The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-06-26
Free SILVER and the working Glasses

South Carolina. dwelt on his conception
of the silver situation as being a crisis
more desperate than the Civil War. Per-
haps 1t is. In a sense. it certainly is.
And Tillman is in the foremost of the
wrong side. quite after the manner of
South Carolinfans. The lamentable
thing about it all is that people enough
were found in New York to fill Cooper
Union who were willing to cheer this
mental and moral monstrosity, and his
insane mouthings, compared with which
the utterances of Dennis Kearny We're
sensible and moderate.
Governor Boies. of Iowa, also con-
tributes a second chapter to his drivel
on the silver question. printed in large
type in the congenial columns of the
New York world, He is a dangerous
man-much more so than Tfllman or Alt
geld-because he is calm and slow. and
keeps up an appearance of arguing rather
than ranting.
Meanwhile the advocates of the gold
standard are strangely inert. When the
campaign of education should be vigorous
ly marching on, nothing is being done.
There are no speeches. no Interviews, no
articles to reach the general mass of the
people Before they know where they are
at. the gold leaders stand a chance Of
finding the populace of New York as crazy
on the subject as an Illinois mob. If this
happens the gold leaders of both parties
VIII lave only themselves to blame.
Now. We may be asked, why we have
this fear Of New Workers going over to
silver, If we are SO sure that gold is
right in every aspect, whether moral.
theoretical or practical. We reply, simply,
that what has happened in the case of
thousands in the West and South. NAV
happen in New York, too. The silver
promoters address their appeals to the
poorer classes, to those who lack the
time, the means. the general information.
the habits of thought necessary to sift
great questions. The appeals are ALWAYS
addressed largely to the passions of the
multitude. That vague discomfort which
always pervades the working classes in
times of stringency or uncertainty is
stimulated. The bitter attacks which are
made upon the President, upon the Score
tarys of the Treasury. unon the capitalists
OF the country. upon that vague monster
W3II Sfraat mbsol H.
understood and so ludscrously feared by
donkeys like Tillman-the onslaughts. we
say, upon all these people and things
lend to arouse the latent envies and
preludices of those who live from hand
to mouth, and reason is soon lost sight
Of as the crowd follows the wild cry of
the d~emagosue.
And yet, the case is not one sn which
1t is hopeless to secure attention to the
common sense view. if4the right methods
are taken. In some ways the horrors of
g debased coinage are so obvious that no
amount of passion can wholly bird men
to them. 1t should be worth while Inn
pressing upon the New York workman.
Tor Instance. that in case the free coin
of silver were ordained by Congress.
all incomes from that of the bank presi-
dent ait s2o.o0o a year down to that of the
crossing sweeper at 81 a week would be
cut in two, through the depreciation In
their purchasing power. 1t should be made
plain to the man with say SIS a week
who can now live in tolerable comfort,
that he would. by the enact
msnt Of free silver, be reduced
to the owest depth of poverty.
The loaf which can now be Bought for
four or five cents would leap to eight or
ten; milk would be sixteen cents a quart
and meat would range from twenty-fye
to fifty cents a pound. Tenants who rent
ed rooms from month to month would
have their rent doubled. A coat which
now costs seven dollars would go up to
fourteen. even the nickel car fare would
be a thing of ths past and every rid
would cost a dime.
But. you may say, II all this took place.
the w~orkingman would demand at once
that his wages should be doubled. He
would find that instead of getting INV
such concession, he would probably be
thrown out of employment altogether. To
counteract the enormous shrinkages of
value to which they would be subjected,
evarv rlass rf aranInxnars u.,,,fd r,,si, ha.5