The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1896-10-27


During these three years since the En-
glish gold power finally forced it's
standard on the American people. EN-
ployed labor has fairly held its own.
by virtue of the power of organization.
But the day draws near when the
crushing weight Of the gold standard
will break down the labor organiza-
tons, and with it the present wage
scale will shrink many points nearer
its inevitable level-the wage scale OF
England Germany. Italy, Portugal
and other countries.
In the enforcement of this merciless
law who are the eainers? the answer
Is an easy one. Those who own the
gold. Those who deal only in money.
Those international pawnbrOkers who
own and control the gold; who man
ipulate markets with the skill Of a ma
gician: who permit temporary rise
in prices only as means of realizing
profits, and whose steady policy is to
depreciate the value of everything but
gold.
Pick UP your republican or gold
standard democratic paper and read
what they are telling you. Open the
envelopes Mark Hanna is sending you
and read the inclosed pamphlets.
What do they tell American wage
earners? Here are some of the things
they tell you:
That the purchasing power of dol
lar has enormously increased
That the Wage-earner is more pros
creased purchasing power of his dollar
than ever before in the history of the
country.
That things are cheaper than ever
before and that any change which will
raise prices VIII be at the cost of the
wage-earner.
That if OUT present dollar is 200
cent dollar. the wage-earner is the
greatest gamer.
That falling prices are a national
blessing; that a dollar watch does not
rise in value is a dishonest dollar.
They are attempting to prove to
workmen and wage-earneTs that they
are over-prosperous; that this wonder
full prosperity is the result Of the gold
standard and that return to the use
of silver and god VIII be disastrous.
What is the effect of this? They
are preparing American workmen for
reduction in wages. When the cleo
ton is over they will inform you that
capital is entitled to some of the bless
ings which follow the adoption Of the
gold standard They will assure you
that the wage fund is absorbing all the
profits of production, and prove by
their books and by stock quotations
that such a readjustment in wages
must be made as to permit the profita-
BILE employment of capital in ordc~ that
it may continue production and the en-
ployment of labor
And when you strike you will lose.
And when you lose, and when the vas
army of the now unemployed have
taken your places at reduced wages,
you will have then received the benefit
Of an object lesson showing the inev-
liable result of the gold standard and
falling prices. And then you will have
plenty of time to study this question.
A few years later, when prices have
yet further declined, when gold has yet
further advanced, the same thing will
harpen again. with the same result.
and wages will have tended downward
by that natural law which proclaims
that under competition all things seek
a common level And it will not end
until the United States reaches the
plane in the wage scale Of gold stand
ard Italy and Portugal.
BY the election of Nj. Mckinley this
reduction in wages will be enforced by
all the power of the military and the
unrestricted use of that new and sci
entific weapon of gold monopoly, gov
eminent by injunction" CONGRESS will
convene upon the election of Mckinley
in special session and grant new pow
ers to the judiciary and carry into ma
tional effect those methods so success
fully employed in private use by Mark
Hanna. H c. Frick of Homestead and
H. C. Payne of Milwaukee.
The election of w. J. Bryan will de-
feat the proposed reduction in wages.
The triumph Of free silver; the cleo
ton of congress opposed to English
with its falling values
and wages. viii act as a tonic on the
Ny1oorioop noon7o Tho staady deOrp-