Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-10-28
Gree silver and the wngc-Earner.''

Gree silver and the Wngc-Enrner"
To the Editor Of the Dispatch:
The question as to the wage-earner
voting for Bryan and free silver mas
prompted this letter from the writer we
shall deal only with this branch OF the
subject. and endeayor to present the
facts briefly and tersely so that 'he VINO
runs may read" 1t Is a fact that the
labor ORGANIZATIONS have spoken in many
OF their conventions he'd In the large
cities OF this country unreservedly IN
don~ing Mr.. Bryan and free silver. Inc
American Federation Of Labor deciarel
for free silver at Is 10 l In chicago III
1893. also in Denver In 1884, and IN inc
city OF New York in 1893. Where there j.
no coercion. no effort TO control inc
wage-earner. we find the laboring man
is for Bryan and free silver. IL Is
fact that general prosperity is sooa iot
the wage-earner. Work must be done
before the dollar can be earned. Pros-
pcrlty and thrift bring employment, EN-
ployment brings wages, ana wages pllns
comfort and happiness TO the nome
OF the labOrer. In Southwest virginia
there are twenty-one furnaces, and only
one out Of the twenty-one ia blast. How
many idle men does this mean? In Roa-
noke there are a number Of plants that
are idle-two rolling mills, the Norwich
Lock- Works, and the Dufal Engine
Works, and many others-ths means
hundreds Of idle men and boys who were
formerly employed. What IS true or the
Industries Of this section Of Virginia Is
true throughout the country. ldleness
brings no wages. IL Is urged py the
enemies Of silver that a dollar will buy
more -four, more meat. and more meal
than ever before; but we ask who has
the dollar2 A barrel OF -four at $3.50 Is
not cheap to the man who is out OF en-
ployment and hasn't the $3.50; and bar
rel OF flour at - IS not high 70 the
man that has the s.. and Is earning more
money all the time. This Is the
same problem that presented itself to the
man who could have bought the city OF
Chicago for a pair Of boots. but did not
have the boots It IS a fact that the IN
terest OF the money Is the interest or the
waRe-earner. Prosperity reaches up
from the humblest hut TO the gilded
palace: like the rain from Heaven, II falls
on the Just and the unjust Universal
prosperity means your prosperity IL Is
conceded by all that dear money pro
duces low prices, and plentiful supply
Of money brings higher prices. The proof
OF this IS expressed In eX-Presideht
Harrison's message TO Congress on De-
cember l. 1880. Speaking then Of the
Sherman law. he said on this subject
THE enlargement Of our currency, by
the silver bill undoubtedly gave an up
ward tendency 20 trade. and had
marked effort on prices; but this natural
and desired effect Of the silver legisla-
ton was by many enormously attributed
10 the tariff act" No one denies that
more money will bring rising prices. bet
ter prices will quicken trade, and TINS
means a lively demand for produce ana
manufactured articles No industry -
idle where there IS a demand for the
article manufactured. And idleness comes
only where there are no buyers, mus
we conclude that wages depend upon
the law Of supply and demand. The less
work there is TO DO the lower wages 90,
and the more work there Is to DO the
higher wages rise In other words 1T
IS far better 10 have six jobs looking for
one man than 20 have six men looking
for one Job" The man out OF employ
ment and seeking work Is at very
great disadvantage. He Is not on the
same plane with the man who has the
work TO give. for the employer can name
his price for his services. Reverse the
proposition, and let the employer look
for the employee, and then you can
name the price for your labor. statistics
show that $1,000 railroad men have been
turned out of employment since 1888. This
mans loss of many thousands Of dol
lars per day and many millions OF dollars
each year by railroad men alone. TO say
nothing OF the idle mechanics and their
laborers all over the country. II may be
that you have constant ana remunerative
employment, but continue this stagna-
ton in all business and how long Will
your services be needed? Why will not
some idle but competent man take your
place on the gold basis, say for one half
Of what you are rece. ing? All things
else having come TO a gold basis, why
not wages and salaries? The farmer
long ago reached a golden bottom; also.
the merchant and the small manufac-
turer; why will not the wage-earner come
10 this plutocratic bottom? II 81 will
buy as much as 81 would in 1873, how
long will 1t be before your employer will
say to you that 50 cents will buy as
much as 81 bought in 1873. therefore you
are not hurt by the reduction
The plain duty Of the workingman is
90 cast his vote for the party that favors
a return to prosperity; for the party that
favors more money, more work. and con-
slant employment Labor can take care
OF itself II good times Come 10 our coun-
try, and then the employer viii seek the
employee. and not the employee the en-
ployer. IL is n fact that unless the en-
ployer of labor can realize from the sale
OF his goods such prices as will justify
the manufacturing of his goods he will
cease operation and close down HIS plant
and the employee win be forced to seek
work elsewhere And n this be true.
are not the wage-earners' interests on
the side of rising prices? And rising
prices are produced by more money. Free
silver means more money. IL is a fact
that labor unions have done more 70
keep up wages than any other one thing;
but even these are powerless to force
employment for their idle brothers. Labor
organizations may protect for a time
their own wages from cuts. but they
cannot give work TO the thousands Of
idle men and those who are on half time.
The idle must eat; they must be clothed.
Continually add 10 the army Of Idle men.
and you menace society. you endanger
life and property, you drive men to ac-
cept lower prices for their labor than
you receive. you hasten the day when
sheer necessity win spur good men 10
deeds OF desperation. Hunger knows no
law, and necessity knows no fear. II is
fact that we have the eleventh COM
mandment-"Bear We one another's bur
dens." II this commandment is ignored
in our selfish greed; II we only look 20 the
present as to-day and foreet that SUI
bIimest tenet of Democracy "The greatest
good OF the greatest number" the day
IS rot far distant when patriotism win
be an empty name, and free America
will belong to trusts. millionaIres. ana
plutocrats. s. r. ].