Omaha daily bee., 1896-10-24
TRUTH ron WAGE panSHps.
Advantages os silver s- u Means OF
Cutting wages,

New YORK sun.
AZ the campaign IL about closing, we ln'
vito all daily wage earners to consider the
words OF noted manufacturer, an ardent
champion OF silver, who has had the hon
esty TO tell frankly the true reasons for the
desire to make the change proposed, The
siIyer men In this country, the Bryanites,
have not dared to speak the truth regard
Ing FREQ sllvers effect on wages. but IL has
been told by an earlier silver advocate than
Bryan, aud 1t Will be we'll TO hear his
confession now.
A little moro than a year ago great
English CARPET maker Sir Henry Meysey
Thompson observing the constant rlse in
wages during the last twenty years and the
ever growing difference between wages In
gold standard countries, like England and
America, and In silver standard countries
like Mexico and China, offered a prize for
essays on the subject. The prize was
awarded to the British consul at Shanghai
MIR. George Jameson. The kernel OF Mr.
Jamleson's essay is the kernel of the whole
silver movement.
wages in gold-using countries have be.
come through the appreciation OF gold, "
said Mr. Jameson, or, as he would have
said more accurately, through the deprecia-
ton OF silver. "a hundred per cent, dearer
than they were relatively to silver wages
Tho manufacturer in the silver-standard
countries can obtain his labor at half the
cost relatively to gold wages which he for
merly paid"
In gold countries wages have risen with
gold, and In silver countries they have fallen
with silver, until now the discrepancy is so
great that Oriental industry. which Is
on the eve OF entering ON serious rivalry
with that Of the west, is declared
to possess so tremendous an advantage
over the west that the latters only
hope Is to cut wages also. Cutting them by
direct reduction being too difficult and too
disturbing, the only way Is to make the cut
beneath the surface, by changing the money
standard from the metal gold. of high value
to the metal silver, of low value. That un-
doubtedly is the idea which inspires the ma
jority OF the few, but much multiplied. obi
metallists' OF Europe 1t Is not surprising
that 1t has not been cxpounded by Bryan
Tho argument for thus splitting
gold country's wage figure is sound
beyond dispute. For instance, II
we should elect Bryan and
n Bryan congress, and make silver coinage
free, measuring the value of the dollar by
its standard weight in silver instead OF
It's standard weight in gold thus cutting
wages by so per cent, II would make this
country an irresistible bidder for trade In
every quarter of the globe. Think OF the
effect of cutting United States wages so per
cent! But chance for vastly more start
ling industrial revolution would still be left
What If the American workmen should go
to their employers and agree to work for
nothing or to have their wages cut 100 per
with the United States then in manufactur-
ing? We should undersell the earth. The
making OF goods fit for expectation would
experience boom undreamed OF by the most
sordid and oppressive capitalist ever known
Yet what Bryan orator, from the boy him
self to the most worthless tramp who can
be hired to talk for him, will openly plead
for the experiment?
This is the direction In which the free
silver campaign leads. We don't wonder
that the reputation movement has ceased
to rely mainly on the free silver craze
which Is daily more and more mixed with
understanding OF it's practical results, and
has turned to the agitation in the minds of
wage earners OF malice and vindictiveness
against capitalists and all who believe in
holding sacred the national credit and the
first rule OF business, that is honesty.
How many dupes can the boy agltator
persuade to vote against the honest money
candidate. William Mckinley? The an
swer TO that pitiful question will measure
the now certain triumph Of honest money.