waXed fat and still
fatter at the expense of the toiler and
how the whole laundering business can
be Strengthened out if the great mass
of the people are only in earnest and
go about the thing properly"
THE MONEY QUESTION.
What question of public policy do
you hold to stand most in need of
immediate eVnlution?
THE money question"
Then you put the money question
peiOiG LIE lliQuSeildl
'Yes-or, novel;, I'll tell you. You
see, the settlement of the money ques-
ton will solve the industrial ques-
ton. 1 am a silver man, in a way,
having absorbed number of new sill
yer sentiments during my travels in
the far west. | said that the settle
ment of the money question would set
tie the industrial problems which have
SO long hung fire. 1 mean that it
would settle them in degree. What
we want and must have before we
can hope for permanent prosperity in
this country is an issue of money di-
rect to the people. without interest,
just as it has always been issued to
the bankers. The employment of the
idle masses on public improvements is
what this country needs. That's what
we marched to Washington for; that's
what we are talking and fighting for
today and that's what we intend to
keep harping upon until we get it,
Would not hundreds of thousands
of men now employed at small wages
leave their positions to take advantage
Of any offer of employment the govern
ment might make on public works, at
better wages, thus greatly increasing
the multitude of the unemployed
No, I think not; a working man sell
dom leaves position which insuTes
him a livelihood. The governmental
offer of employment on public works
would, therefore, not induce any con-
siderable number of the employed to
join their unemployed brethren. You
remember the bills / proposed to CON-
gress. They embodied the present Pop
ulistic ideas on all propositions OF la
Dor and finance. Not until there is a
new monetary system will there be
any hope of permanent good times in
the United States. This and the en-
paoyment of every idle American citizen
on the public roads and buildings OF
the country would soon make US q
happy and prosperous people.
APPROVES OF LABOR SAVING.
1T has been reported that 1 have de.
clared against labor-saving devices
Nothing could be further from tbs
truth. l believe in encouraging every
machine of every kind which increaset
the quantity and improves the quality
of work. But, mind you, my position is
that the government should supply hen
citizens with work as fast as they ARK
thrown out of employment by these
new machines. From end to end of tbs
country these idle men should be en-.
gagged in Improving roads, beautifyine
public parks and erecting public build.
ho1lrs-eight hours a day.
Il ann in favor of municipal owner.
ship of street railways. telegraph. tele-
phone water supply, gas and electric
lighting plants. To this end city non-in.
terest bearing bonds should be issued
and sold to the government, to be re-
tired in say twenty-five years, at 4 peu
cent. annual payments Making a 10.
car appteation OF this argument, the
general said:
Sat Lake city should own its gas
elecu1c light and street car system, as
Weai as its water system We will sa I
that the gas, electric light and street
car plants are worth a. million and 4
half. NOW, suppose that city bonds 70,
mailaon and a half be RAIDS
ed and deposited with the
government, running twenty-five
years and bearing no interest The
government could then issue a million
and half of legal tender CURRENCY. de.
Quoting the amount necessary to cove1
the cost OF making the money. and Their
forward the balance to the Salt Lake
treasurer, to be paid out for street can
ana eiectl1c plants. This would abolish
the bonds of those concerns and neve9
after that would there be interest o,
olVldends to pay. The city treasury
would receive the revenue, and $50 O00
or per cent Of the amount borrowet7
from the government, would be taken
out and applied ON the government
bonds each year until the whoIe
amount was paid back to the govern.
ment.'' e q
TRADES UNIONS.
General Coxey considers trasss
unions a great benefit, not only to tbef,
members, but to the public at large
w age earners," he says, "must ei4Fe1
assert their rights firmly and ernpslat.
really or abandon hope of receivinp
them at all" He had never known
TABOR organization to resort to extrea,,s
measures unless compelled to do So by
the reaEon!ess oppression of employers
Inc general will remain in Salt f.ake
cry until Thursday next. On Wednes.
GAY II ARRANGEMENTS can be made he
VIII deliver an address AFT Liberty ~, r.iS
from here he goes to Kansas. themes ,sa ~ :,
ends. laAe toul
WILL SPEAK AT THE THEATRE
Henry W. Lawrence and others
called at The Herald office last nieht
70 announce that General Coxev will
hxa