Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-02-06

luDSb HuCLnHIlODBE why bIbulu DOl
the same causes always produce the
same effect? IL they do not, thon the
burden rests upon the advocates of
this theory to show that exceptional
causes have taken such instances as
have named out OF the general rule.
But, Mr.. President, the Senator from
Arkansas in the speech to which have
referred said, and said truly, that
after all the great measure Of value is
labor. 1t is very hard to get standard
for standard. To measure gold by
itself is impossible. | agree with him,
and think that most thoughtful men
will agree with him, that there il no
better criterion OF value than human
labor. | would ask him and ask Sena-
tors who do mo the honor Of giving me
their attention to go with me over
some of the statistics that arc within
the reach of all of us, made by COM
petent hands, presume, made under
the authority of the Senate. and see
whether it be true that, in applying
this test Of human labor, gold mas ap-
preciated, or whether the evidence
would not be the other way.
There was an investigation made
under tho supervision of very expert
and experienced statistician-one as
competent as anyone know of in this
country, Mr.. Carroll ID. Wright-in
regard to prices generally and the
wages of labor in this country through
long periods. The results that were
published in document presented to
the Senate by the committee on finance
two or three years ago show some very
interesting things in regard to the
topic that | am now discussing. We
find here a comparison of wages every
tenth year from 1910, except 1870,
when wages were abnormally high on
account Of an inflated paper currency,
all reduced to the gold standard, and
here is the results
In tho building trades, most i'm
portant department of human industry,
we find, taking 1910, that plasterers
got 81. 80 in gold day; in 1850, 81. 75
per day in gold; in 1860, 81. 10; in 1880,
s2, and in 1890, So. 50, l will not de-.
tain the Senate by going through the
10 or 90 different occupations-carpen-
ters, farmers, laborers, painters, black
smiths, and SO on; but taking the
blacksmiths, we find that they got
Sl.50 in lS40; 81. 80 in 1860; 50 in 1880,
and So in 1890.
| show that measured by this test
wages have advanced, what are we to
say about the condition of the coun-
try that is SO deplorable and about
which so much is said here day after
day in order to show the absolute me-
cessity of revolutioniZing our standard
of values nd throwing into confusion
all the business enterprises of the
land? If the laborer gets more in gold
than he did 20 or 30 or 40 years ago and
can buy more per dollar with it,
should like to know who is hurt and
why you wat to change it,
oh, say the Senator from Arkansas
and others, we want to cheaper the
dollar in order that we may stay this
decline in prices; that we may restore
prices. For whose benefit? | grant
you that there has been a decline in
agricultural products, but the causes
of that decline, l repeat, lie oustide
of the domain of this discussion as to
| the decentralization of silver and the
appreciation of gold. And il they do,
| should like to know on what princi-
pie of Justice and humanity you are tC
90 to the millions and millions oil
wage earners in this country on the
farm, in the factory, on the railroad,
and in the mine, and tell them thai
you are by arbitrary fiat of law going
| to increase the price of the things thai
they must buy, thereby decreasing the
purchasing power of their wages.
Mr.. President, in order to cheaper
the dollar that you say you give to the
bondholder of your country, are you
willing to cheaper the dollar that you
give TO the toiling millions of youl
fellow -citizens? ! care nothing for the
bondholder; he can take care of himself.
But will not in any paroXysm of pas
sion or resentment so far lose my sense
of proportion and of justice that in
order to do mischief to the rich bond
holder, so called, | will work all this
wreck and ruin to the masses of my
countrymen.
When we talk about the wages oI
labor, mean also agricultural labor.
Who are the people who would bt
benefited by high prices? The mar
who holds the plow especially? Oh,
no. 1t is the capitalist who owns the
farm; it is the man who has invested
| his money in land. Is he not a capi
talist? | am not talking about the mar
whom he hires; am talking abou
the man who owns the land. For thu
sake Of raising the price of the com
modities on that land you seem reck
less as to the consequences TO a la
larger number who will suffer by YOU
action.
!